Is baby yarn really necessary?

You can use any yarn size you'd like, but if you're following a pattern you'll need to consider the gauge. Using a thicker yarn/larger hook will change the size ... and the amount of fiber needed.

Also, you can use any fiber content you'd like, but keep in mind new parents have higher priories than "hand wash lay flat to dry" laundering. Read the fiber labels carefully to ensure it's machine washable & dryable.

Finally, you'll also want to consider baby's delicate skin -- many hospital preemie wards only accept donations of acrylic or cotton due to the possibility that baby may be allergic to wool/wool blends. If this is a good rule for hospitals to follow, then it's also a good rule to follow for gift giving.

I hope this helps.

~Dee Stanziano

Certified Crochet Teacher

I just hate baby yarn. I made my first and last afghan using baby yarn in January. It took so long, I made a quilt instead to be in time for the shower. The advantage of a baby yarn afghan is that it is lightweight-perfect for summer months. You can duplicate that with worsted by having a more openwork pattern. It won't bug the baby's skin at all.

If you still want finer yarn, consider sport weight. It's not as annoying as baby yarn. I make norwegian sweaters from that all the time.

Baby yarn is a weight designation. Baby yarn is smaller in diameter than worsted. It will work up more slowly than worsted. Softness would depend on the particular yarn you choose. I knit items for babies out of many different weight yarns.

You really can make a baby blanket out of any kind of yarn that you like. Soft weight yarn would work just fine.

Baby yarn is not necessary. Just pick a yarn that is nice and soft and is easy to launder.

when picking yarn for baby items such as a baby blanket, the number one thing that you want to keep in mind that you want the item to be machine wash and dry. yes you would want to keep the yarn soft as long as its not an itchy yarn like wool. i find that acrylic is a great choice, from my experience.

I know my mom makes quite a few baby outfits for people. The baby yarn also probably has better dyes than regular yarn, otherwise it'd be irritating.

I think its just to make the skeins smaller and charge you more money for them. I don't think its necessary. Just find the softest yarn you can and baby will be just fine.

Baby Shower Bingo -This is the most popular of baby shower games. I like it because it keeps your guests involved and entertained while the mom-to-be opens her gifts. Sometimes it can take up to an hour or more so having a game to keep guests busy is ideal. Rules: Each guest gets a blank baby shower BINGO card. Have them fill in each square with gifts that they think the mom-to-be will receive. The winner is the first person to get 5 across, down, or diagonal. Plan on 6-8 winners depending on the number of people at the baby shower. Small prizes like sample body lotions, lip gloss, candles, etc. make nice prizes. First to Deliver - This is the most hilarious of baby shower games. Buy some small plastic babies that are tiny enough to fit in an ice cube tray. Put the babies in the tray and cover with juice or soda to freeze the babies into the ice cubes. The babies will float so you might have to freeze them in layers. Pour a small amount of liquid in the tray, let it freeze, and then fill the tray to the top to make a full size ice cube. The baby will then be secure inside of the frozen cube. Rules: When all of the guests have arrived, give them each a glass of punch with one ice cube baby in the glass. The first person who “gives birth” (ice cube melts and baby pops out) gets a prize. Don’t Say Baby - Each guest is given a safety pin or clothespin when they arrive at the baby shower. When the shower starts, announce that the word “baby” is taboo and anyone that hears another guest say it, can take that person’s pin. The person with most pins at the end wins! You can choose another word besides baby. Some common words said at baby showers are: cute, adorable, tiny – choose any word that you think would fit your shower best. Uh-oh Dirty Diaper - Make some small diapers out of white felt. Use pinking sheers to cut the felt for a nice effect. Pin a colored ribbon (blue or pink) to the outside to dress it up and hold it all together. Before pinning them all together, choose one to be a dirty diaper. Use melted chocolate or Dijon mustard for the perfect effect. When guests arrive at the shower, give them each a diaper corsage. Announce near the end of the shower for everyone to check their diaper. The one with the dirty diaper wins! The prize for this baby shower game can be a larger door prize like a gift basket or nice plant. Birthday Closest to Due Date - This is a great way for the guests to introduce themselves. Go around the room and have each person say their name, how they know the mom-to-be and their birthday. The person with their birthday closest to the baby’s due date wins! Be sure to have a few prizes on hand in case there is more than one guest on or near the due date. How Big is Mommy’s Tummy? This game is great if the mom-to-be is a good sport and not too sensitive about her growing belly. Give each person a long piece of string with a sticker label on the end so they can write their name on it. Have them cut the string to the size that they think the mom-to-be’s tummy is around. The person with the closest length wins!