Little bits of yarn left over from other projects are perfect for baby knits! And baby knits are small, portable, and perfect for traveling. We recently road-tripped to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and I had plenty to work on without buying any new yarn. So satisfying!

To estimate how much yarn I had left of a certain type and what I could get out of it, I weighed the yarn ball and did the math comparing to the weight and yardage of the original skein.

I still have some leftover yarn I'm planning projects for, so there will likely be further installments.

Yarn: A Verb for Keeping Warm, Pioneer, Plum Color (no longer available, link to current offerings)

Pattern: Misha and Puff Popcorn Bonnet

Gauge: 3mm Needles

Size: 0–6M

Made a hat for myself from this yarn years ago and had some yarn leftover that just so happens to be very similar to the sample. I have an awkward amount of this yarn left still, so I'm bummed that maybe I should have made a size bigger, but oh well.

Yarn: Borstet Alpakka, White

Leftover From: Louisiana Sweater

Pattern: Wiksten Animal Bonnets (Rav link, Wiksten's website is currently on maternity leave)

Gauge: 3mm Needles

Size: 3–6M, 6–12M

Messed up the first bonnet by doing the I-Cord around the face opening instead of the neck opening. Luckily I had enough yarn to make another hat one size bigger to redeem my mistake!

Yarn: JCRennie + Isager Mohair

Original Project: Caramel Sweater

Pattern: PetiteKnit Elinor's Bloomers

Gauge: As given in pattern, 4mm Needles (3mm for rib)

Size: 0–2M

Used very nearly all of the mohair I had left! The buttons are vintage shell-like buttons from my Mom's giant vintage button jar.

Yarn: No idea but I think it is just baby yarn from JoAnns. Old!

Pattern: Actually crochet, from an old Martha Stewart Baby Magazine my mom has! Honestly those magazines were amazing (discontinued now) and I'm about to go buy some issues on eBay...

This hat has been in my knitting bin mostly finished for a while. Initially made to give as a gift a few years ago, I ended up making and giving something else because I didn't love how the ties turned out. All I had to do was make a pom for the top! My number one pom tip is: sorry they just have to be made huge to look halfway decent because so much has to be trimmed off to make it even and dense looking. Use cheap yarn!