Easter Knitting Patterns

Small makes, short deadline

Easter knitting has a particular character: everything is small, everything is due on a fixed date, and most of it is destined to be handled by children. That shapes the collection. There are knitted bunnies and chicks worked in the round and stuffed, lambs with bouclé or textured bodies, egg cosies that slip over a boiled egg at breakfast, chocolate egg covers sized to standard shop eggs, bunting, garlands, table decorations, baskets to hold the hunt's takings, and a run of baby and toddler garments in spring colours - cardigans, bonnets and bootees in DK and 4 ply.

Choosing what to make and when

• Two hours: an egg cosy or a knitted chick from oddments. Perfect for using up leftovers.
• An evening: a small stuffed bunny, a garland of eggs, a set of napkin rings.
• A weekend: an Easter basket, a bunny toy with clothes, a baby bonnet and bootee set.
• A week or two: a child's spring cardigan in DK, or a bunny large enough to be a proper gift.
• Free patterns: several seasonal designs download as PDFs at no cost, which is the easiest way to test a new toy construction.

Yarn choices for toys and cosies

For anything a child will carry about, use a washable yarn - superwash wool, acrylic or a cotton blend - because Easter toys get dropped in gardens. Work toys at a firmer tension than the ball band suggests, usually a hook or needle size or two down, so the stuffing cannot escape between stitches; this is the single most common flaw in a first knitted toy. For egg cosies, wool holds heat best. For baby garments, choose soft merino, cotton or a gentle acrylic and check the wash symbols, since nobody hand-washes a baby cardigan twice.

Techniques you will meet

Knitted toys mainly need increases, decreases, working in the round on double-pointed needles or a small circular, and mattress or whip stitch for seaming. Ears and tails are usually knitted separately and sewn on, which is where the character comes from - position the ears twice with pins before you stitch, because a centimetre changes the whole expression. Embroidered faces are safer than plastic safety eyes for babies and toddlers, using straight stitches in a contrasting yarn. Pompom tails are the fastest possible finishing touch and the one children like best.

Making it a family project

Easter is one of the better points in the year to teach someone to knit, because the projects are short enough to hold attention. A garter stitch square becomes a bunny with two corners tied off. A simple tube becomes an egg cosy. Knitted baskets and bunting can be shared out between several people and assembled together. If you are running a class or a group, small identical projects in bright DK are the easiest to manage.

Gifting and presentation

A knitted egg cover with a chocolate egg inside is an inexpensive gift that looks considered, and it survives the post better than most handmade things. Small bunnies tucked into a basket with a card work for teachers, neighbours and godchildren. Sets of egg cosies in matched colours make a good Easter table. If you are giving toys to very small children, say clearly that the eyes are embroidered rather than plastic - parents notice.

Care and storing decorations

Wash toys by hand in cool water unless the yarn is superwash, squeeze rather than wring, and dry flat, reshaping the ears and body while damp. Seasonal decorations should be stored clean, in a box rather than a bag, with any wool pieces protected from moths. Pompoms flatten in storage and revive with a shake and a light comb. Egg cosies that will meet hot eggs regularly are best made in wool or cotton rather than acrylic, which can distort with repeated heat.

Easter knitting questions

Are there free Easter knitting patterns? Yes, several seasonal designs are available as free PDF downloads in the free knitting pattern library.

What yarn should I use for knitted Easter toys? A washable DK - superwash wool, acrylic or cotton blend - worked at a firm tension so stuffing does not show through.

Will a knitted egg cover fit a shop-bought chocolate egg? Patterns state the egg size they were designed for; check that before casting on, as egg sizes vary widely.

Are these suitable for beginners? Many are. Egg cosies, bunting and simple square-based bunnies need only basic stitches and a seam.

How long before Easter should I start? Small makes need only a weekend, but allow two to three weeks for a baby garment or a set of gifts.