Welcome to the World Little One!
My sister-in-law has just given birth to a wonderful baby boy and as mummy and daddy are very artistic, a handmade gift for their first baby was very fitting. I decided to do a picture for the wall as it's something a bit different but could also be completely bespoke. Many people opt for clothes or small cuddly things, but I find that these can simply be lost in the huge collection of a toy box or clutter in the corner of the room.
So a handmade knitted picture scene was the challenge. We were actually away on holiday when we received the joyful news about his safe arrival, and so when coming up with ideas for their baby boy, I was inspired by the beautiful sunset over the Lac du Montbel. Using a clever little App on Daddy's phone we found to our disbelief that the beautiful star reflecting on the lake was actually Venus. Amazing! And with space having nice simple knittable objects, such as a moon and a rocket, a space scene seemed the perfect choice. The other usual boy things such as monsters, robots, and vehicles will have to wait for (potentially!) boy number two.
Picture perfect!
As well as simple to make, the design I chose had babies but also toddlers in mind. I thought it would be great for learning colours and for counting (number of stars), as well as geometric shapes. This design incorporates the large square background, a rectangle and triangle for the rocket, and a circle for the moon. His embroidered name was added to make it a special keepsake.
Laying the completed smaller knitted parts out flat helped me decide on the size of the background piece, which you can adjust. Using larger size 4 needles and chunky wool for the knitted main piece background allowed me to knit a larger piece in the shortest amount of time. It also meant that it was a bit thicker (less prone to children pulling holes in it).
The main piece with all of its sewn on knitted pieces was then tied on to the back of a quick knocked-up base board made from some spare wooden flooring (waste not, want not!), made by my husband Sam (Mr diy Extraordinaire). I used finger knitted yarn to fix the picture to it for neatness, strength and potential removability if needed. As well as a DIY backboard such as this, alternatively it can be tied around a shop-bought picture frame or canvas, adjusting the size of your main piece size accordingly. A square might be harder to find but there are plenty of frames for 6" x 4" photos you could use. Remember to add an extra minimum of a centimetre either side of your main piece to go over the edges and allow for fixing.
Infinity and Beyond...
There are so many ideas and variations, so you can use these simple patterns as well as add your own touch to the design. The smaller knitted rocket and moon to make this decorative picture could also alternatively be sewn onto a cushion to make a nice cover. If you want to make the whole cushion cover yourself, you could simply make a small one using exactly this same design, just making two of the background dark blue main pieces instead of one, and stitching them together. Leaving it slightly open along one edge or even sewing in a zip would allow you to put in a padded cushion insert. This option would make your cushion easier to wash than if it was simply filled with stuffing.
I opted for a picture instead of a little cushion to avoid potential clutter, but also allowed the special keepsake to be kept safely out of children's reach, keeping it clean and in one piece! The cushion version would also have taken up to 2hours longer than the picture, due to having to knit another main piece. And unfortunately, as is usual in our house of three children and a husband, time is at a premium.
So whether it's a unique gift for a new baby, a handmade anniversary present (love you to the moon and back...etc) or you fancy making a handmade knitted touch to a room in your own home, have a go at one of these, or add your own design.
Check back in a couple of weeks in the updates here to see new creations, or email me to get the updated patterns straight to you. Hopefully not much longer but I'm working on a little Pyrenean scene at the moment so will see how much fitting in knitting I can do with that one!
Happy knitting!
Ali 🙂
How to Knit A Space Scene Picture
Total time 5 Hours 15 Minutes (as Shown)
Made from a single knitted main piece, and three smaller knitted pieces to form the rocket and moon. Embroidery added for name and stars.
Adjust the size according to your design. Vary your colours, or change the added knitted detailing and embroidery to your preference.
Perfect unique handmade gift and keepsake!
Knit Your Own Space Scene Picture...
Get some ideas, see what you will need and follow the patterns to learn exactly how you can make your own...