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There’s something incredibly satisfying about creating a piece that’s not only beautiful but also carries a touch of whimsy and practicality. Recently, I embarked on a journey to knit the Jordan Bonnet, a delightful newborn photo prop that has quickly become a favorite among my knitting projects. This bonnet, with its large lacy stitch resembling river rapids, brings a serene and dynamic look that captures the innocence and beauty of newborns perfectly.
The Yarn Choices: Belangor Angora vs. KnitPicks Wonderfluff
When it comes to knitting the Jordan Bonnet, the choice of yarn plays a crucial role in the final look and feel of the piece. I initially opted for the luxurious Belangor Angora Yarn. This yarn, made from the softest angora fibers, offers an unparalleled softness that is perfect for delicate newborn skin. The natural fluffiness of the angora gives the bonnet a gentle halo effect, adding to its ethereal charm. Working with Belangor Angora Yarn was a dream – the stitches glided smoothly, and the end result was a bonnet that felt like a cloud in my hands.
However, I understand that not everyone has the budget for high-end yarns like Belangor Angora. For those seeking a more affordable option without compromising on quality, I recommend KnitPicks Wonderfluff. This yarn is an excellent alternative, combining affordability with a soft, airy texture. KnitPicks Wonderfluff, made from a blend of baby alpaca, merino wool, and nylon, provides a similar fluffy halo effect, making it a worthy substitute for Belangor Angora. The Wonderfluff yarn also creates a beautiful lacy pattern that enhances the river rapids effect of the stitches.
The Beauty of the Large Lacy Stitch
The defining feature of the Jordan Bonnet is its large lacy stitch pattern, reminiscent of flowing river rapids. This stitch is not only visually captivating but also surprisingly easy to knit. The openwork of the lace allows for a light and airy feel, making the bonnet perfect for newborn photo sessions. The stitch pattern creates a sense of movement and fluidity, much like the gentle flow of water over rocks. This dynamic design element adds a touch of sophistication and artistry to the bonnet, elevating it from a simple baby accessory to a piece of wearable art.
As I worked through the pattern, I found myself mesmerized by the rhythmic flow of the lace stitches. Each row built upon the previous one, creating an intricate dance of yarn that unfolded like a story. The large lacy stitch pattern not only looks stunning but also keeps the knitting process engaging and enjoyable. It’s the kind of project that you can lose yourself in, with each stitch bringing you closer to a finished piece that is as rewarding to make as it is to behold.
Practical Tips for Knitting the Jordan Bonnet
- Gauge and Tension: Achieving the correct gauge is crucial for the Jordan Bonnet, especially due to the lace pattern. Make sure to knit a swatch and adjust your needle size if necessary to match the recommended gauge. This will ensure that the bonnet fits properly and the lace pattern opens up beautifully.
- Yarn Selection: While I’ve highlighted Belangor Angora and KnitPicks Wonderfluff, feel free to experiment with other yarns that offer a similar fluffy texture. The key is to choose a yarn that is soft and gentle for newborn skin, with a bit of halo to enhance the lace pattern.
- Blocking: Blocking is essential for lace knitting. Once you’ve finished the bonnet, take the time to wet block it. This will open up the lace stitches and give the bonnet its full shape and definition. Use blocking pins to gently stretch and shape the bonnet to the desired dimensions.
- Lifelines: If you’re new to lace knitting, consider using lifelines. These are simply lengths of contrasting yarn threaded through your stitches at regular intervals. They act as safety nets, allowing you to rip back to a specific point without losing your work if you make a mistake.
The Joy of Creating and Sharing
Knitting the Jordan Bonnet has been a truly rewarding experience. From the luxurious feel of Belangor Angora Yarn to the more accessible yet equally delightful KnitPicks Wonderfluff, each step of the process has been a journey of creativity and discovery. The large lacy stitch pattern, with its river rapids aesthetic, has not only challenged my skills but also brought a sense of peace and accomplishment with each completed row.
There’s something magical about creating a piece that will be part of a newborn’s first photos. The Jordan Bonnet isn’t just a knitting project; it’s a labor of love that captures a fleeting moment in time. Whether you’re an experienced knitter or just starting, I encourage you to give this pattern a try. The joy of knitting, combined with the beauty of the finished bonnet, makes it a project worth every stitch.
As I wrap up my latest Jordan Bonnet, I can’t help but imagine the sweet, cherubic face that will soon wear it. The thought of my creation becoming part of someone’s cherished memories fills me with warmth and pride. Knitting has always been a way for me to express love and care, and the Jordan Bonnet is a perfect example of how a simple project can bring so much joy to both the maker and the recipient.
Happy knitting!
Materials and Info
Materials: appx 35-90yd worsted weight yarn (I used belangor angora), size 8 (5mm) straight needles or (size needed to obtain gauge), yarn needle, 2 stitch markers
Gauge: appx 4sts/inch Gauge is very important!
Sizes (appx finished head circumference) : newborn (13ins), 0-3mths (14 ins), 3-6mths (15ins), 6-12mths (16ins), 1-3yrs (17ins)
Stitch Key
K – knit
p – purl
yo- yarn over
K2tog – knit 2 stitches together
P2tog – purl 2 stitches together
Ssk – slip next stitch knitwise, slip next stitch knitwise, knit the slipped stitches together
P2togtbl – purl 2 together through back loop
Jordan Bonnet Pattern
NEWBORN
Cast on 44
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k6[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 2sts, k2
Row 5 – p3[p6, yo, p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 5sts, p5
Row 6 – k4[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 4sts, k4
Row 7 – p5[p6, yo,p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 3sts, p3
Row 8 – knit across
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k3[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 5sts, k5
Row 11 – p4[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 4sts, p4
Row 12 – k5[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 3sts, k3
Row 13 – p2[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 6sts, p6
Repeat rows 2-13 until your work measures appx 3.5ins after completing a wrong side (purl) row. Place markers on either end of the last row worked.
DECREASES
Row 1 – k1 (k2tog, k4) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (37sts)
Row 2 – purl across
Row 3 – knit across
Row 4 – purl across
Row 5 – k1 (k2tog, k3) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (30sts)
Row 6 – purl across
Row 7 – k1 (k2tog, k2) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (23sts)
Row 8 – purl across
Row 9 – k1 (k2tog, k1) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (16sts)
Row 10 – p1 (p2tog) repeat (to) to last st, p1 (9sts)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn leaving appx -10ins. Pull yarn through remaining stitches and cinch the back tight. Using this end sew the crown together to your stitch markers. (I like to use the mattress stitch since it is nearly invisible). Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 24ins long. Fold them in half and pull a loop through the front corner of the hood. Pull the ends through this loop. These are your ties.
0-3MTH
Cast on 48
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k8[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 4sts, k4
Row 5 – p5[p6, yo, p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 7sts, p7
Row 6 – k6[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 6sts, k6
Row 7 – p7[p6, yo,p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 5sts, p5
Row 8 – knit across
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k5[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 7sts, k7
Row 11 – p6[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 6sts, p6
Row 12 – k7[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 5sts, k5
Row 13 – p4[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 8sts, p8
Repeat rows 2-13 until your work measures appx 4ins after completing a wrong side (purl) row. Place markers on either end of the last row worked.
DECREASES
Row 1 – (k2tog, k4) repeat (to) across (40sts)
Row 2 – purl across
Row 3 – knit across
Row 4 – purl across
Row 5 – (k2tog, k3) repeat (to) across (32sts)
Row 6 – purl across
Row 7 – (k2tog, k2) repeat (to) across (24sts)
Row 8 – purl across
Row 9 – (k2tog, k1) repeat (to) across (16sts)
Row 10 – (p2tog) repeat (to) across (8sts)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn leaving appx -10ins. Pull yarn through remaining stitches and cinch the back tight. Using this end sew the crown together to your stitch markers. (I like to use the mattress stitch since it is nearly invisible). Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 24ins long. Fold them in half and pull a loop through the front corner of the hood. Pull the ends through this loop. These are your ties.
3-6MTH
Cast on 52
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k5[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 2st, k2
Row 5 – p3[p6, yo, p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 4sts, p4
Row 6 – k3[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 4sts, k4
Row 7 – p5[p6, yo,p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 2sts, p2
Row 8 – knit across
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k2[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 5sts, k5
Row 11 – p4[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 3sts, p3
Row 12 – k4[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 3sts, k3
Row 13 – p2[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 5sts, p5
Repeat rows 2-13 until your work measures appx 4.5ins finishing after completing a right side (knit) row. Place markers on either end of the last row worked.
DECREASES
Row 1 – p49, p2tog, p1 (51sts)
Row 2 – k1 (k2tog, k5) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (44sts)
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k1 (k2tog, k4) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (37sts)
Row 5 – purl across
Row 6 – k1 (k2tog, k3) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (30sts)
Row 7 – purl across
Row 8 – k1 (k2tog, k2) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (23sts)
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k1 (k2tog, k1) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (16sts)
Row 11 – p1 (p2tog) repeat (to) to last st, p1 (9sts)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn leaving appx -10ins. Pull yarn through remaining stitches and cinch the back tight. Using this end sew the crown together to your stitch markers. (I like to use the mattress stitch since it is nearly invisible). Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 24ins long. Fold them in half and pull a loop through the front corner of the hood. Pull the ends through this loop. These are your ties.
6-12MTH
Cast on 56.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k7[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 4sts, k4
Row 5 – p5[p6, yo, p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 6sts, p6
Row 6 – k5[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 6sts, k6
Row 7 – p7[p6, yo,p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 4sts, p4
Row 8 – knit across
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k4[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 7sts, k7
Row 11 – p6[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 5sts, p5
Row 12 – k6[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 5sts, k5
Row 13 – p4[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 7sts, p7
Repeat rows 2-13 until your work measures appx 5ins after completing a wrong side (purl) row. Place markers on either end of the last row worked.
DECREASES
Row 1 – k1 (k2tog, k4) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (47sts)
Row 2 – purl across
Row 3 – knit across
Row 4 – purl across
Row 5 – k1 (k2tog, k3) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (38sts)
Row 6 – purl across
Row 7 – k1 (k2tog, k2) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (29sts)
Row 8 – purl across
Row 9 – k1 (k2tog, k1) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (20sts)
Row 10 – p1 (p2tog) repeat (to) to last st, p1 (11sts)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn leaving appx -10ins. Pull yarn through remaining stitches and cinch the back tight. Using this end sew the crown together to your stitch markers. (I like to use the mattress stitch since it is nearly invisible). Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 24ins long. Fold them in half and pull a loop through the front corner of the hood. Pull the ends through this loop. These are your ties.
TODDLER
Cast on 62.
Row 1 – purl across
Row 2 – knit across
Row 3 – purl across
Row 4 – k6[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 2sts, k2
Row 5 – p3[p6, yo, p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 5sts, p5
Row 6 – k4[k2tog, k1, yo, k6] repeat [to] across to last 4sts, k4
Row 7 – p5[p6, yo,p1, p2tog] repeat across [to] last 3sts, p3
Row 8 – knit across
Row 9 – purl across
Row 10 – k3[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 5sts, k5
Row 11 – p4[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 4sts, p4
Row 12 – k5[k6, yo, k1, ssk] repeat [to] across to last 3sts, k3
Row 13 – p2[p2togtbl, p1, yo, p6] repeat across [to] last 6sts, p6
Repeat rows 2-13 until your work measures appx 5.5ins after completing a wrong side (purl) row. Place markers on either end of the last row worked.
DECREASES
Row 1 – k1 (k2tog, k4) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (52sts)
Row 2 – purl across
Row 3 – knit across
Row 4 – purl across
Row 5 – k1 (k2tog, k3) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (42sts)
Row 6 – purl across
Row 7 – k1 (k2tog, k2) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (32sts)
Row 8 – purl across
Row 9 – k1 (k2tog, k1) repeat (to) to last st, k1 (22sts)
Row 10 – p1 (p2tog) repeat (to) to last st, p1 (12sts)
Do not bind off. Cut yarn leaving appx -10ins. Pull yarn through remaining stitches and cinch the back tight. Using this end sew the crown together to your stitch markers. (I like to use the mattress stitch since it is nearly invisible). Cut 2 pieces of yarn approximately 24ins long. Fold them in half and pull a loop through the front corner of the hood. Pull the ends through this loop. These are your ties.
Jordan Bonnet PDF
