10 Dads Who Learned to Crochet or Sew for Their Kids, Including a Poncho From the 1970s

“My 3yo sons favourite pyjama’s got ripped, he was devastated and Mom had to work the weekend. Dad to the rescue! After a Google search and my first sewing experience, this is the result!”

The thread was loose and his little hands couldn’t resist fiddling with it.

I just took a needle and a spool of thread. I took brown because I wanted to see the thread better plus it’s on the inside anyway :-)

“I’m a 33-year-old dad who just took up knitting. I was tired of my idle time being spent staring at my phone. It’s not much, but I think I’ve got the basics down.”

I’m on day 14 so still practicing.

He asked to nap with this and it made my day.

Thing I never thought I’d say, “Hang on, daddy just has to finish his row.”

“WIP — I’m the dad who posted my first attempt at knitting here 94 days ago. It was a very ugly, totally uneven swatch. I just put sleeves of my first sweater on hold!”

A little bit of everything. Then got some supplemental help from YouTube.

“Recently became a dad, so I made this custom moses basket cover for my baby girl.”

I’ve only restarted 6 times before I got the gauge right...

It’s mostly to keep the little one mobile while sleeping around the house, so we can keep an eye on her. No trips outside in it. And I’m currently too tired to see stitches.

“Here is the poncho my dad crocheted 51 or 52 years ago.”

A few minutes after my niece tried on the poncho my sister disappeared and returned with the poncho our dad made.

When my younger sister and I were kids in the early 1970s, crocheted ponchos were really popular. My mom told us that she did not know how to crochet. What we didn’t know is that she spoke to my dad. She told him, “The girls want crocheted ponchos. Do you think you can make the ponchos for them?” My dad responded that it had been so long he didn’t think he would remember how to crochet.

I later learned that my dad and my Aunt E., who were raised by their grandmother, were taught to crochet so they could help make some of the items she used to sell. So here was my dad who, at 16, had a job carrying blocks of ice up apartment buildings for people’s “ice boxes” also crocheted at home. Every time somebody would stop by the house my dad would hide his crochet project.

Then one day my aunt and uncle stopped by and my dad decided he was tired of hiding his project. He said, “If Rosie Greer (a former NY Giants football player) could needlepoint on national TV then he could crochet ponchos for his girls.” So with that visit my dad did not hide his crochet project anymore.

“3 Months from now, I’ll be a dad! I’ve never knitted clothing before, but decided that now is the time to start. [FO]”

I bought a big batch of buttons about a year ago for $5, and even though the variety is great, I couldn’t find 4 that matched. So, I ended up using 2 dark and 2 light.

I started it at 10pm on Saturday night, and had it done (except for the buttons) by 6pm on Sunday. So, it was basically 20 hours, minus time for sleeping, and eating.

I’m a bit worried that it’s going to be too small even a day after my little boy is born.

“I’m going to be a dad tomorrow! Here are some of the hats I’ve made for my daughter.”

I’m 30 and probably hadn’t crocheted in 20-some years (since my grandma taught me as a kid) before I started making these hats.

“Father and son matching denim jackets”

I designed and sewed matching jeans jackets for my son and I.

First time that I successfully sew sleeves! I got scared of sleeves a while ago and decided it was time to conquer my fear :)

One of my goals was to make a matching jacket for my son. He’s happy about it.

I can add that for my son, I loosely traced out a jacket that I know fits him and used that as a reference.

“Knitted this dress for my daughter. She’s SO proud, saying ‘My daddy made this for me’!”

It really is fascinating how you test your mathematical mind when knitting 😅

“Helping dad sew in the ends of his hue shift afghan.”

“Been teaching my dad how to make a shirt and here’s the first one he made all on his own 👏🏼”

I’ve been sewing since I learned at school and made my dad some shirts a couple of years ago and then he thought he’d give it a go so I taught him the basics, anyone can do it! 😄

I made him one a couple of years ago (in a flamingo fabric🦩) from the same pattern so we knew it would fit him from that but he did all the cutting, sewing and making himself! He’s already made a second one!

Haha well he seems to have mastered the shirt so maybe I’ll set him a new challenge and get him to make me a skirt!