DIY Personalized Baby Name Sweaters

Those of you who have been with me for long know I love making kids’ projects of all kinds, from hairbows to clothes to kids’ decor!  But making things for my two grand girls has been something even better than I imagined!  I’ve been wanting some personalized name sweaters for them since before they were born, so I took the opportunity recently and tried a method I think you’ll love!  It’s really simple and requires no advanced crocheting, knitting, or sewing skills!  I shared the reel on my Instagram if you’d like to see a video, and I’m sharing more detailed instructions here!

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The first thing you’ll need is a sweater in your preferred size.  I loved this one HERE and highly recommend it for this project.  I bought the white color (which is a light ivory) in 1T for my girls and found it is true to size.  Also a great price and quality!

You’ll also need yarn in the color of your choice.  The key is to choose a light to medium weight yarn and a smaller crochet hook.  I used a size 4 yarn and a size 5 crochet hook.  You just want your lettering to be thin enough to be distinct but not too thin.

For the name, just crochet a simple chain stitch.  The necessary length will obviously depend on the length of the name.  Just try spelling it out and check the needed length as you go.  If you need an easy how-to for making a chain stitch, there is a simple video HERE.  Try to keep your chain stitches as flat and consistent as possible for a nice even chain.

Once you have stitched a long enough chain, lay the sweater flat and mock up the name by spelling it out. Remember to keep the chain flat and not allow it to get twisted around for the best results.

Before the next step, find a scrap piece of cardboard or card stock to slip into the sweater to use as a barrier between the front and back of the sweater before beginning to sew the letters on.

Next, it’s time to sew the chain onto the sweater.  You can use the same color sewing thread as your yarn or if that’s not possible, use a clear thread so the stitches will not be visible.

Carefully sew the crocheted chain onto the sweater, being careful to keep the name intact as you go.  By sewing from the top and not lifting the sweater up, it’s a quick and simple process! The cardboard barrier is there to ensure you don’t sew through to the back of the sweater.

Once the name is securely stitched on, you’ll tuck the loose ends through a hole in the sweater and tie a knot behind to keep them secure.

To dot an “i”, just cut a short strand of yarn and knot it in the middle a few times.

Then place the knot to dot the “i” and tuck the ends of the knot in through the sweater and tie it off in the back.

To cross a “t”, make another small chain, sew in in place, then tuck the ends in as before.

These sweaters are so fun, and of course I had to make one for each of my girls!  I make need to make a matching one for myself!

Here’s a variety pack of small skeins in several colors if you want to make a few of these!

The best part of this entire project is seeing how cute they look on the babies!  We’re loving them!  Hope you love them too!