Baby-safe stuffing for toys?

[ZoseyPosey]

It seems like all of my friends are having babies right now! In addition to blankets, I'd also like to knit a set of blocks for when the babies are older.

Is there a "best" stuffing to use for baby toys? And is there any chance that some of the stuffing might poke out through the knitting?

Thanks!

[DogCatMom]

In Knitting for Baby (Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas, 2002), there's a pattern for "Baby's First Ball." The balls can be stuffed with "4 large handfuls of clean, raw wool, or wool yarn scraps, or 2 large handfuls of polyester fiberfill per ball."

The balls are stitched, felted, stuffed, and then closed up, so the stuffing has very little chance of poking through.

DCM

[Jan in CA]

I use the polyester fiberfill stuff you get in stores like Joanns, Michaels, etc. Best thing to do is use a smaller needle to make the stitches tighter so the stuffing won't poke through as well.

[scotia]

You can put the stuffing in a pop sock inside your knitted block, it saves anything poking through but still makes the block nice and soft.
Knitted blocks are a great present, I'm sure they will be appreciated

[ZoseyPosey]

Thanks for all the tips. I can't wait to get started on them!

[lori1551]

Never throw out old panti hose or knee high stockings... you can stuff yarn, fiberfill, dryer lint, etc. inside of the hose, tie it up secure, and never worry about anything coming out of your projects.

[janae1987]

i personally love to use bamboo-fiber fill...its so soft and fluffy!!! great for stuffing toys!!!

[fatoldladyinpjs]

I like to make cat and dog toys and the stuffing can be a problem. I use small half finished knitting or crochet projects which I've abandoned as stuffing for inside balls. You can also stuff these with socks that have lost their mates in the laundry. One cat toy pattern has you inserting small noise making items like jingle bells into a prescription pill bottle with a child proof cap. A tube is knit, the bottle put inside, and the ends are sewn shut.