This is the project I was primarily working on during our trip too and from Knoxville, but not while we actually were in Knoxville, for obvious reasons. Owen’s first birthday is slightly less than a month away and I decided that he needs a new birthday sweater. It might actually be a little large on him. Different designers and different pattern companies seem to have different interpretations of what "1 year" means as a size for children’s clothes, but it will fit him soon enough.
I actually began this last fall, shortly after his birth, but grew frustrated as it became evident that Owen was not really going to wear the baby sweaters I had already knitted although perhaps there is still hope as the sweater his parents liked best was a bit big and is only now the right size for Owen to wear.
So I had only knit about an inch or two of one piece of this sweater before I abandoned it. This summer I reconsidered my selfish motives and decided to knit it anyway. The pattern is from Mission Falls, as is the yarn. I don’t really know which book — I was working from a coffee stained photocopy and leftover yarn, from another sweater or two I knit years ago when some friends were having babies and grandbabies.
I’ve already been told that little boys don’t wear purple and I should have chosen different colors. It doesn’t scream "little girl" to me, it doesn’t strike me as being particularly for any gender, but this whole gender-specific color thing is a little beyond me anyway. It looks like a box of crayons to me but I am really no expert on children’s clothes. Although Owen is starting to form opinions on many things, I don’t think the colors of his sweaters is one of them, so I’ll just hope for the best.
Comments
6 responses to “A Birthday Sweater”
Indeed, it is very adorable and very gender-neutral in color. I can’t see that anyone would say this sweater is “girly”. I’m guessing it’s Cotton Stria.
Indeed, it is very adorable and very gender-neutral in color. I can’t see that anyone would say this sweater is “girly”. I’m guessing it’s Cotton Stria.
Hah – haven’t you ever seen the colour combos that small children pick for themselves! They love everything and anything that is bright & fun – this sweater is RIGHT UP THEIR ALLEY – so to speak! ‘Tis only adults who adhere to the ‘does work/doesn’t work’ mantra when it comes to specific shades & certain genders. Children certainly don’t self-limit the way that we do…… My 2-year old son loves his pink baseball & baseball bat, and happily chose that set over the yucky pastel blue option……
;>
Hah – haven’t you ever seen the colour combos that small children pick for themselves! They love everything and anything that is bright & fun – this sweater is RIGHT UP THEIR ALLEY – so to speak! ‘Tis only adults who adhere to the ‘does work/doesn’t work’ mantra when it comes to specific shades & certain genders. Children certainly don’t self-limit the way that we do…… My 2-year old son loves his pink baseball & baseball bat, and happily chose that set over the yucky pastel blue option……
;>
oh I have so much to catch up on I can see – but I’ll just leave this for now – I have to get back to muslins…more later on that.
anyway, I hope that baby Owen does get to wear this uber-cute pullover. Baby clothes are baby clothes – what is this phobia with men and their color preferences – makes me want to go ‘argh’
btw, looking at your inventory of rowanspun 4 ply, I can see that we each have many of the same colors. I love that stuff. Absolutely love it. I knit an Elspeth Lavold top using it double stranded last year – one strand emerald and one strand midnight – created a gorgeous blue-green. pics are in my flickr album if you want to have a look.
oh I have so much to catch up on I can see – but I’ll just leave this for now – I have to get back to muslins…more later on that.
anyway, I hope that baby Owen does get to wear this uber-cute pullover. Baby clothes are baby clothes – what is this phobia with men and their color preferences – makes me want to go ‘argh’
btw, looking at your inventory of rowanspun 4 ply, I can see that we each have many of the same colors. I love that stuff. Absolutely love it. I knit an Elspeth Lavold top using it double stranded last year – one strand emerald and one strand midnight – created a gorgeous blue-green. pics are in my flickr album if you want to have a look.