I Need an Opinion . . .
Do you think the February baby sweater from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac is gender neutral? (See one example here.) I'm a little unsure because of the lace pattern. I want to make something nice for a new niece or nephew due in the Spring, but since the parents-to-be have chosen to be surprised about the baby's sex, I'm not sure what to make. I know I could always do just stockinette instead of the lace pattern, but that seems a bit dull. Has anyone put a baby boy in this sweater? Do you think it works as a gender neutral garment if knit in white or cream (or maybe grey or navy)?
--Kelley
--Kelley
posted by Kelley at 11:37 AM
6 Comments:
Babies always used to be put in lace, regardles of their gender; in white, pale green or pale lemon if they were too new for pink or blue. As far as grey or navy goes, as long as you think the parents would like it that's all that matters. I did a dark purple cardi for a baby girl recently because I knew her mum would like it. I think it's a beautiful pattern and you should definitely do it.
I agree, I think it'd be a good gender neutral piece. If you look at old pictures of babies as recently as the sixties and seventies, baby boys are often in bonnets and cotton lace dresses. The Zimmerman sweater isn't particularly fussy or prissy looking, so I say go for it!
I recently made one for a girl baby and my husband instantly wanted me to make one for our next grandSON that is due in March...I'm still a little concerned that it's not the thing that modern mothers would dress a boy in...I was thinking of sending it to my DIL with a note that if she didn't want the boy to wear it to save it for a shower gift (they are of the age where all of their friends are having babies...).
To get around the whole issue of finding nuetral gender baby patterns my mom had a great system. She always had a pink lacey one and a blue boyish one. When a baby was born she would then replace the one she gave away and would be ready for the next gift giving occasion. After the intial knitting of TWO sweaters, you only have to knit the replacement each time.
It worked great.
I just finished knitting two of these for some girl twins...one in pink and one in purple. I would lean towards saying it's girly, but that could just be the colours I've been working with. I agree you used to see more boy babies in lace but I don't know that that's as much tthe case now. But it's gorgeous and fun to knit...maybe you could sub another "boyish" lace pattern?
I don't think most modern moms would put a boy in lace, no matter how things used to be done. It would look nice with a cable running up each side on the front.
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