One would think, as did I, that it is much easier to knit cute things for girls. Or rather, there are more things in terms of what is out there, more things for girls. Indeed the great thing about knitting for a baby girl, or a little girl for that matter is that there are plenty of options. Sweaters, dresses, boleros, vests, ponchos to name a few. While you can see a boy in a knitted sweater or vest, you wouldn't see, or if you were going to knit something for a little boy, it wouldn't likely be a dress, bolero, or a poncho. I love knitting for boys. While I concede, and perhaps not everyone will agree with me, that there are more options for little girls, the things that one can knit for a little boy can be equally, if not in some cases, more stunning. When I set out to knit for a baby girl, I tend to look for a pattern that is rich in frill, and a maybe a little bit of lace. Nothing bordering on gaudy mind you, but with little girls, and particularly baby girls, you can get away with just about anything, and it will be the only time in that little girls life that she will be able to get away with any color, or frill combination. For boys, there are more things to consider. For example, you have to make something that Dad will let the boy wear in public. Even a hint of frill can have your beautiful hand made knit buried in the bottom of a drawer forever, if not in a box in one of the grandparents attic. While not all Dads are sensitive in respect what baby boy wears on his outings, some are. Trust me. So when looking for something to knit for a boy, I tend to focus more on color. A nice rich color that stands out, and has a unique quality of its own. I find that lately I am have been drawn to different hues of green. To keep the knitting interesting, I choose something that will utilize a skill to keep it interesting, for example fair isle. When a friend of mine gave birth to a set of adorable boy and girl twins, I crafted a sweater, in one piece, using the neck down technique, in his sweater. One of my favorite go to patterns for baby boys is a pattern by Debbie Bliss called oddly enough called Florence. The "Florence" makes me think - best dressed overalls, which is a perfect staple in a baby boy's wardrobe. Love the seed stitch in the body, but think maybe next time, I'll try it using a cable down the middle.
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