Monday, March 16, 2009

A baby gift

There's nothing much to say about this baby jacket.

Grey jacket 1

It's grey, it's very soft, and (if baby patterns can be elegant) it's elegant. It's one of what the book sub-title describes as '22 gorgeous handknits for babies' in Debbie Bliss's Special Knits. It's the ribbon-edged cardigan without the ribbon edges and I've knitted it from Jo Sharp's Alpaca Silk Georgette.

Grey jacket 4

In knitting this, I've decided that grey is a perfect colour for babies - though I'm not the most unbiassed judge - I think grey is a perfect colour for most things. Initially the soft grey was a compromise as I didn't know the baby's sex, but I've become more and more pleased with it while knitting. Now I know the baby's a boy I've added blue buttons from the Newtown button shop, but glass buttons and a ribbon edging in rose pink would have been perfect for a girl.

I've had to come to terms with my sexually determined decisions about colours for baby clothes. I thought I was going to able to write this post without acknowledging this issue, however... What I've concluded is that just as adult clothes give pleasure - sometimes by being sex-specific; other times by being unisex - so too can baby clothes give pleasure to the adults around them by their suitability for the baby and the occasion, and sometimes this includes being indicative of the baby's sex.

I hope that the baby's mother, who's a very old friend of my daughter, will like the jacket.

8 comments:

Rose Red said...

I think it is gorgeous Lyn - you are right, grey is a great colour for babies - soft and neutral, can be "boysied" or "prettied" (or not) as the parents wish.

I despair when I go into the baby/toddler sections of stores - all the girl clothes are pink or pretty and all the boy clothes are blue or bright (or sometimes muddy shades). If I ever have a girl baby I think she will have to be nude because she certainly won't be wearing pink! Lucky I can knit (and learn how to sew).

missfee said...

love the grey Lyn. Such a gorgeous baby jacket and I agree with you and Rose Red. I think being sex specific colour wise is quite lame. Andy anyway it is the mother whom dresses the baby and looks at it - they should love the colour

Sue said...

I love the grey color and it is perfect for babies. I never usually knit with pastels as I used to do that about 20 years ago now when knitting for friends, and now just go with unusual or brights which most seem to love once they seem the knitted item. I think yours looks perfect for the new baby boy.

jp said...

I love the grey as well - incredibly elegent.

I love a mix of bright colours for baby clothes or unusual colours when I make them. I love Reds, oranges and yellows even for girls.

Lynne said...

Gorgeous cardi.

I have a BSJ that I finished months ago that is just waiting for me to take the trip to Newtown!

M-H said...

What's not to like. I'm sure she will love it. And it is elegant.

Cecilia said...

It's so cute! I would never have thought to use grey for a baby, but now I will.

Bells said...

oh yes, grey! Perfect. I have never considered it for babies but I think I will now. You are so right and it's lovely.