Snips & Snails
I’m getting a nephew. Did I say that here yet? Mr. G and I are thrilled that his twin sister is expecting in late February. This is our first go at being aunts and uncles, so naturally I’ve got to start the little chap off with some handknits. The mama-to-be requested cranberry red early on, before we knew the baby’s sex, and I like knitting with red, so I’ve been keeping an eye out for a good red yarn. This will be a West Texas baby, so a cotton blend seemed like a good move if I wanted to make him something to wear throughout the spring. Rowan Calmer it was. (I love their chocolate brown, their red, and their ice blue. Somehow the rest of the color palette doesn’t do much for me.)
But what to knit? It was awfully tempting to make a February sweater for a February baby, but somehow I don’t reckon this kid’s West Texas pa wants to see his pride and joy in lace. I needed a pattern with more… manliness. But I wasn’t ready to give up on EZ’s adorable little design. The gull stitch lace she offers with the pattern is only a suggestion – any seven-stitch motif will do, or you could leave it plain. EZ likes for us to think for ourselves. I quickly knit up the garter yoke, and then I considered my options.
My friend Jen recently finished a beautiful sweater by Janet Szabo called “Green Hornet“. It has a diamond motif of traveling stitches, and every other diamond column is filled in with garter stitch. It’s a twelve-stitch motif, but so what? Fudging the stitch count wasn’t hard. The garter diamonds echo the yoke and edging perfectly. And it’s manly: no delicate holes or dainty chevrons.
I’m pleased so far. A boy could show his face in his papa’s work truck or at the shooting range or on a spring cattle drive in this sweater, I think.
(Imagine the color somewhere between the two versions here. I don’t know why my colors sometimes go goofy when I bring photos up to WordPress, but they do. It’s a cool red; not as magenta as the bottom shots and not as brick as the top.)
We’re seeing Mr. G’s sister at Thanksgiving and then not again until after the baby arrives, so I’ve got to finish this one up quickly. What sort of buttons do you think I should look for?
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Wow, wow, wow. I love that yarn, that color, and that stitch (or stitches. or pattern). That looks spectacular. Thanks for sharing. (totally planning on copying the entire thing….)
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
How exciting! I think you’ve made an excellent design choice for the little baby-to-be. There will be no doubt to anyone who peers into his stroller whether he’s a girl or a boy. I recommend little round horn buttons, or perhaps plain black rounds; something solid and sensible.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Very cute. Maybe some metal buttons (you can often get cool ones with moose or something outdoorsy – and manly! – on them), or wood?
Good luck with the sweater – it looks great.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I love it. What a perfect stitch pattern to use and red is always a great color to use too. Perhaps some wooden buttons with a simple logo on them or a pattern.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Cute sweater. Looks like a fun knit, too.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
So darn cute!! I’m just finishing up the hood on a BSJ per your instructions. Love it!!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I love it! All that texture… what a lucky baby.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
a nice brown wood button set might be very manly. spurs might not be so great around those flailing newbie hands.
the sweater is handsomely divine.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Congrats! The sweater is perfect – very manly. How about some manly wooden buttons??
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I think wood buttons would look great.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Looks great! And you’re reading a good book too.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
little beech or even birch buttons would be nice. or maybe buttons shaped as massy fergusons to please the texan 🙂
i said it somewhere else. i think this is such a lovely edition of the february sweater and quite nice for a february baby.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Oh!! This is just so beautiful!! This is such a lovely little manny knit! How lucky this little guy is gonna be to have an aunt who makes such lovely things! And I just adore knitting up little baby garments… they go so very quickly!
I think I agree with the majority here; little wooden buttons would top this off just beautifully. I used little barrel buttons on a sweater for my son that weren’t so large as to be overwhelming, but added just enough masculinity that not many people questioned his gender… there are always a few… but not that many!
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
That’s a great stitch pattern for a boy. Nice work! I think some wooden buttons would be nice.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Truck buttons.
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Great sweater! For buttons, how about deer horn (like SHP sells) or you could get cow buttons. Or perhaps a pewter button mimicing ropey cables…
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Great color, interesting pattern.
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 5:48 am
Look at you, modifying here, changing that. I’d have balked at subbing a 12 stitch into a a 7 stitch (or I’d have messed it up badly), but look at you go! It’s lovely.
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Congratulations, soon-to-be aunt! What a great idea to use the super snuggly Calmer, and that lovely stitch pattern 🙂
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I’ve never seen that pattern before. It is gorgeous! What a beautiful color.
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I love cables, so I’m sitting here drooling over this. Ignore the fact that I’m working on a February Lady Sweater so I am completely capable of making this for myself.
That said, I’d go with wood. Maybe some sturdy toggle type buttons, because baby’s seem to like to grab onto buttons that will keep the sweater closed and be fun to play with?
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
fabulous unventing of the FBS! i love that stitch pattern you chose. so perfect.
Posted: November 18th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I also agree with the wood button suggestions, or a manly metal button as long as it’s safe for your nephew. What kind of knits does his father wear? That might also give you some ideas.
Posted: November 19th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Yay for nephews! I just got my first niece, though I won’t be able to see her until Christmas, and I’m so excited. Knitting for wee ones is great fun, in addition to all the other cool auntly privileges! Your cables are beautiful, and I love the color. My button suggestion would be some leather woven buttons – they’re manly, beautiful, and I think would look great with those cables. There are also those scrummy deerhorn buttons from Schoolhouse Press. I promised one of my sons that I’d get some for one of his sweaters.
Posted: November 20th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Oooh, I love that little sweater! I think wooden buttons would look great on it.
Posted: November 25th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
The color and pattern are both gorgeous….congrats, Auntie!