Alex

Posted on: SparkJune 12, 2020

Neutral Baby Knitting with Undyed Yarn

It seems like every day another friend is turning up pregnant- a facebook announcement here, a zoom call there (hey, it is May 2020 after all!) What is a good knitter friend to do? Clearly, browse Ravelry until the patterns blur together, choose the cutest one I can get in English (curse you Danish only patterns!), and get to yarn shopping.  There is nothing I enjoy more than knitting a tiny, ultra adorable, quick baby project. I love the planning, the knitting, I love the yarn shopping, but lately it has been a bit trickier.

A few of my friends have thrown me curve balls and decided to forgo announcing the gender of their baby before it’s born. It’s understandable and while I completely respect their decision, it leaves me in a bit of a conundrum. What does one do in this situation?

**one knits in undyed  yarn**

Here we have it! The solution is to knit in beige?  Could it be so simple?

Let me be clear – I absolutely adore a colorful baby knit. But more than that, I dearly value a knit that is worn. Even better is a knit that is worn by many, a knit that continues beyond its first life. A baby sweater that becomes a family heirloom- it starts with the first born, is brought out again for the second, then onto a cousin, maybe a friend, etc. By knitting in a neutral color like beige, it can be worn by anybody – and it matches everything!

One of my favorite baby patterns is the “baby bloomers” by Misha and Puff. The bloomers work up quickly, and have a few fun techniques like short rows, M1L & M1R, and i-cord.  I love that you get to practice these techniques in tiny doses – just enough to familiarize but not exhaust yourself. I personally loathe i-cord, and this project is small enough that I can finish without burning out.

I knit these bloomers with Knomad’s beautiful organic merino yarn “Spark”. Spark is a lovely worsted weight and worsted-spun four-ply yarn. It is truly delightful to work with, and beautiful knit up. What could be better than a GOTS* certified organic merino yarn? Knomad sells undyed wholesale yarn to everyone – so wholesalers and “normal” customers alike have access to affordable undyed yarn.

If you are really itching to add some color, I suggest knitting up a couple of alternative drawstrings to give with the bloomers. They’re quick to make, and you can switch out the beige drawstring for pink speckles in 5 seconds. Hand knits deserve to be loved for a long time. I’ve found that the more neutral the knit, the more likely it is to be shared and loved by many.

What’s your knitting color philosophy for babies? Do you go traditional?  Say “who cares?” and send bright pink for all baby gifts? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, please share!

*To read more about GOTS certification criteria click here.