Race Against Time / Pink Rant / New Mantra
This entry is a bit of a mish-mash, but it really is all connected (sort of), even if not by a single, unifying theme.
So.
You may recall (although why would you) that months and months ago, I started THIS. (Zippered hoodie from Dale of Norway baby book #162.)
I was really excited about it, but I had plenty of time (Baby X was barely conceived), and then other awesome things distracted me, and with this and that and all the rest, hey, what do you know, Mommy X's baby-shower-party-whatever-thing is ON THE FRICKING 28th OF JANUARY????
Baby isn't actually due 'til sometime in early March.
And the jacket is the 9 month size, on the theory that it will start to fit sometime next winter when a baby might actually want a wool jacket w/ hood.
So if I don't have it ready in time for the shower, it isn't like the whole thing becomes a lost cause.
And I have other things already done (or just about done), so I do have a shower gift.
But I really don't want anyone to explode from an excess of pink. (Both of those projects are also for Baby X.)
How did this kid end up with so much pink (*extremely* pink) knitting?
It isn't as though I really like pink for babies that much.
Probably this has nothing to do with the color itself, but with the funny idea out there that only girls should wear it.
You know the one.
That choke-hold notion that now-a-days baby girls can and should wear anything (including the old "no-nos" of blue, trucks, footballs, etc.), but that boys absolutely must not (particularly not hearts, flowers, or -- and especially -- PINK).
As if not being allowed to wear blue would stunt our little girls, but that dressing our boys in pink would -- I don't know -- turn them gay or something. (Heavens forfend!)
Anyway, so the whole pink thing pisses me off mightily, and as one really shouldn't make baby clothes when angry (bad vibes, doncha know), I generally avoid the pink, pretending to myself and the world that I "really don't like pink for babies that much."
Most of the to-be-parents around me seem to have the same thing going on in their heads.
Because almost everyone I've knitted for (whether it is for a boy or a girl) says "Oh, that's so great! But NO PINK," or "we don't like pink," or "NOT pink," or "anything but pink," "gender-neutral, please," "blue is nice," blah, blah, blah.
Often this is accompanied by a defensive explanation as to why "no pink."
Sometimes it is because "we don't and won't gender discriminate in any other way, but pink for boys is just a little too much." Often it is "we won't gender discriminate at all, and since we wouldn't dress a boy in pink, we won't dress our daughter in it either." I've also heard "*we* don't gender discriminate, but other people do, and someone might mistake the child for a girl."
And it isn't as though some of these things aren't in my head, too.
I guess that what it comes down to is that pink, unlike any other color in the rainbow, stirs up all sorts of uncomfortable feelings for so many people (different uncomfortable feelings for different people).
And the bottom line is that many of the kids around here (not that there are that many) just don't wear pink. Not the boys; not the girls.
And, you know, really, why make trouble? The gift of hand knitted baby clothes is meant to be many things, but hardly ever is it meant as a critique on the gender politics of the parents. Because that would be a criticism, not a gift.
So generally, with all that, I don't knit the pink for the kids.
But over time, I think this must have lead to a very serious pink deficiency.
Because, I swear, as soon as I heard "we don't mind pink," I just to went to town.
And because I really didn't think about it too deeply, now I've got almost nothing but pink for this kid, which wasn't my intention.
So all this comes down to the simple principle that I think it would be nice to include the single "not pink" thing I'm working on for this kid in the shower gift.
But that is a lot of work between now and then:
What, maybe 1/3 done?
I'm fairly certain I can manage to finish the knitting.
And probably even the steeks and seams.
But that darn zipper.
Even assuming I can find the right one without doing a special order, I have never done a zipper before and I FEAR IT.
Instinct says to finish the knitting and steeks, then cower for another six months before tackling that last bit.
Not really a good choice.
So, new mantra: "Fear is the mind killer."
So.
You may recall (although why would you) that months and months ago, I started THIS. (Zippered hoodie from Dale of Norway baby book #162.)
I was really excited about it, but I had plenty of time (Baby X was barely conceived), and then other awesome things distracted me, and with this and that and all the rest, hey, what do you know, Mommy X's baby-shower-party-whatever-thing is ON THE FRICKING 28th OF JANUARY????
Baby isn't actually due 'til sometime in early March.
And the jacket is the 9 month size, on the theory that it will start to fit sometime next winter when a baby might actually want a wool jacket w/ hood.
So if I don't have it ready in time for the shower, it isn't like the whole thing becomes a lost cause.
And I have other things already done (or just about done), so I do have a shower gift.
But I really don't want anyone to explode from an excess of pink. (Both of those projects are also for Baby X.)
How did this kid end up with so much pink (*extremely* pink) knitting?
It isn't as though I really like pink for babies that much.
Probably this has nothing to do with the color itself, but with the funny idea out there that only girls should wear it.
You know the one.
That choke-hold notion that now-a-days baby girls can and should wear anything (including the old "no-nos" of blue, trucks, footballs, etc.), but that boys absolutely must not (particularly not hearts, flowers, or -- and especially -- PINK).
As if not being allowed to wear blue would stunt our little girls, but that dressing our boys in pink would -- I don't know -- turn them gay or something. (Heavens forfend!)
Anyway, so the whole pink thing pisses me off mightily, and as one really shouldn't make baby clothes when angry (bad vibes, doncha know), I generally avoid the pink, pretending to myself and the world that I "really don't like pink for babies that much."
Most of the to-be-parents around me seem to have the same thing going on in their heads.
Because almost everyone I've knitted for (whether it is for a boy or a girl) says "Oh, that's so great! But NO PINK," or "we don't like pink," or "NOT pink," or "anything but pink," "gender-neutral, please," "blue is nice," blah, blah, blah.
Often this is accompanied by a defensive explanation as to why "no pink."
Sometimes it is because "we don't and won't gender discriminate in any other way, but pink for boys is just a little too much." Often it is "we won't gender discriminate at all, and since we wouldn't dress a boy in pink, we won't dress our daughter in it either." I've also heard "*we* don't gender discriminate, but other people do, and someone might mistake the child for a girl."
And it isn't as though some of these things aren't in my head, too.
I guess that what it comes down to is that pink, unlike any other color in the rainbow, stirs up all sorts of uncomfortable feelings for so many people (different uncomfortable feelings for different people).
And the bottom line is that many of the kids around here (not that there are that many) just don't wear pink. Not the boys; not the girls.
And, you know, really, why make trouble? The gift of hand knitted baby clothes is meant to be many things, but hardly ever is it meant as a critique on the gender politics of the parents. Because that would be a criticism, not a gift.
So generally, with all that, I don't knit the pink for the kids.
But over time, I think this must have lead to a very serious pink deficiency.
Because, I swear, as soon as I heard "we don't mind pink," I just to went to town.
And because I really didn't think about it too deeply, now I've got almost nothing but pink for this kid, which wasn't my intention.
So all this comes down to the simple principle that I think it would be nice to include the single "not pink" thing I'm working on for this kid in the shower gift.
But that is a lot of work between now and then:
What, maybe 1/3 done?I'm fairly certain I can manage to finish the knitting.
And probably even the steeks and seams.
But that darn zipper.
Even assuming I can find the right one without doing a special order, I have never done a zipper before and I FEAR IT.
Instinct says to finish the knitting and steeks, then cower for another six months before tackling that last bit.
Not really a good choice.
So, new mantra: "Fear is the mind killer."
Labels: Dale Hoodie
posted by Anonyknits at Wednesday, January 17, 2007
3 Comments:
I have to put my 2 cents worth in on the pink issue. a sudy was done (don't remember where, sorry) where they dresssed babies in "boy" clothes. all the babies, boys and girls. then sent in people to play with the babies. There were lots of "what a big, strong boy you are" type comments. Then they dressed ALL the babies in pink girlie clothes. Sent in a new batch of people to play. All the girls were "adorable" and "cute" etc. However, in actuality, the babies were the same babies and acted the same irrespective of clothes. it was the adults who assumed that the children had girl or boy personalities. Thus, it isn't the clothes that affect the kid. It's the stupid adults around the kid. Hmmm, maybe for the next baby boy I knit something for, I will knit a pink kilt. Just for kicks.
You can always take your knitting bag with you to the shower, tease the momma-to-be and take it home with you. You wouldn't be the first person to do that. Although, I really do think you've got time to get it done.
I hate that whole color = gender nonsense.
Don't worry about your pink items. They are lovely and I am sure they will be well received. By the way, your Dale of Norway Zippered hoodie looks much nicer than the one the model baby is wearing in the magazine ad. I saw it a couple days ago at B&N. That was my first thought when I saw it on the glossy page. "Wow, Nony's is nicer than this." Seeing it again today and your progress thus far, I'm quite sure of that now. Yours is better:)
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