When my children were small (a long time ago) I knitted a lot of jumpers and cardigans for them and their friends, mostly on my knitting machine. It was always the case that when doing cardigans the buttons would be on the right front for a boy and the left front for a girl. Is this still expected? What if you are knitting one that could be for either?
I have a large stash of coned yarn and want to knit up some items to sell but just wondered what others do when knitting cardigans.
Hi Kim,
Yes you are right - those are the rules I stick to. It’s difficult when making things that would be appropriate for a boy or girl - I’ve always made a choice for one or the other but it’s a bit like winning the lottery haha!
Good luck with your projects
Di
I always sew buttons on the left hand side, I don’t think it matters when knitting for babies…
When they are older, then you have to decide,whether for a girl or boy!
Thank you…
I think I will stick to the left for girls and babies, or if they are suitable for either, and the right if it’s definitely aimed at older boys
I think it harks back to the days when women were dressed by maids and men dressed themselves. It is meant to be easier to do buttons on the left when dressing someone else but on the right when dressing yourself (don’t know how true that is) - on that basis I would think that cardigans for babies and young children would go on the left and they are not dressing themselves.
I remember as a child finding it very difficult to button up a cardie I’d put on untill I realized the buttons where on the ‘wrong side’. I’d picked up my brother’s cardigan, mother had knitted us both an aran cardie each only difference was which side the buttons were one .
yes stick to the traditional girl’s or boy’s sides UNLESS you are knitting something like a matinee coat and don’t know the sex of the baby…then it is customary to use the Girl’s side as it would be MUM who does it up.
