Hayden Inspiration

I never set out to become a designer or design a knitting pattern. My Ravelry queue is 6 pages long and I was more than content to knit the abundance of patterns I have lined up for myself. But something changed. I have 3 boys that are not babies or toddlers any longer. When they see me knitting things for myself they ask when I am going to knit them a sweater or a hat or a scarf. I kind of shied away from knitting things for them when they were very little because they just grew so fast that they would grow out of a sweater in a matter of weeks. But now that they are all of ages when they can wear my hand knits for at least a year I started searching for patterns for them. Problem is that there is an abundance of cute patterns for girls out there but for boys - not so much. I need knits that are going to be stylish, rough and tumble, and versatile because that is my boys in a nutshell. All three of them are into sports and they are hard playing, active kids. I need sweaters and accessories that are going to survive them!

Enter Hayden. I couldn't find a pattern that I had in mind that I wanted to knit for one of my boys. I thought, I have been at this knitting thing for over 11 years now, why not just make your own pattern? I got this, right? I knew what I wanted - something classic and traditional yet something that a boy can wear out to play in and still maintain his cred on the playground. I have always loved a classic cable and rib crew neck so after knitting up a swatch and loving it, that's what I went for.

My son loves it. He always asks to wear it when he is chilly. He has worn it a lot and so far it hasn't pilled and it still looks great. Truth be told, I am more than a little jealous of this sweater and I might just have to make a pattern for women too - so I can knit it in multiple colors for myself! This sweater would be just as great for girls knit up in pretty colors and I think it would work in a worsted weight cotton too for wear all year round.