Homemade Jumpers for Boys

The stretch of knitted fabrics makes them great for boys.

Jumpers are wonderful cold weather garments for people of any age, but active boys in particular will appreciate their stretch and softness. Also called pullover sweaters, jumpers can be made at home by anyone with basic knitting skills and some time. Homemade knitted jumpers can be designed to fit a child's favorite colors or interests, and can be customized to fit a boy who grows disproportionately.

History

Knitting began in the Middle East over 1,000 years ago, but there is no record of knitted jackets and shirts until the mid-1500s. At this point, knitted tops were luxury items usually knitted from extremely fine silk. Knitting as sportswear first became fashionable in the 1920s. The Prince of Wales began wearing a traditional Fair Isle sweater while golfing, which prompted the rise of knitted sweaters as everyday wear for men.

Construction

Jumpers can be knitted using several different construction methods: from the top down or the bottom up, in one seamless piece or in separate pieces and sewn together later. One benefit of knitting a jumper from the top down is that it is less difficult to add length to the body or sleeves of the sweater if the boy wearing it suddenly grows. Because your cast-off edge is at the hem and cuffs, you simply undo the castoff and continue knitting. A jumper for a boy will generally look like a scaled-down adult sweater. It will have a front, a back, two sleeves and a collar or neck edge treatment. The main difference between a jumper for a boy and for an adult is that, until about age 5, children's heads are proportionately larger than their bodies. Therefore, the neckbands on children's sweaters must be constructed with plenty of ease and stretch.

Materials

The three main types of fibers from which a jumper can be knit are animal, plant and synthetic. The most popular animal fiber is wool, which is warmer than most plant or synthetic fibers and stays warm even when slightly wet. It is also naturally flame-retardant. Wool is also the easiest of the three types of fibers to reshape if the jumper becomes stretched out during rough play. Wool may feel itchy, but premium wools can be extremely soft. Wool may also shrink if washed in hot water. Synthetics are generally the easiest fibers to wash and dry, and synthetics also tend to dry quickly. Plant fibers are cooler than animal or synthetic fibers and are a good choice for warmer weather.

Embellishments

Patterns are available for knitted boy's jumpers in a wide range of knitting techniques. Classic cable sweaters are especially warm, as are Fair Isle sweaters worked in a variety of colors and patterns. Modern striped or color-block patterns are available for a more current look. Jumpers with intarsia animals or characters are also popular for younger boys. Hoods are a good idea for a boy who is forever forgetting to bring a hat, and pockets are great for storing the endless small treasures that boys seem to collect throughout the day.

References

• Knitty.com: History 101 by Julie Theaker
• "Knitting Without Tears"; Elizabeth Zimmerman; 1971
• "Knitting Rules!"; Stephanie Pearl-McPhee; 2006