Long time readers might say, uh-oh, Kristen knit another owl sweater!  But I never tire of this pattern! When I ask a new grandma what sweater she would like for her newest grand-baby, she almost always says, "The owl, please!"  This little sweater shows up at a lot of baby showers and always gets oodles of ohs and ahs.  I especially like it in gray, because it's a nice color for any time of year and it's sweet for either boy or girl, so it can get passed on down easily.

Even though making owls from cables has been around for decades, the first person to write it into a pattern was Janice Straker, Penny Straker's mother.  I knit my first one 30 years ago for my son, and I knew even then it had been around for ages.  A classic like this never goes out of style.  The pattern uses simple cables to make the adorable owls.  The pattern I used is written for babies, and there is also one sized for children.  I have both patterns and have knit them many times and I highly recommend them.  Both are shaped so perfectly, with a round tummy for the baby size, and a more trim, longer shape for the child's sizes. This one is the 12 month size.  It's my favorite size to knit for a baby gift because by the time babies fit into a 12 month sweater, they are sitting up and smiling and showing off their hand knits nicely!  This yarn is the popular workhorse yarn, Rowan Wool/Cotton 4-ply.  When I give a sweater as a gift, I give care instructions.  I cannot imagine asking a busy young mother to hand wash a sweater, so when I knit for baby, I only knit with machine washable yarn.  The right buttons are super important.  Next time you go button shopping, if you find tiny, two-holed buttons, buy quite a bit and keep them in your button box for the next time you make an owl sweater.  Because I know you will make one or two.  It's too adorable, right?  I personally don't think a baby's wardrobe is complete without an Owl Cardigan!  Shopping links are at the end.