handcrafted by RED - sewing and other crafty adventures: Boys Can (Still) Wear Pink blog tour

Ok, so technically it's Year 4 - but we missed last year due to a family vacation so it's the third year for us. I'm happy to be back, and happy that my kiddo is still willing to throw a pop of pink into his wardrobe! He's nearly 6, midway through kindergarten, and "boy stuff" and "girl stuff" is still very much a part of the conversation.

As someone who teaches about gender and sexuality in my professional life, I know that it's developmentally appropriate for kids to be sorting and labeling as they make sense of the world around them. But I also know what our family values are regarding these topics, and want to add those values to the conversation. It's important to us that our kids know people come in all different shapes and sizes and even genders, and our differences are to be celebrated and above all, respected.

Now, about this kid and the inspiration for our tour outfit this year. He has been obsessed with Hot Wheels cars since before he could walk, and he'd carry around one of his little cars with him everywhere we went. They took a backseat to Lego for awhile, but now that he's discovered the Hot Wheels Raceoff app on the iPad, his race car love is back full throttle. (See what I did there?? You're welcome.)

*Me, melting.*

This Hot Wheels-inspired knit is a custom print from MK Designs that I picked up last year when the designs were run (through their Facebook group). The panel set has 4 panels, each with a different featured car, and I'll admit that I wondered if the pink car would actually get used. I made one for Archer recently (also a Love Notions Vanguard tee) that had the green car and some fun coordinating prints, and I wasn't sure how his buddies would react to it - since the main print has all of the cars, there's a fair amount of pink. He has mentioned on occasion that two of his classmates in particular are very vocal about their gender labeling - but he loved the shirt and we prepped for school like this:

Me: If anyone says your shirt is a girl's shirt because of the pink cars, what can you say?
A: I can say if I'm wearing it then it's a boy's shirt because I'm a boy. Also, I like it.

Well, okay then. ;)

After school, I asked him if anyone said anything about his new car shirt.

A: Yeah, ALL of my friends said something!
Me, heart dropping: They did?
A: Yup, they LOVED it and thought it was so cool! <3

Still working on the wink. ;)

He's been wearing that shirt constantly this winter and I decided it was time for another. I asked him if he wanted to join the BCWP tour again and make a new shirt with the pink car and he was all in. We used the same pattern - the Love Notions Vanguard - and this time I did the pieced long sleeves with some dark indigo waffle knit and scraps of the cars print. Photoshoots with this kiddo are always an adventure, but he's definitely not short on personality OR style!

I hope you've been able to check out all of the other stops on the tour so far; it's always a lot of fun to be a part of this one. Raising kids is a new adventure every day, and I think it's amazing how a conversation like this can be had across the globe - the intersection of our love for our boys and our love for sewing is a pretty fun place to be. Thanks for joining us!