I hate intarsia

I hate intarsia, I hate intarsia, I hate intarsia, I hate intarsia...

Which is a shame really, because I found this cute as a button pattern for a dinosaur sweater in a Lucinda Guy pattern book and it would have made a fabulous present for my nephew C.



I've knit the dinosaur a couple times now and it's just not happening. Looks like I'll have to figure out something else...

I have a couple of thoughts...



This is Marie Grace's Orange Twist. Hard to imagine this on a 3.5 year old when it's pictured on a teenager, but I knit it for Clare a couple years ago and it looks nice in a smaller scale. I love the pattern, but in a way it seems a waste to make such a mature sweater for C, when this might be the last year that he is young enough to be dressed in something precious. Little boys develop preferences for "manly" clothing pretty early these days.



This is Sam from Debbie Bliss' Junior Knits. Personally, I love vests and a chunky zipper is pretty easy for this age group to manage, but I worry that C and SIL may not love vests as much as I do.



This is Jack from Rowan Junior. Nice looking sweater, but it does run the risk of being something that is more fun and interesting to knit than it is suitable for the recipient to wear...kwim?

Any thoughts on these sweaters, or perhaps another suggestion all together?