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aimee
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 Posted - 05/16/2003 : 06:33:54 AM
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This may sound crazy but I rarely make something with the intent of giving it as a gift. I ususally start a project because I have found a pattern or yarn that I absolutely love. I knit the item (could be a scarf, baby sweater, adult item etc.) and put it in a large basket that I keep in the house. I also keep a large basket of yarn that I buy here and there. When friends and relatives are over the house they like to "stake a claim" to items. They get to choose the item they like- I put it away for them for Christmas etc. If they see something that they like, but the size is wrong I am happy to knit them exactly what they want. Any items that are left over get sold to raise money for my son's Little League. They also look throught he yarn and drop "massive hints" for items they would like to see in the finished basket.
Not everyone appreciates knit items - don't waste your time or talent. Knit because you love to knit and those who appreciate your handmade items will love to wear your gifts! |
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aimee
Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 06:33:54 AM
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This may sound crazy but I rarely make something with the intent of giving it as a gift. I ususally start a project because I have found a pattern or yarn that I absolutely love. I knit the item (could be a scarf, baby sweater, adult item etc.) and put it in a large basket that I keep in the house. I also keep a large basket of yarn that I buy here and there. When friends and relatives are over the house they like to "stake a claim" to items. They get to choose the item they like- I put it away for them for Christmas etc. If they see something that they like, but the size is wrong I am happy to knit them exactly what they want. Any items that are left over get sold to raise money for my son's Little League. They also look throught he yarn and drop "massive hints" for items they would like to see in the finished basket.
Not everyone appreciates knit items - don't waste your time or talent. Knit because you love to knit and those who appreciate your handmade items will love to wear your gifts! |
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naomi dagen bloom
New Pal
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 07:53:28 AM
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here's a slightly different take. as a new grandmother, i was excited about knitting something imaginative (after a couple of pairs of booties, hat). so i used a lion brand online pattern and cotton yarn to make a corncob bunting. my knitting circle was delighted. but it really was not a particularly functional garment.
this was the beginning of my discovery, along with other new grandma knitters, that we need to look past the adorable books, etc., and find out what it is that will really be useful. in my case, my daughter does not have the time to handwash (or "lie flat to dry"). she enjoys a superwash sweater with hood i made--even though the hood is not used and the sleeves are rolled up...and the poncho-type thing that pops over the baby's head, has a snap under each arm.
you can see the corncob on zachary at my website, www.cityworm.com
and soon there will be more about fiber there.
naomi, composting in manhattan |
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naomi dagen bloom
New Pal
USA
41 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 07:53:28 AM
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here's a slightly different take. as a new grandmother, i was excited about knitting something imaginative (after a couple of pairs of booties, hat). so i used a lion brand online pattern and cotton yarn to make a corncob bunting. my knitting circle was delighted. but it really was not a particularly functional garment.
this was the beginning of my discovery, along with other new grandma knitters, that we need to look past the adorable books, etc., and find out what it is that will really be useful. in my case, my daughter does not have the time to handwash (or "lie flat to dry"). she enjoys a superwash sweater with hood i made--even though the hood is not used and the sleeves are rolled up...and the poncho-type thing that pops over the baby's head, has a snap under each arm.
you can see the corncob on zachary at my website, www.cityworm.com
and soon there will be more about fiber there.
naomi, composting in manhattan |
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mtchen
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 10:26:10 AM
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Magikaat...I would definitely stop sending your son the gifts...at least hold off until you get the appreciation you deserve! Also, next time you speak to him, make sure to ask about them. Tell him you would appreciate a nice note or email now and then. That is really not much to ask! In any case I would speak to him about it and tell him how you feel...he's your son after all 
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mtchen
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 10:26:10 AM
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Magikaat...I would definitely stop sending your son the gifts...at least hold off until you get the appreciation you deserve! Also, next time you speak to him, make sure to ask about them. Tell him you would appreciate a nice note or email now and then. That is really not much to ask! In any case I would speak to him about it and tell him how you feel...he's your son after all
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mtchen
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 10:27:53 AM
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Shalee...my heart bleeds to hear your Fair Isle story! 
Do you have any other grandchildren who are smaller to give them to?
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mtchen
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 10:27:53 AM
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Shalee...my heart bleeds to hear your Fair Isle story!
Do you have any other grandchildren who are smaller to give them to?
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mtchen
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
564 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 10:27:53 AM
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Shalee...my heart bleeds to hear your Fair Isle story!
Do you have any other grandchildren who are smaller to give them to?
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NaThornton@highstream.net
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Posted - 05/16/2003 : 11:15:07 AM
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I rarely keep the items that I knit. I mostly knit for the preschool auction and have knit quite a few baby items for my friends' babies.
I have to tell a story of a recipient of one of the baby sweaters and how I handled it. Not sure it was the right way to handle it but I did it nonetheless. This woman already has one son about 2 months younger than my son and had a baby girl back in January. We haven't done a whole lot together as friends but she babysat my daughter on several different occasions and I was excited for her with her new little baby (it took a long time for her to get pregnant the second time). I wanted to do something nice for her and I thought that she appreciated hand-made gifts. I found out by e-mail a day after she had the baby that she had it and so I got my needles out and knit her baby a sweater. A week later I had it finished and sent to her.
A month and a half went by and I didn't hear from her. I wrote her an e-mail to ask how she, the new baby and the family were doing with the new little bundle of joy and to make sure that received the present that I sent to her a month and a half ago. I made it seem like I was not 100% sure of her address but I knew that if the address wasn't correct, it was only off by one number and would have gotten to her anyway. I received an e-mail back from her about 3 days later and she was very appologetic and said she did receive the gift and thanked me. She also seemed a bit embarrased that she hadn't gotten back to me sooner. I have not heard from her since that last e-mail and it has been another 2 months.
I think it's rude not to acknowledge a gift. No matter what the gift is if it was handmade or not. Everyone has the right not to like a present, but it's incredibly rude to not acknowledge it. If that were me receiving the handmade sweater, I would have picked up the phone (depending on the time of day that I opened the gift) right away and thanked the person, followed by a handwritten note. I was taught to write hand written thank yous for gifts and strongly believe in that same practice nowadays. Apparently I am in the minority.
I could go on and on about the lack of graciousness nowadays. People that I don't receive thank yous from for a gift given to them doesn't receive any more gifts from me. Simple as that. I don't care if their lives have just become more hectic with a new baby or not. I always kept of list of what I was given, who gave it to me and wrote my thank yous within a week of receiving the gift. Having a new baby doesn't excuse a person from being courteous and thanking people for the lovely gifts they are given.
N |
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NaThornton@highstream.net
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Posted - 05/16/2003 : 11:15:07 AM
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I rarely keep the items that I knit. I mostly knit for the preschool auction and have knit quite a few baby items for my friends' babies.
I have to tell a story of a recipient of one of the baby sweaters and how I handled it. Not sure it was the right way to handle it but I did it nonetheless. This woman already has one son about 2 months younger than my son and had a baby girl back in January. We haven't done a whole lot together as friends but she babysat my daughter on several different occasions and I was excited for her with her new little baby (it took a long time for her to get pregnant the second time). I wanted to do something nice for her and I thought that she appreciated hand-made gifts. I found out by e-mail a day after she had the baby that she had it and so I got my needles out and knit her baby a sweater. A week later I had it finished and sent to her.
A month and a half went by and I didn't hear from her. I wrote her an e-mail to ask how she, the new baby and the family were doing with the new little bundle of joy and to make sure that received the present that I sent to her a month and a half ago. I made it seem like I was not 100% sure of her address but I knew that if the address wasn't correct, it was only off by one number and would have gotten to her anyway. I received an e-mail back from her about 3 days later and she was very appologetic and said she did receive the gift and thanked me. She also seemed a bit embarrased that she hadn't gotten back to me sooner. I have not heard from her since that last e-mail and it has been another 2 months.
I think it's rude not to acknowledge a gift. No matter what the gift is if it was handmade or not. Everyone has the right not to like a present, but it's incredibly rude to not acknowledge it. If that were me receiving the handmade sweater, I would have picked up the phone (depending on the time of day that I opened the gift) right away and thanked the person, followed by a handwritten note. I was taught to write hand written thank yous for gifts and strongly believe in that same practice nowadays. Apparently I am in the minority.
I could go on and on about the lack of graciousness nowadays. People that I don't receive thank yous from for a gift given to them doesn't receive any more gifts from me. Simple as that. I don't care if their lives have just become more hectic with a new baby or not. I always kept of list of what I was given, who gave it to me and wrote my thank yous within a week of receiving the gift. Having a new baby doesn't excuse a person from being courteous and thanking people for the lovely gifts they are given.
N |
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NaThornton@highstream.net
Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 11:15:07 AM
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I rarely keep the items that I knit. I mostly knit for the preschool auction and have knit quite a few baby items for my friends' babies.
I have to tell a story of a recipient of one of the baby sweaters and how I handled it. Not sure it was the right way to handle it but I did it nonetheless. This woman already has one son about 2 months younger than my son and had a baby girl back in January. We haven't done a whole lot together as friends but she babysat my daughter on several different occasions and I was excited for her with her new little baby (it took a long time for her to get pregnant the second time). I wanted to do something nice for her and I thought that she appreciated hand-made gifts. I found out by e-mail a day after she had the baby that she had it and so I got my needles out and knit her baby a sweater. A week later I had it finished and sent to her.
A month and a half went by and I didn't hear from her. I wrote her an e-mail to ask how she, the new baby and the family were doing with the new little bundle of joy and to make sure that received the present that I sent to her a month and a half ago. I made it seem like I was not 100% sure of her address but I knew that if the address wasn't correct, it was only off by one number and would have gotten to her anyway. I received an e-mail back from her about 3 days later and she was very appologetic and said she did receive the gift and thanked me. She also seemed a bit embarrased that she hadn't gotten back to me sooner. I have not heard from her since that last e-mail and it has been another 2 months.
I think it's rude not to acknowledge a gift. No matter what the gift is if it was handmade or not. Everyone has the right not to like a present, but it's incredibly rude to not acknowledge it. If that were me receiving the handmade sweater, I would have picked up the phone (depending on the time of day that I opened the gift) right away and thanked the person, followed by a handwritten note. I was taught to write hand written thank yous for gifts and strongly believe in that same practice nowadays. Apparently I am in the minority.
I could go on and on about the lack of graciousness nowadays. People that I don't receive thank yous from for a gift given to them doesn't receive any more gifts from me. Simple as that. I don't care if their lives have just become more hectic with a new baby or not. I always kept of list of what I was given, who gave it to me and wrote my thank yous within a week of receiving the gift. Having a new baby doesn't excuse a person from being courteous and thanking people for the lovely gifts they are given.
N |
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NaThornton@highstream.net
Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 11:15:07 AM
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I rarely keep the items that I knit. I mostly knit for the preschool auction and have knit quite a few baby items for my friends' babies.
I have to tell a story of a recipient of one of the baby sweaters and how I handled it. Not sure it was the right way to handle it but I did it nonetheless. This woman already has one son about 2 months younger than my son and had a baby girl back in January. We haven't done a whole lot together as friends but she babysat my daughter on several different occasions and I was excited for her with her new little baby (it took a long time for her to get pregnant the second time). I wanted to do something nice for her and I thought that she appreciated hand-made gifts. I found out by e-mail a day after she had the baby that she had it and so I got my needles out and knit her baby a sweater. A week later I had it finished and sent to her.
A month and a half went by and I didn't hear from her. I wrote her an e-mail to ask how she, the new baby and the family were doing with the new little bundle of joy and to make sure that received the present that I sent to her a month and a half ago. I made it seem like I was not 100% sure of her address but I knew that if the address wasn't correct, it was only off by one number and would have gotten to her anyway. I received an e-mail back from her about 3 days later and she was very appologetic and said she did receive the gift and thanked me. She also seemed a bit embarrased that she hadn't gotten back to me sooner. I have not heard from her since that last e-mail and it has been another 2 months.
I think it's rude not to acknowledge a gift. No matter what the gift is if it was handmade or not. Everyone has the right not to like a present, but it's incredibly rude to not acknowledge it. If that were me receiving the handmade sweater, I would have picked up the phone (depending on the time of day that I opened the gift) right away and thanked the person, followed by a handwritten note. I was taught to write hand written thank yous for gifts and strongly believe in that same practice nowadays. Apparently I am in the minority.
I could go on and on about the lack of graciousness nowadays. People that I don't receive thank yous from for a gift given to them doesn't receive any more gifts from me. Simple as that. I don't care if their lives have just become more hectic with a new baby or not. I always kept of list of what I was given, who gave it to me and wrote my thank yous within a week of receiving the gift. Having a new baby doesn't excuse a person from being courteous and thanking people for the lovely gifts they are given.
N |
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NaThornton@highstream.net
Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 11:15:07 AM
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I rarely keep the items that I knit. I mostly knit for the preschool auction and have knit quite a few baby items for my friends' babies.
I have to tell a story of a recipient of one of the baby sweaters and how I handled it. Not sure it was the right way to handle it but I did it nonetheless. This woman already has one son about 2 months younger than my son and had a baby girl back in January. We haven't done a whole lot together as friends but she babysat my daughter on several different occasions and I was excited for her with her new little baby (it took a long time for her to get pregnant the second time). I wanted to do something nice for her and I thought that she appreciated hand-made gifts. I found out by e-mail a day after she had the baby that she had it and so I got my needles out and knit her baby a sweater. A week later I had it finished and sent to her.
A month and a half went by and I didn't hear from her. I wrote her an e-mail to ask how she, the new baby and the family were doing with the new little bundle of joy and to make sure that received the present that I sent to her a month and a half ago. I made it seem like I was not 100% sure of her address but I knew that if the address wasn't correct, it was only off by one number and would have gotten to her anyway. I received an e-mail back from her about 3 days later and she was very appologetic and said she did receive the gift and thanked me. She also seemed a bit embarrased that she hadn't gotten back to me sooner. I have not heard from her since that last e-mail and it has been another 2 months.
I think it's rude not to acknowledge a gift. No matter what the gift is if it was handmade or not. Everyone has the right not to like a present, but it's incredibly rude to not acknowledge it. If that were me receiving the handmade sweater, I would have picked up the phone (depending on the time of day that I opened the gift) right away and thanked the person, followed by a handwritten note. I was taught to write hand written thank yous for gifts and strongly believe in that same practice nowadays. Apparently I am in the minority.
I could go on and on about the lack of graciousness nowadays. People that I don't receive thank yous from for a gift given to them doesn't receive any more gifts from me. Simple as that. I don't care if their lives have just become more hectic with a new baby or not. I always kept of list of what I was given, who gave it to me and wrote my thank yous within a week of receiving the gift. Having a new baby doesn't excuse a person from being courteous and thanking people for the lovely gifts they are given.
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:48:54 PM
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Some years ago I sent a friend a gift. She did not acknowledge and didn't acknowledge and I finally call and asked her if she received it. She is one the those people that always writes a hand thank you. Her answer was NO, so since then I like to e mail people and say I am putting a gift in the mail give them a date and ask them to e mail me when they receive. This pretty much prevents people from not letting you know. I would also be so angry if I spent time on 3 fair isle sweaters and none of them fit. I alway try to make too big and let them grow into. For kids this doesn't take too long. Although the first fair isle I knit for my gd she still is not into. Maybe this winter, she is 2 1/2 so it hasn't take too long. The rest of the sweaters all fit and are a little too big, but she can wear them while she grows into.
Zola |
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:48:54 PM
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Some years ago I sent a friend a gift. She did not acknowledge and didn't acknowledge and I finally call and asked her if she received it. She is one the those people that always writes a hand thank you. Her answer was NO, so since then I like to e mail people and say I am putting a gift in the mail give them a date and ask them to e mail me when they receive. This pretty much prevents people from not letting you know. I would also be so angry if I spent time on 3 fair isle sweaters and none of them fit. I alway try to make too big and let them grow into. For kids this doesn't take too long. Although the first fair isle I knit for my gd she still is not into. Maybe this winter, she is 2 1/2 so it hasn't take too long. The rest of the sweaters all fit and are a little too big, but she can wear them while she grows into.
Zola |
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:48:54 PM
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Some years ago I sent a friend a gift. She did not acknowledge and didn't acknowledge and I finally call and asked her if she received it. She is one the those people that always writes a hand thank you. Her answer was NO, so since then I like to e mail people and say I am putting a gift in the mail give them a date and ask them to e mail me when they receive. This pretty much prevents people from not letting you know. I would also be so angry if I spent time on 3 fair isle sweaters and none of them fit. I alway try to make too big and let them grow into. For kids this doesn't take too long. Although the first fair isle I knit for my gd she still is not into. Maybe this winter, she is 2 1/2 so it hasn't take too long. The rest of the sweaters all fit and are a little too big, but she can wear them while she grows into.
Zola |
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:48:54 PM
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Some years ago I sent a friend a gift. She did not acknowledge and didn't acknowledge and I finally call and asked her if she received it. She is one the those people that always writes a hand thank you. Her answer was NO, so since then I like to e mail people and say I am putting a gift in the mail give them a date and ask them to e mail me when they receive. This pretty much prevents people from not letting you know. I would also be so angry if I spent time on 3 fair isle sweaters and none of them fit. I alway try to make too big and let them grow into. For kids this doesn't take too long. Although the first fair isle I knit for my gd she still is not into. Maybe this winter, she is 2 1/2 so it hasn't take too long. The rest of the sweaters all fit and are a little too big, but she can wear them while she grows into.
Zola |
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4711 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:48:54 PM
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Some years ago I sent a friend a gift. She did not acknowledge and didn't acknowledge and I finally call and asked her if she received it. She is one the those people that always writes a hand thank you. Her answer was NO, so since then I like to e mail people and say I am putting a gift in the mail give them a date and ask them to e mail me when they receive. This pretty much prevents people from not letting you know. I would also be so angry if I spent time on 3 fair isle sweaters and none of them fit. I alway try to make too big and let them grow into. For kids this doesn't take too long. Although the first fair isle I knit for my gd she still is not into. Maybe this winter, she is 2 1/2 so it hasn't take too long. The rest of the sweaters all fit and are a little too big, but she can wear them while she grows into.
Zola |
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Janice
Warming Up
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2003 : 12:50:26 PM
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| My brother-in-law knocked himself off the people I'll knit for list when he asked me to go out to the mall with him because he had to buy a sweater the day after I gave him one of my better efforts. Humph!! |
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