What has your experience been on giving non-knitters hand-knitted gifts?
Looking back over the projects I have completed in the last 18 months or so, the majority have been gifts for others. I want to show people how much I care for them and so decide to make them something unique that has involved time and effort. Pretty much every time I am disappointed with the reaction I receive.
True, the presents are never perfect, they are hand-made by someone who isn't an expert knitter, just a hobby-knitter who is learning. They often arrive late and, possibly where the root of the problem lies, I am guilty of not always making clear that I have made it and how much work I ploughed into their woolly gift.
That aside, I always come away thinking I should have just kept it myself and hunted out a shop bought gift that would probably have suited the occasion better.
If you read my last post I think you will know where this going. I gave my friend River last week. I got a bit coy about the fact I made it for her so did not insist that it was opened in front of me, I therefore missed her reaction. I think she liked it, she said as much, and I am certain she appreciated the effort I put into it but I am starting to doubt that I picked the right pattern/colourway etc and whether it was really a suitable present for the occasion or not.
The question is, do I stop making things for others and just focus on me, me ,me or do I just make it clear when I give things to others that I made it having spent the last couple of months working on the wretched thing and I put a lot of thought into it? What do you do?
Looking back over the projects I have completed in the last 18 months or so, the majority have been gifts for others. I want to show people how much I care for them and so decide to make them something unique that has involved time and effort. Pretty much every time I am disappointed with the reaction I receive.
True, the presents are never perfect, they are hand-made by someone who isn't an expert knitter, just a hobby-knitter who is learning. They often arrive late and, possibly where the root of the problem lies, I am guilty of not always making clear that I have made it and how much work I ploughed into their woolly gift.
That aside, I always come away thinking I should have just kept it myself and hunted out a shop bought gift that would probably have suited the occasion better.
If you read my last post I think you will know where this going. I gave my friend River last week. I got a bit coy about the fact I made it for her so did not insist that it was opened in front of me, I therefore missed her reaction. I think she liked it, she said as much, and I am certain she appreciated the effort I put into it but I am starting to doubt that I picked the right pattern/colourway etc and whether it was really a suitable present for the occasion or not.
The question is, do I stop making things for others and just focus on me, me ,me or do I just make it clear when I give things to others that I made it having spent the last couple of months working on the wretched thing and I put a lot of thought into it? What do you do?
Enough of that, pictures:
Despite all said above, I am really proud of how it turned out!
2 comments:
It looks great and you should certainly be proud of it! I'm sure this is a common problem for knitters... Perhaps you should be less coy about giving the present in person and saying you have been making it for months. Or you could also spend more time on requested gifts - offer to make things for people who like your work, so they know what they're getting and you know they'll really like it. And also you deserve more presents for yourself!! Just a few thoughts :)
River is beautiful. I'm sure your friend loved it. It is difficult because a non-knitter is never going to understand that work that went into a project.
I really love knitting for other knitters though. I'm trying to think of something wonderful to make for my friend's baby. It's got to be extra good as she'll be able to tell!
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