Here's how to find the knitworthy and crochetworthy in your circles.
Another day, another case of "I spent hours on this thing and the recipient was ungrateful"
This is really sad to come across as you know how many hours the item would have taken. You know how much effort they would have put into the project but there's a really important question here:
Did you ask?
This is a common thing on online craft circles but the pain the maker feels from seeing their handmade gift go unappreciated is easy to avoid.
When I was starting out in knitting and crochet, I would make hats, scarves and jumpers for my family. No one asked. Lucky for me, they took them off my hands. I don't know what happened to any of the early things in truth. I remember presenting my mum with a purple crochet jumper. I never saw it again.
As I improved I noticed newer gifts being worn more often but still, I had inflicted them on people. These days I'd be embarrassed if my beginner work was highlighted in hat form on my sister's head for example. I shudder just thinking of my seaming.
I however, had no right to be upset if they didn't like their gifts. I didn't ask them if they'd like it and more importantly, they didn't ask me to make them.
I look back on it now as a time when I was developing my skills and just gifted the makes as I needed to move them on. No hard feelings.
Apart from my 4 year old, nobody asks me to make them anything. This is absolutely fine. It means I can spend my time making things for me, for my design business and for those who ask me.
Last week, I asked my sister if she would wear a Wonder woman jumper that I'd seen. She said no. I wasn't offended. I knew that I didn't want to wear it, so there was no point in making it. I then saved myself some money because I didn't buy the yarn. I did not dedicate hours of my time to make something that wouldn't be appreciated (and then get upset).
Don't feel selfish about making things for yourself. You are knitworthy.
Don't feel selfish about making things for yourself. You're the one who has taken the time to learn the skills. You're the one who has spent the money on your needles, hooks and yarn. You're the one who wants to dedicate the time and effort.
If you want to gift your work, that's very kind of you but please don't then complain if the recipient didn't ask for it.
How do I establish who is worth making things for?
Well, as we've already mentioned, if they have asked, that's a good start. I do sometimes get offended if the individual has absolutely no appreciation of the time it will take (or any awareness that you don't just knit all day) but if they ask, I do consider if I could do it.
I have one friend who has never asked but wears everything I have ever made for her. She wears these items to work and will tell everyone who asks that her friend made them for her. She loves a particular hat that I made so much that she asked me if I had any replacement pom poms for when hers was ruined. She is knitworthy.
My daughters are only 4 and 2 but they wear everything I make for them. I'm still unsure if they're wanting to wear them because "Mummy made this" or if they just don't question it. My 4 year old loves hats and will wear any hat she can find. They just all happen to be hats that I've made. They are knitworthy because they're little. If they were babies, they would be knitworthy too. Everybody loves dressing babies up in handknits.
For knit and crochet gifts, I don't usually go further than my friend or my daughters. I only do commissions for a select few, too.
I think a good way to find the knit and crochet worthy is to see who compliments your makes out of your friends and family. Who says "that hat is gorgeous. I wish I could find one like that"? Who is in awe of your crochet jumpers? Who needs something but they can't find it? "I can't find any decent wool socks for hiking" or "I'd love a good pair of welly socks" In this case, they might not be asking you but you know you're fulfilling a need that they have. They could also be dropping hints. Best to make something just in case.
Keep it simple with your gifts. Stick to accessories until you're really, really sure that they love your gifts. Hats and socks are small things to sacrifice in the early days.
Hanna
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