Episode 24: Giving the Gift of Knit

Episode 24: Giving the Gift of Knit (37:22)

This week we contemplate the act of giving your knitting and talk to the ladies of Y2Knit about their ECOnnection club.

The Slippery Slope of Gift Knitting
The Holidays are right around the five month corner. Are you knitting gifts?

Sunrise Circle Jacket (soon to be Jenny's!)
Neck Down V-Neck Sweater
Ron's hat
Jenny's Dad's sweater
Jenny's Dad's hat
The shirt Nicole made
Fetching
Trendsetter Blossom

Tips for gift knitting:

• For big projects, work with the recipients
• Ask for requests
• Otherwise, stick with small projects

Connect with your yarn!
We talk to sisters Susan and Jill Wolcott about their new socially responsible yarn club, ECOnnection. We apologize if it is hard to hear Susan, we were working with new (to us) technology.

Y2Knit
ECOnnection
O-Wool
Yak
Frog Tree
Ashland Sky Bags

Thanks Susan and Jill Wolcott! Thanks for listening!

Comments

[alison]

What was that last song in this episode?

[Stacey]

This year, I've focused on knitting for myself rather than knitting gifts. At the end of last year, I realized that I didn't have that much to show for myself; I gave away almost all of my knitted work- baby presents, birthdays, Christmas. Plus, I'm not sure if the knit items were really wanted by everyone. I do get a big thrill if I see them wearing the gifts, though! My new policy is that if I want to knit a gift, I'll ask the recipient if they have any special preferences (or don't want anything). One friend requested that I teach her how to knit, instead, so that was cool.

[Lugene Keene]

I love knitting for Christmas. Last Dec I was in NYC and bought some beautiful yak yarn from Strings. It is a manly brown and gray so I made hats and scarves for my brother and nephew for this year. I am making a few baby sweaters - I have 1 friend with 2 kids and I am still not sure if she likes the stuff I make or not. We'll see how this year goes then I'll decide if she gets anything else. I have a couple of friends in Canada. I cannot knit enough stuff for them and they wear it all the time! I always make cool stuff for them. This year socks for my friend and a sweater for her little girl. My mom loves what I knit but won't use it. She's 80 years old so I forgive her and still knit for her. I really want to make her the Forest Sweater from the recent VK. Her birthday is in March and it is still cold in buffalo, Ny then so she could use it. Maybe it'll be done for Christmas but like someone in the comments said, it'll be ready sooner or later.
Needless to say, I just love knitting and so I see yarn and think it might be good for someone in particular and Christmas just seems like a good time of year to give wool. I also like to think folks appreciate it but if I sense they don't, I won't torture them with my knitting.
Thanks for the super podcasts and being in the same frame of mind as so many of us.

[Adrienne]

My best received gifts have been the humble dishcloth. No joke! I'll knit up as many as needed and pick up some handmade soaps (locally/regionally made) and let them pick which ones they want. They also make fantastic little hostess gifts - I knit one up last Thanksgiving after Feasting, for the woman that was hosting us. I'm pretty sure that simple mitered square in white and yellow is STILL hanging over the sink, still unused. :)

I usually don't "do" holiday giving, save for the closest friends and relatives. I plan carefully what project for whom, and have fortunately never got the "oh, you knit me a ___" response. I aim for functional items that I *know* they will use and enjoy.

[diana d'Or]

The list is small this year but nevertheless tedious (except the mittens which I'm adapting to hippos):
-Interweave: Boot Hiking Socks in Tofutsies.
-AlterKnits: Lace-Up Scarf/Shawl/Wrap in yet to be determined cheaper then Rowan Kid Silk Haze & Blue Sky Alpaca & Silk.
-S n' B Nation: Later 'Gator Mittens in Plymouth Encore rather than Casacde 220.

The family members I'm making presents for understand I'll try to pick something I know they'll love but also be able to take care of easily. I agree with functional and agree with only close loved ones. They also know I'm on hand for repairs rather than tossing in the Goodwill pile.

[Minh]

A couple of years ago, I knitted a scarf for each of my parents, sister, and in-laws. The scarves didn't take long, I got to "swatch" some yarns, and see their reaction (not too enthusiastic). Since then, I only knit for them on request.

I alternate knitting for me (the best recipient ever!), knitting presents for friends that I know will appreciate handknitted gifts, and knitting for charity.

Love your podcast! I like to listen your old episodes again so that I can mull over your hints/techniques/comments
:)

[Daphne]

Okay, the one episode where you don't list the songs is the one I want to look up a song in... who does the final song in this episode? And, I liked listening to the whole thing at the end of your show.

My friend Emily (also works at Hilltop) said "I always consider if I could make a nicer gift than I could give--usually I can make something nicer than I can afford to buy so I make the gift."

[melissa]

re: top down knitted sweater

LOVE THIS PATTERN!!! I made it in a Noro silk garden and had it done in 3 weeks. It was during a time when I went to a lot of meetings, and it was just mindless knitting. I had to watch for the markers, add / reduce a stitch and was back to straight knitting.

My one beef with the pattern is that there is no row guage. While this isn't a big deal, figuring out where to start the waist shaping was a little difficult. I am very picky about this fitting point, and I ripped out a couple of inches so that I could have the shaping at the right point.

Aside from that, a well written, well fitting pattern.

Love the pod cast and have e-mailed back and forth about THE BOND. Still haven't mastered it to my satisfaction, but haven't given up. You said that it is probably easier to take up the Bond if you aren't a hand knitter, and I have to agree.

Melissa

[Pam]

I just wanted to comment about the knitting gifts for people.

When I first started knitting, I gave away a lot of my knitting as gifts. I was so excited to give my friends and family my handmade items, I made with love and care. The responses I got to getting my knitting as gifts was not very positive.

It seemed like most people did not really understand the time, effort and care that went into my knitting. It was kinda like "Gee, thanks, a scarf, you made". Then it was like the two boys in the "Christmas Story" movie when they got the socks as a present. They looked at it and tossed it over their shoulder, never to be seen again.

I have now been knitting since 1995. I don't think I have EVER seen ANYONE I have knitted an item a clothing for actually wear it. The only thing I do still knit and give to people are those all cotton dishclothes/washclothes. People seem to love them and I have seen them use them.

So basically, I don't knit for other people anymore, except in two sistuations. I have done a number of craft fairs where I have sold what I have knitted (I can't need nor keep EVERYTHING I knit). I also knit requests from people.

When I knit a requested item, they know the amount of time and effort and they actually WANT the finished product and are excited about it.

I guess it is kinda sad that I would love to knit gifts for everyone, but I guess I have just been burned by doing it.

[Jan Bode Smiley]

Obviously I'm behind on listening, but just finished the gift episode. Great, as always! In my opinion, you're the only ones who are successfully doing a 'more-than-one-person-talking podcast'. Love the way it works out for you (and us!).

Anyway, I'm pretty particular about who I'll give hand made gifts to. Those who appreciate them and use them stay on the list. I do sometimes surprise people and give them something hand made, usually because I made too many things that year and just need to share! It make me feel good to share but it also clears out space for new yarns and new projects!

I'm on a crochet kick right now, so I'll probably crochet some items for gifts. I finished a linen wrap (for my MIL) recently. The advantage of finishing early is I get to wear it a few times before I gift it. Does that make me a bad person??? After all, the linen gets softer with each wash and I want it to be nice and soft when I give it to her.......

Oh, I share your sewing thoughts - although I haven't made a garment for years, it's a great skill to have for lining bags, etc.

Thanks again for a great podcast!

Jan Smiley
www.jansmiley.com
www.jansmiley.blogspot.com

[gray la gran]

... if you haven't figured out yet, i am way behind on things (listening to your podcast !).
gifts. i am the world's most selfish knitter. i love to knit for me. why? because there's no doubt that *me* will love it (or frog it).
and i plan things poorly ... ie: knitting for christmas. i get all these grand ideas of what to make for who, about 2 weeks (if not less) before the holiday. seriously.
sometimes i do plan ahead, and get on the making bandwagon early. often, those gifts are non-knitty, but of the crochet, sewing, or beading, variety ... because i can execute those projects faster.
last year, i crocheted lots of pairs of 'elf slippers' for my friends. i ordered the pattern online, and whipped up lots of pairs with good old red heart acrylique. they were received with sincere joy.
i mostly make for dear friends and immediate family. mom gets stuff year round. she loves and appreciates everything, even if it ends up in a ziploc in the 'cajon' (spanish for 'drawer').
this year, i have NO idea. i will be gone for a service trip in early december ... which is prime elf-making time!
perhaps, i will dedicate november to *gift making*.
oh, i do not also purchase gifts if i am making something for someone. i am on a seriously limited budget (all my money goes to food and *fiber*). and, i only make for those that i think/know will appreciate my efforts, or love the end result.
great podcast!

[T2]

I was listening to this in late November, and had to smile as you brought up so many of the very same issues that were on my mind as I decided who would be getting something homemade this year. You also gave me a few new issues to consider. Great show!