We all know it... time and money are short. So how do we decide whether or not to spend our limited time and money on a crochet gift for someone? Are they crochet worthy? Will the recipient understand the time and effort put into the gift? Will the recipient care for the project and use it without felting it? Does the recipient, in general, seem to appreciate your crochet talent? While you may want to make a special crochet project for a loved one, he or she might not be 'crochet worthy' and you can save your time and yarn stash and instead they may really be just as happy with a store-bought gift.
However, when you find someone who is truly crochet worthy, that really is a gift isn't it?
Some stitchers call themselves, "selfish stitchers" (knitters, crocheters, etc.). I get it. In the absence of crochet worthy people to crochet for, it's easier for everyone if a stitcher doesn't give away her stitched projects. As hard as it is to believe, some unusual and rare people do not care for yarn/thread handmade gifts (GASP!) These people are to be loved anyway despite their eccentricities. Respect yourself. Respect your craft. Don't give stitched handmade love in yarn form to those who are not crochet worthy.
Thoughts?
8 comments:
Hi, when I didn't know crocheting I made by myself the wedding keep-sakes. I went to office during the day and I made them in the evenings..6 months of work.
Last week, talking with friends, I've known that somebody threw it away...I'm so unhappy about that!
Now I crochet only for me, my babies and few people more!
Maddalena
I completely agree! I only make handmade gifts for those people who appreciate it (and for donations) but there is a spectrum of what kind of yarn and how much time I'll spend on the project. For those who are fellow crafters, I'll use better yarn, work a more intricate pattern, or make a larger project (like a bedspread) since I know they will truly appreciate the quality of yarn and the time and effort that went into creating the finished product. I will be honest and say that I tend to keep the most expensive yarn and most intricate patterns for myself. :)
I use wash and wear yarn, and my world of friends love and appreciate what I make. I don't know people in my life circle who do not appreciate the love in each stitch. I did make a baby blanket out of the Alpaca yarn I got in Peru for my youth pastor's baby since we had made several trips together there. His wife hung it on the wall, knowing how special it was.
But like Maddalena, my mom and I crocheted the wedding keep sakes for my brothers wedding, and very few were kept.
I find that I am mostly a "selfish" stitcher. I crochet mostly for myself but when I do crochet for someone else it's usually a request made by them or sometime small and easy to make. Here's a thought though. I'm not much of a knitter but I know it takes longer than crochet. Is it easier for someone to be crochet-worthy than knit-worthy?
For instance, I can whip up a pair of crocheted fingerless gloves for someone in an evening but to knit them would take... days at least.
I often will crochet something as a gift and then it's not up to my standards and I don't give it. (these are often learning projects or first drafts). I don't generally measure a person for crochet-worthiness by how long the project will take so much as how much they will appreciate it. In that way crochet-worthy and knit-worthy are the same for me.
Even at Ravelry we have this complaint all the time. Go to all the expense and time and care and the object ends up hated, tossed, forgotten, given away!
I may make something one time for an unappreciator, but by Goddess it will be the last time. I don't want you to love my work, but at least appreciate the hard effort and money. I am not Walmart!
Interesting post. On rare occasions I have given a crochet project to someone and I immediately sense it will go in the closet and never be worn. I haven't found the guts to ask why...maybe the wrong yarn (too scratchy, allergic) or just not "crochet worthy!"
If I don't care about person or coworker, I'll throw a few bucks into the pot for a gift. Now if I like this person or have a kinship with him or her, I'll crochet or knit them a little gift. For example, this year at the school where I teach there are two people retiring. For one I put in $10 for a retirement gift. Enough. For the other I'm crocheting a set of booties for her new grandson and knitting a lovely scarf for her. It's the way of things!
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