Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Knitting for self or others?

I finally turned in my homework, which always sends me into a reeling sense of productivity and accomplishment. So I went to find my plastic stash bin, and looked over all the projects-to-be that I've accumulated.

Do some knitters find they knit mostly for others?

With the exception of socks, which has become a personal goal for me to learn the process, almost all my yarn is yarn I adore, but have earmarked for a loved one or family or charity. (Yes, I realize this makes no sense as my family lives in Texas, and does not need or probably want wooly scarves, mittens, sweaters or wristwarmers, and they aren't really shawl people, either). That just means I get to be more creative.

I think finding and planning the item for the person is almost as much fun as giving it. There's a personal touch that is so appealing to me. Instead of giving a gift certificate for a facial for Mother's Day (which made a perfectly fine gift for long distance, and one that was appreciated), the idea of making a loved one something with my own hands, and spending time and effort and love into creating something... it just touches me. Part of it is because I am a bit homesick and this allows me to feel close to that person as I create the item. And part of this is because my life could so easily be consumed with work and school, that it is a bit of a release to pour myself into these projects.

There are items I definitely have bookmarked for myself and it seems to be ever growing, but I'm finding that being able to create items for others is a benefit I had not expected to enjoy so much.

3 comments:

Stacie said...

Kaylee,
I knit mostly for others. No matter how deeply I fall in love with the yarn, when it comes to what I'll do with it, I always want to give it as a gift. I've made scarves (novice knitter!) for every woman I know practically, and a few ment too. Finally got brave enough to start other things and have been contemplating a needle case (felted) for myself. Whether I do it we shall see, but it's true that right now, gifts of warm wooly slippers etc. aren't much needed. So it might be easier to do those projects for myself that I might otherwise have ignored.

As for the yarn warehouse, I have an overstocked one, and am always looking at my stash trying to decide just what would look great done up as what.

Cheers, and hope all your finals turn out to be A's :^) Where do you go to school?

Stacie

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

I think most, if not all, of my knitting goes for others. I enjoy it, but often worry that it will come unravelled or something when the person sends the item to the washing machine.

k said...

Stacie: I love the idea of a felted needlecase! I think part of what I enjoy so much is matching the right pattern and fiber to best suit the person, and it does make me feel so much better to share the things I've made. I attend WVU- only 9 more days left!

Shelley: I worry about how the person cares for the items, too, especially since I've been using yarn that might felt.