Knitting for me is about pleasure, recreation. It's a hobby. Knitting to an end not completely my own is just antithetical to the concept of a hobby, to my mind.
I know, I need to get over it.
Doesn't look like much, but it can suck all the joy out of knitting.
I started it today. My friend's birthday is the Ides of March--I doubt I'll have it done by then. This pattern will have to be magic, people, in order for me to get it done that quickly. Magic. It's a nice enough pattern (Montego Bay by Amy Singer in the summer '07 Interweave Knits): simple, easy to remember, resting rows. I'm just not that wild about knitting for someone else.
It's silly, really. I give one gift to a receivee who is less than kind about my skillz, I get all gift shy. Hell, that wasn't even a knitted gift, it was a cross stitch, but still it's analogous. I made it for her, she did all but throw it away in front of me, I won't be that silly again. And it's less than kind to judge everyone by that one person's behavior, but there you have it. I won't take the risk again, if it can be avoided.
This is slightly different in that the person who is getting the scarf has a) already gotten one knitted gift from me and actually uses it, which is the reason she's still a friend at all, and b) asked for this scarf, in this yarn. The yarn was going to be a scarf for her for a birthday two years ago, but the pattern didn't work with the yarn, things got away from me and she got some nice, smooshy alpaca instead. She still wanted the yarn, so....
She's going to appreciate it. She understands the effort that goes into knitting and is flattered that I would make something for her. It's a completely different situation than the other, so why am I so hot and bothered by it? Probably because I'm a whiner.
The real shame is, I love this yarn. It will be a wrench giving it up when I'm done with it. Would it be uber-tacky if I got the same yarn in the same colorway for myself? I promise I won't wear my thing to the same black tie event to which she wears her scarf.
Heh. Like I could even do a black tie event!
1 comment:
You need to join us in the Selfish Knitters and Crocheters group on Ravelry. I also have a hard time knitting or crocheting for others, even if it's for people I like. And no, not tacky to get something for yourself you know you'll love. Heck, get two things you know you'll love, even if they are the exactly the same as what you're giving away! It feels good, and you could be doing worse things, I say.
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