Has anyone ever come up to you and asked you to knit for them? I am not talking about a knit for hire type of request but a friend or acquaintance admiring something you have made and asking you to make them one. The thing about this seemingly harmless request is that a lot of people make it without truly understanding what it is they are asking. Yarn is expensive and time is limited I don’t always want to spend my time knitting something for someone who isn’t knitworthy. How do I decide? I have come up with a simple test.
- Do I like you? This is a big part of my decision making process when it comes to knitting for someone else. If I don’t like you there is no way I will knit for you. Even if you are a decent person and I kinda enjoy your company I would have to say no. If you and I are close personal friends and have a great relationship I will knit for you under certain conditions.
- Who is the knitted object for? For a friend I might knit a Christmas gift or possibly make them a baby blanket if they were having a baby. However, if that friend asks me to knit something for their sister-in-law’s friend I will say no. I want to know that what I make and spend so much of my time on is going to be appreciated.
- Will they appreciate a handmade gift? Not everyone in the world can appreciate a handmade gift or item. I have some friends that I love very much but don’t truly appreciate hand knitted items. Sometimes it is better to just get that friend a book, shirt, gift card etc. that you know they will love and use. Not everyone wants a hand knitted cashmere hat and that is ok.
- Are they knitters themselves? I have found that knitters appreciate knitting and will appreciate something that you make them. They understand the cost of the nice yarn you chose and the time and effort you put into even a small project. They may even ask you for the pattern.
- Is the knitted item for you? I am a pretty selfish knitter. I make things for others only a few times a year and under very specific circumstances. For the most part I like to knit for myself. When I knit for myself I get to pick the colors and the pattern. I can try something new and not worry about disappointing anyone else. I can take my time and enjoy the process which is really what knitting is all about for me.
To those casual co-worker friends and others who really don’t pass my knitworthyness test I apologize. I would be happy to teach you how to knit so you can make that amazing project yourself! 🙂
This Christmas I am knitting for my brother and nephew. I love them both and they inspire me so of course they are knitworthy.
Dove Call Knits 