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Day 22 of 30 Days of Knitting

Day 22:  Have you ever stricken someone off your to-knit-for list because they didn't appreciate / take care of your last knitted gift to them?

No; most people have at least pretended to appreciate the things I've made for them. (g)  I do sometimes wonder if anyone wishes I would take them off my to-craft-for list... ;o)

As far as someone not taking care of the my handmade gifts, I don't think I've given anything that needed very special care-- partly for that reason.  Some people on my list might not appreciate being given something that needs to be handled with kid gloves, and others might have a hard time remembering (since there's no built-in tag with washing instructions).

However, that's not to say that I don't ever give something that needs hand-washing, etc... I think the fingerless gloves I gave to my mother and sisters last Christmas were made of yarn that suggests laying flat to dry.  I believe I included a written note to mention that.  However, if they're like me, they probably won't be washing their gloves very often to begin with-- and if they do forget and throw them in the dryer and shrink them (or whatever else might happen)... Oh well.  They were pretty fast projects.  The yarn was bought on clearance (very cheaply).  It certainly won't be the end of the world. 

Really, part of giving a gift is letting it go.  If we're going to be worried about it, keeping tabs on whether they're using it / taking care of it in a manner that matches our own standards, maybe we should reconsider giving it at all.  I understand that a lot of effort goes into making a gift, and we certainly have the "right" to not give a person handmade presents (for any reason that occurs to us)-- but I'd try to imagine how I might feel about a gift that the recipient was always checking up on.  A present that comes with too much responsibility is more of a burden than a gift.