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Post by Delta Dawn on Apr 30, 2016 23:57:59 GMT
MIL crocheted a baby blanket for DS out of wool. OMG that thing is so itchy I can't believe she chose that wool. It is just awful. I left it with exDH (her son) in Japan because I would never use it here and I am allergic to wool as is DS. My mom bought a knitted blanket for DS to come home from the hospital and it's beautiful and it is put away hidden. My grandmother knitted some treasures for my sister and I to wear and must never have worn them because they are in mint condition. I found them in my mom's closet. Those are true treasures!!!
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Post by bigbundt on May 1, 2016 0:56:04 GMT
Yes I have and I have liked them. I have also received handmade items that I didn't like. My friend has crocheted beautiful items for my children. She does beautiful work, has won several awards for it at our state fair over the years. I love those items and they will be packed away to be given to my kids if they have kids. A few years ago my mom gave me a few doilies her grandmother made and they are currently framed in my dining room. They are beautiful! Some people just don't understand or appreciate the time, cost, and effort that goes into a handmade gift. I "rescued" a beautifully crocheted baby blanket from a consignment sale last year. $2! I don't crochet but I totally appreciate the workmanship and it cost way more than $2 in yarn alone. I get more compliments on that blanket than anything else when we are out and about. Some woman practically chased me down a few days ago at my daughter's school to ask me if I made it and it was stunning. $2! I do believe that if you want to give something handmade, the larger and more showy it is, the more exact you need to be with knowing their tastes and wants. (I also don't believe in giving handmade gifts to someone who does not craft) My aunt recently had a beautiful quilt hanging made for my youngest. She didn't ask for colors or themes or anything. It is adorable... but it matches nothing in her nursery. I now have this very large quilt hanging that she no doubt paid a lot for and I don't know what to do with it. It isn't big enough for a twin bed but it might work for a toddler bed so now I have the burden of somehow making this quilt fit in the room at that time. THOSE are the handmade gifts I don't like because it feels like it is more about the giver than the recipient.
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Post by bigbundt on May 1, 2016 1:03:44 GMT
At present, I am having issues with all the baby blankets she gave me for the boy. I did use them and loved them. Now, they are just taking up space. I would like to give them away/donate them. But, I am feeling guilty about it. So the sit in my closet. What about giving them to new mom you know would appreciate it with a note about how you hope the blanket wraps her baby in love as it did for your son? I would have been so touched if someone gave me a blanket that they used for their own child. Maybe along with a gift from their registry as well but I know I would have probably burst out crying if someone did that. And I can't even blame pregnancy hormones because I am not pregnant and yet here I am tearing up thinking about someone doing that.
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kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,582
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on May 1, 2016 1:19:07 GMT
I love handmade things. FIL's wife made my kids beautiful knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters. I love them and will not give them away. She also made me a scarf that's soooo soft. I have a million scarves, but I'm not getting rid of that one!
A college friend of mine made DS a flannel blanket (she's a professional artist and a hobbyist seamstress). I love, love, love it. It's an unusual size, and it's been so useful! I won't get rid of it, even though my kids have long outgrown cribs.
I have received some handmade jewelry from students that I don't wear more than a couple of times "for show" (remember, I teach elementary school). Still, I am so touched that they bothered to make something for me with their own little hands - I have a hard time getting rid of those things. They make me smile.
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Post by SunnySmile on May 1, 2016 1:22:46 GMT
A new friend crochet a gorgeous pink baby blanket for my youngest daughter. It was a loose weave, and she had put ribbons through it and part of the crocheted edge looked like lace. I absolutely loved it, but hardly used it, my dd was a barfing, pooping machine and I didn't want to ruin it. If it hadn't been so fancy I would have loved it and used it!
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vanessa
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Sept 15, 2015 4:25:10 GMT
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Post by vanessa on May 1, 2016 5:42:00 GMT
This was one of my big concerns just this week. I have a cousin whose wife is pregnant and the family had a shower for her. I couldn't make it (which I hated-but car problems and a five hour drive don't mix well) and I sent a gift with my mom. I made something similar to below (just different fabrics more suited to her style) and I am worried that she won't like them because they are homemade. and another one with a similar pattern: These are adorable!! I'd love a whole wardrobe of these for a baby. I would have loved the onesies because it isn't a vinyl cut out of an image you stole off of the Internet then pronounced your creativity to the world! Man, I hate that. No, it isn't creative to take a stolen image and slap in on a onesie as a vinyl transfer...
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vanessa
Full Member
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Sept 15, 2015 4:25:10 GMT
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Post by vanessa on May 1, 2016 6:12:36 GMT
Now that I have read the whole thread... I have crib blankets hand made and knitted by my childrens' great-great grandmother just for them, always given at birth. Our oldest remembers her fondly but she passed away when the younger ones were babies. But yet they know and love that these blankets are there for their children now and that she made them with love. Ironically, my US Marine Vietnam Vet Dad started quilting when he was declared 100% disabled by the VA (really!?!?), and I send the oldest off to college with a blanket that he made prior to his passing. It is her favorite thing and she took it with her on a trip to Vietnam last year to revisit his battle sites. Just so special.
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azredhead
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Jun 25, 2014 22:49:18 GMT
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Post by azredhead on May 1, 2016 6:48:30 GMT
Yes and recently. When I got really sick in the hopsital for meningitis, my moms friends from her knitting group made me a 'healing prayer shawl'. I don't really use it for that. I'm not sure i could wear it as it's heavier and it's usually not the climate here. But I love the colors and the style so I have it hanging spot in our bedroom. Btw- I have never met this lady but she has gotten to know my mom really well. I was really touched that stranger would go to that much work for a special item. She even sent me a little card with it that said how much she appreciated my mom and their friendship and that she was hoping all the best for me as I had medical struggles. I was really touched. In general I love handmade stuff. Someone takes extra time and care even if it's not something I'll use I'll keep it.
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Post by Flowergirl on May 1, 2016 7:21:00 GMT
We received handmade items for our kids when they were born. My sister crocheted blankets for both my kids which I loved, appreciated and used all the time. They are stored away if my kids ever want to use them when they become parents (which better not be anytime soon!)
I also have an aunt that is a VERY talented knitter. I wish she lived nearby so I can learn from her as I learn to knit. She made DS a sweater, it wasn't quite my style, but it was beautifully made and loved that she made it for us and we used it all the time until he outgrew it. She made DD a sweater/hat set that I absolutely loved and was so cute on DD. Those items are also put away for the future.
Another aunt gave us a crocheted blanket for DS that she bought at a craft fair. We used it but then donated it when the kids were done with it since it wasn't made by her. DH's grandmother made us blankets that totally weren't colors we like. We kept them for many years but they didn't get much use. I donated them a few years ago after taking pictures and making a note about their background for our scrapbook
I made several scarves/hats for gifts last Christmas but only for my DD/DS/DH. I also made DS's girlfriend a set after asking him if it was something she would like. He said yes as she just started knitting and liked things like that. She liked that I matched her sorority color for the set and I noticed her wearing the pieces imany times in her posts and DS's snapchats.
I'm making my sisters infinity scarves this year that I know they'll actually like and use. Another case of "know your audience."
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 2:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 12:39:53 GMT
An fiend of mine made a baby quilt for DD. It's adorable and DD still has it in her dorm room. The best part is that my friend embroidered all our birthdays and our anniversary on the quilt. Except that she's dyslexic and they are all wrong. <3 She offered to change them if they were wrong, but I love it so much the way it is.
My cousins who live in a different state got together and cross-stitched little Baby's First Christmas ornaments for both my kids. Not only are they really gorgeous, but I love the fact that they got together to make something from their hearts.
I've only had people close to me make me handmade gifts, and I've been lucky to love them all.
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Post by coaliesquirrel on May 1, 2016 12:46:25 GMT
I have gotten several handmade gifts and love them all! Most of my former scrapping girls have switched to other things, and I've been the lucky recipient!
I've gotten a lovely large crochet throw, a beautiful throw-sized quilt, a tote custom-made for me while I watched, with each friend contributing to the project, and maybe my favorite gift ever - a "quilt" that is minky fabric on one side, and the other is pieced bits of wool sweaters, including one that I bought on my honeymoon in Ireland! That last is super cozy and HEAVY, which is great for me because I like to sleep under heavy covers.
From the same group of ladies, DD (now 8) has gotten a tiny open-crochet "fingering" blanket that helped her get to sleep for many years, playing with her fingers in the holes, a beautiful quilt, a throw-size afghan in colors to match her room, a fairy jar (think terrarium in a mason jar but w/ a fairy and battery-powered tealight), and one of my favorites for her - a blanket of sorts that's really just 2 pieces of cotton decoratively sewn at the edges and bonded (?) together without batting or anything thick inside. It's quite large, and it was wonderful when she was small and I wanted to cover her from the sun but not have her overheat. OH - and I almost forgot another favorite! Again, one of the same gals made her the CUTEST little jacket! It's brown corduroy outside with a pink pattern lining and roll-up cuffs, and the hood is sort of peaked like a pixie hood and is lined with hot pink fun fur! I was SO SO SAD when DD outgrew it, but I'd never consider parting with it!
I agree generally with what others have said - it's a "know your audience" thing. If you know someone to be sentimental, they'll probably like it. If not - well, you might do better with a purchased gift unless you've specifically heard the person say they like that particular kind of thing.
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AnotherPea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,969
Jan 4, 2015 1:47:52 GMT
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Post by AnotherPea on May 1, 2016 12:56:44 GMT
I make a lot of homemade gifts. Sometimes the recipients seem more excited than other times. I typically give a homemade item and a matching store bought item just to cover my bases.
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Post by gillyp on May 1, 2016 14:20:13 GMT
The office cleaner gave me a lovely baby shawl she had made when I left to have DS1. I was incredibly touched and he and DS2 were both wrapped in it many times when small, including being taken home from hospital. I still have it nearly 40 years later and would never part with it. The only reason the DGDs did not use it is because it's quite lacy and my DIL has a deformed finger from having caught it in a knitted, lacy blanket when she was a tiny baby. Understandably she was not willing to risk history repeating itself.
Other than that any hand made gifts I have received have all been scrapping related.
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Post by quinlove on May 1, 2016 15:53:21 GMT
Oh dear God, yes ! My deceased bff made a ton of stuff for me over the years and I cherish those things so much.
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Post by bosoxbeth on May 1, 2016 20:58:57 GMT
Most handmade items I've been given are cute but not really "me." Of course I would never let the person know tho, and I do appreciate the kind effort. Mostly, the handmade things I like best were for my children when they were babies, or are edible! Jams, baked goods, etc. I'm not one for the macrame craft projects!
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Post by lesserknownpea on May 2, 2016 8:26:24 GMT
I used and treasured the blankets made for my babies. Either I still have them, or my kids have them for use with their own kids.
When XDIL split with my son, I requested a beautiful hand quilted blanket that was my son's as a baby be returned, as I wanted to keep it in the family.
I used to to crochet or quilt blankets for baby showers. I know many were used often, I would see them when I spent time with the recipient.
Now that hat I think of it, I can think of a few items made for me that would not have been my choice, but it never occurred to me to do anything other than love them.
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 2:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2016 11:34:50 GMT
We're military and when I was in the hospital delivering our baby we were given a handmade crochet blanket. We really loved and appreciated it.
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msliz
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Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on May 2, 2016 12:03:23 GMT
My girlfriend crocheted two small blankets for my twins that I honestly didn't love, as much as I loved my friend for doing it. The colors were bright when I had everything in pastels, the spaces between the stitches were big enough that the babies hands got caught, the blankets weren't square, and the ribbon edging that was woven through the outside holes was a choking hazard. But I still loved her dearly for all her effort. When my 3rd baby came, she made the most beautiful perfect blanket you could imagine. And I never said a word to her about the previous ones. But she had a better pattern, better colors, and lots more skill ! So, I guess I would say I like the thought of handmade, but I may ore may not like the actual item. But they're both important parts of the gift.
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Post by lbp on May 2, 2016 14:04:20 GMT
I love getting handmade items! I truly appreciate all the work that goes into them. However, I was given a crocheted blanket at my baby shower that I could not even bring into the house! It reeked of cigarette smoke! I washed it, dried it, several times and could never get the smell out. I finally just gave it away, but that doesn't mean I didn't appreciate the work that went into it.
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perumbula
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Jun 26, 2014 18:51:17 GMT
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Post by perumbula on May 2, 2016 14:47:58 GMT
I love and appreciate most handmade gifts, but I will admit to being picky about color and pattern choice. that's why even though I do a lot of crafting, I don't give very many handmade gifts. I did when i was younger, but I had a bad experience with something I gave my MIL and it made me not want to give hand made much after that.
My dh had a coworker that would knit blankets and sweaters for my babies. we got three during the time he worked with her. They were all loved and cherished. It can be hard though to know who to give those kind of gifts to though. they may appreciate it and they may not. I think your coworkers have never had anyone show them anything but appreciation. Once you've had someone diss on your gift, you tend to be very gun shy with everyone after that.
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Deleted
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Sept 29, 2024 2:16:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2016 15:26:26 GMT
I'm not huge on handmade gifts (mostly because they seem to be knickknacky stuff, and I don't even buy stuff like that)
I do think there are exceptions though. My son was given a couple crochet baby blankets that I used every day (figured they were "breathable". I still have them stored away, though thinking of just keeping one as a keepsake and donating the other. Ornaments that are personalize I love as well.
Things like jewelry, wall decor, candles, etc, I really would rather not get, but I just kindly thank people, then donate. I don't feel obligated to keep gift just because they are handmade.
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ginacivey
Pearl Clutcher
refupea #2 in southeast missouri
Posts: 4,685
Jun 25, 2014 19:18:36 GMT
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Post by ginacivey on May 2, 2016 15:37:46 GMT
people rarely make me handmade gifts
and i wish they would more often - because i LOVE them - no matter what it is
i do make handmade gifts - mostly for babies and small children
i do watch what my friends pin on pinterest and i keep up on what is trending on etsy and the like
so far - i haven't heard of anyone not being thrilled with something i made they
if they have been underwhelmed they sure kept it quiet!
gina
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ginacivey
Pearl Clutcher
refupea #2 in southeast missouri
Posts: 4,685
Jun 25, 2014 19:18:36 GMT
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Post by ginacivey on May 2, 2016 15:39:18 GMT
My Aunie use to crochet things for me all the time when I was growing up and I've kept them all. She had skills so her work wasn't crap but it wasn't always my style, like the doilies she made me. The blanket though is something I used all the time. She also made me a purse but it's not something I would use either. I plan to just keep everything because I could never get rid of anything she's made me. Maybe one day I'll find a place to display things. You can join the doilies together into a shawl or small coverlet. I framed my gifted doilies in an old window pane - they look really nice - and it was easier to incorporate them into my decorating style gina ETA - these are some pins i used as inspiration
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Post by pjaye on May 2, 2016 16:09:44 GMT
I was given a crocheted blanket at my baby shower that I could not even bring into the house! It reeked of cigarette smoke! OMG yes, on the facebook page people post photos of what they are working on, one lady recently posted a photo of her "crochet space" including her half finished work and right on the table next to her were her cigarettes and an ashtray! If you smoke while you are actually crocheting, I can imagine that smell would be very difficult to get out.
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Post by papersilly on May 2, 2016 20:25:49 GMT
this is a slipper slope with me. I sell handmade items but I don't really like getting them because I'm so picky about handmade stuff. people always think that because you make handmade stuff, you will like ANY handmade thing. sooooo not true. thank you NO to the crochet toilet paper holder shaped like a doll or the dishtowels with the crochet thingy on top to hang them from hooks. "A" for effort but I will have to say no to most handmade stuff. I'm sure people can say the same thing about the stuff I made but if someone bought it from me, I can't be responsible if they gave it to you. LOL
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AnotherPea
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Jan 4, 2015 1:47:52 GMT
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Post by AnotherPea on May 2, 2016 21:06:34 GMT
These are adorable!! I'd love a whole wardrobe of these for a baby. I would have loved the onesies because it isn't a vinyl cut out of an image you stole off of the Internet then pronounced your creativity to the world! Man, I hate that. No, it isn't creative to take a stolen image and slap in on a onesie as a vinyl transfer... Wow. Most things aren't the result of creativity but instead skill at applying techniques seen elsewhere. I don't see any difference in downloading an embroidery design and putting in onto a machine that stitches it onto a onesie and downloading an svg of a design that a Cricut cuts out.
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