Monday, November 9, 2009

Christmas Cowl the First.

Here is the first of many, many handknits to be cranked out before the holidays.



It's the Clemence Cowl, made with London Tweed that i scored at the awesome annual sale at my yarn store. I try not to buy yarn at retail prices if I can help it. It helps with the justification.

So, this will be for one of BF's three sisters. Not sure which- I am just knitting what I want, and letting him decide who might like it most. The really swell thing is that for most of my gift knits this year, I am knitting from yarn I already have. That just adds to the smug feeling I have regarding the holidays this year.

Now, here's a lingering little thing that I have in my head. First of all, there is that ongoing thing where I wonder if gifted knits that I have made will fall apart in the recipients hands, or perhaps combust, either spontaneously or as a result of the recipient hating it just. that. much. So, there's that. But then there's another thing. So this year, I have been indocrinated into the holiday plans with BF's family. It will be only our second time meeting (the perils of dating from over 700 miles away), and now I am racked with doubt here. Is a cowl enough? There is a part of me that says, yes- a useful handmade gift from someone is a nice gift. And then another part of me started wondering, and then got pissed: What is this "enough" crap that gift giving has turned into? there is no reason to try to buy your way into a family's good graces. But still, it feels like I somehow should. The one thing saving me from sliding into an abyss of gift giving madness is the fact that the only thing bigger than my desire to please these people is my lazy streak. I am just not interested in working that hard to find the Perfect Thing. Especially since I know deep down that the Perfect Thing is usually not a Thing.

Wow. This turned into a long rambly diatribe when what I meant to say was- here is a cowl I made. Move along. Nothing to see here.

1 comment:

Sooze said...

I have the same fear of my handmade gifts being 'enough'. I'm taking a 'screw you' approach. I took the time and energy to make this for you. I even tried to channel you in picking out colors and make you something that you may like/actually use/wear. If you don't like it, that's your problem and preconceived notion of what a 'gift' should be. Eff off then, okay? (I've taken this stance since 1990, when I, the mother of 2 children 7 and 4, made my then SIL a beautiful handpainted sweatshirt. Which she returned to me as if I were a retail store. Eff Off.) :-)