21/30 Knitted Gifts

30 Day Knitting Challenge Day 21: Do you knit gifts for friends and family for the holidays or birthdays?

I don’t usually knit for the holidays or for birthdays; it has to be a special birthday or special holiday. Or I have to have stumbled on the perfect gift that has to be given. For example, a few years ago my Mom mentioned how cold her shoulders have started getting in winter, so she was using a throw blanket like a cape. For her birthday that year, I made her two shawls to keep her shoulders warm and also as a thank you for sweaters, scarves, hats, and mittens she made me when I was a kid.

I made a shawl out of hand spun yarn for my sister when she was dealing with a very aggressive breast cancer. She keeps it in a place of honor in her house, with her other treasures, where everyone who comes in sees it. I’m not sure if she ever actually used it – I hope so! I also knit baby blankets whenever I can for the expectant mothers in my life, which is how I got started writing patterns. There are several kids who still use the blankies that I made them.

I sometimes knit for my boys. None of them are into sweaters, so I’ve stuck mainly to hats and scarves and, when they were younger, toys. And I have knit several times for my sweater-shrinking husband.

Basically, when someone needs love and support and that someone is likely to use and appreciate a project, I knit, but the rest of the time I’m a pretty selfish knitter. ¯_(ツ)_/¯