Dear Abby - Knitting Grandmother

Well,

I don't think it was nice of the gramma to give the others handknit stuff and not "Heather", but if I was the gramma or even Heather, I think a wonderful gift (if gramma lives close enough) would be to teach Heather to knit for herself. She'd be inheriting a wonderful tradition, and would learn how much effort and love went into hand made knits. Maybe she'd be more careful with her things after that.

Hesira

I'm with Grandma. If a 12 yo canot be bothered to look after her nice things, she doesn't deserve them!! As a matter of fact, I have stopped knitting or making things for my daughter's chidren because I got tired of calling to ask if the present arrived, then calling to ask if they liked it. They usually went into raptures over the phone, but........my oldest dgd is also 12, and if she cannot be bothered even to e-mail or call, much less write, well, I can't be bothered to put in all that work. To which end, I actually cast on a new sweater for myself last year, just before Katrina hit. It is currently a WIP, as it was put aside to make a baby blanket for ds's expected baby, but I WILL get back to it.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

To quote Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, "A book makes a great gift too." :)

Joy

I'm with Gramma and Olwyn Mary. JM2C Noreen

(waiting to see if the usual person will say black now because I've said white) (she knows who she is, LOL)

Diane, good answer for everyone involved. Life is cause and effect, better to learn young from your own family that when you loose things all the time, you do not automatically get something new, and even more important, new and handmade by her grandmother. I also think that there is a lesson for the mother as well. She should have long ago stepped in and done something about the loosing of all these hand knitted items. Righ answer, in my book

Els

I'm with Abby, Olwyn Mary & Noreen. My husband loses a minimum of 3 knitted hats per winter. After the first year when he lost 2 I had made for him, I send him to the local drugstore when they have them on sale 3/$2.00. Although, it has become a joke between us about the hats.

I made a poncho for DD#2 and told her when I gave it to her, "If I find this in inappropriate places and not taken care of, I will give it to some other little girl that WILL appreciate all the time & effort I put in to it." I have not found it anywhere inappropriate except when it has fallen off a hook. (of no fault of my DD#2) And she is only 8 years old.

JJMolvik

On 24 Apr 2006 09:07:43 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com spewed forth :

Granny's doing the knitting, Granny's doing the gifting. Nothing says kids in a family have to be treated identically.

If my son doesn't mind his things responsibly he loses them - by accident or because his father or I confiscate them. Kids won't learn to be responsible if there are no consequences for being irresponsible.

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

I agreed with what the grandmother did, but I also think a good lesson to the granddaughter would be to teach her to knit so she can appreciate the time and love that a knitter puts in a knitted item.

BonnieBlue

Thanks for your replies. After much thought, I think you are all in the right. When I think how much time goes into a project, it must be devestating to have it carelessly lost or just left somewhere. You have to figure that the child doesn't really care about the item and you are right not to make them anything anymore.

The mom and daughter will probably learn something from this.

Diane

I agree, Diane. I hate knitting things to see them disappear or not be used. Maybe Heather will learn a lesson.

Higs, Katherine

Hi Diane,

I have to say I learned the hard way that teenagers didn't appreciate hand made sweaters so that was the end of my knitting for them.

Katherine,

Welcome home can't wait to hear about the trip.

Hugs,

Nora

Lots to say. All I need is some time!

Higs, Katherine

That must depend on the teenager though, because I have seen *many* teenage girls in my area who wear and love (I have complimented them on their sweaters, scarves, hats, etc) items that were handknit by either their grandmothers or their mothers. A few of them have said things like "I wish I knew how to knit." or "I know how to crochet, but not knit." My reply to them is... "You have a grandmother/mother who knits... spend some time with her and learn how." They smile wide and say "Yeah, I'd like that, and she probably would too." :o)

Peace! Gemini

It sounded to me like Granny and Mom had warned her about being careless with her things. So I don't think one day out of the blue she was cut off. I would have stopped knitting for her too. But I would have offered to teach her to knit. You know the old saying, give a person a hat and their head is warm. Teach them to knit, and keep a yarn store in business forever.

Holly