Dislike knitted baby gifts from family member

I quite liked some of them, but for sure, if not your taste then no! Just photo, then donate, someone out there will love em.

As a side, I wouldn't ask someone to make something you like, some people get offended. My next door neighbour used to give me crochet bunnies she made for xmas. But.. she was the one who liked bunnies, she had a pet one. Me, like my cat. After 3 years of them, I said would be it be possible to have a crochet cat instead, while being very complementary of her skills. Well, by her reaction you'd have thought I'd asked her to sacrifice her first born. Never did get a cat but also haven't had any more crochet bunnies either, phew.

The pink jumper just brought a little tear. My dm did Aran knitting and she did 3 of that exact jumper but in red and white and a bit bigger, they were probably about 2, 3 and 4 years old. They looked brilliant and it was the last thing she made as she died soon after. My kids are in their thirties now and they obviously don't remember but I do.
It's always the unexpected memories that get you.
Anyway the pattern book sounds a good idea and also buying the wool you like.

I think they’d be fine without the black stripes…maybe just say categorically you don’t like black on babies, but love x, y, z…..

if she’s still not listening then just donate them and if she asks you can tell her you were clear about what you wanted.

or just tell her you have enough now thank you

Find wool and patterns that you like and gift them to knitter - knowing of her skill and her enjoyment.
You are being quite fussy.
Dress the child in items once or twice when you see knitter.
Then leave it up to your kid whether they want to wear the garment.
Children can look non fashionable in the yard playing. They don't care and the pieces you posted were fine.

We used to suggest knitted toys and blankets - easier to find a place for.

If you don’t knit you probably don’t know how expensive wool is. The posh patterns you are thinking of probably have very expensive wool - I suggest to buy her the wool as well as the pattern book. Then you know it will be a colour
you like.

My MIL knitted loads of baby stuff that was old fashioned. I thanked her, the babies wore them at MIL visits and that was it.

I think you just have to be grateful and move on.

I used to love putting hand knitted stuff on my kids, because it reminded me of my nanas knitting things for me as a child. I think its super cute, and I love that outfit you posted. Its retro and brilliant.
There is a market for this stuff. If she loves knitting it, maybe you could set up an ebay shop with her.

I think older ladies may like to recreate patterns which they liked when their DC was young. Some updated ideas may help hopefully

I actually like these, especially the ones with black as they are a bit different. But you don’t like them so it doesn’t really matter what others think. I would just photo baby wearing them and offer them back to the knitter when they have grown out of them.

I really hate having someone else's hobby thrust upon me. Just donate it all to charity.

Also easily machine washable. Pure wool may need careful hand washing, hardly practical for babies.

The ‘other granny’ of Gdcs makes lovely jumpers for them, so other patterns certainly do exist, but can be hard to find. So many baby patterns are of the old fashioned type.

If you want to eliminate the waste, though, I'd buy some cute patterns and give them to her saying that you saw it and would love dd to have it. Keep her busy with items of your choice so she doesn't have the time to go rogue!

I get loads of this type of thing from MIL. I put them on Dd, take a photo, send it to her with a big thank you and then it's off to the charity shop unless it's a soft, warm (though ugly) item in which case it's designated for back garden messy play.

Cable knitting is on trend again.
For kids is always better cashmere blends or cotton no poliester.
They look OK to me.
There is a pride element when someone knitted something so she may be not taking your suggestions because she acknowledged that you don't know much about it. If you don't like them just don't use them, but don't ask on demand unless she ask you specifically what do you like because she may feel that as rude.

I was about to say YABU until I saw the pictures. I wouldn't put my children in those ugly colours either tbh. You could see about donating them to your local children’s hospital though if you don’t want to just chuck them.

I think they look fine @LoftyOliveDreamer but you don't, which is what matters. They're definitely not garish. However well intentioned, an unwanted gift is not a gift, it's a burden.

I wouldn't dress a child in pink, so those would go straight to the charity shop.

Have you tried being blunt and saying 'Please don't knit any more clothes for DC right now.'?

I actually really like them.
But I agree with others perhaps you can find something you do like and show her and say I'd love if you made this.

I think the pink jumper and hat are lovely and the other cardigans perfectly nice enough for keeping baby warm. Babies don't care what colours they are wearing.

When I had DC1 a colleague's Mum knitted cardigans in all different colours. I kept them all for DC2 and now have them wrapped and put away in case they are ever wanted for grandchildren. So much nicer than synthetic baby cardigans.

MiL is a prolific knitter for her great grand daughter, she has shit taste in colours but knits the most amazing Aran items. I told her what colours are appreciated, which she followed though with, but she does still knit in her preferred horrid colours as well, they still get worn but mainly at nursery.

Agree with people saying choose patterns and yarn. Your relative takes time over these things, it’s a shame if you don’t use them because the fibre and colours aren’t what you want. Those look like eighties patterns to me, I imagine she has a stack of baby patterns and buys standard “baby/child” yarn, which is normally acrylic. I had a little cardigan knitted for me by an elderly relative, for my first baby. It was a soft ‘baby’ acrylic which I never use normally, but I was so touched and it was very sweet, so my dd did wear it.
Get a pattern book that appeals to you, Rowan have some good ones, or Debbie Bliss, and then choose a pattern that uses a yarn you like. Yarn is expensive when it’s a natural fibre, so your relative might appreciate having some to use.

That’s skilled work. I completely get what you’re saying, though, OP. We had a similar issue and did try to get the person concerned to use wool and patterns we’d chosen and bought. It’s so difficult - if it’s an elderly person (ours was) they grew up in a time when such things weren’t available to buy and there wasn’t the vast choice, or even the trends and styles available that there are today. They came from a time when people were grateful for these things whatever the colour or style.

But times have changed, and apart from anything else, my children found wool of any kind very uncomfortable to wear.

I do think all knitters should take note, though. Please do just check in with the recipients before launching into a big project. Not everyone will want or appreciate these things, and certainly not if they’ve had no say in them.

If you live nearby and have access to good shops, could you take your relative out for lunch or afternoon tea and then look at the pattern books and wool and pay for them yourself. I’m not a knitter, but just had a look online and there are all sorts of knitting events all over the country. You could also get her a ticket for something like the Black Sheep Christmas Do or a Norwegian knitting workshop.

Alternatively, if you are on a budget your local library may have a good selection of knitting pattern books - my library has shelves and shelves of Debbie Bliss, Kaffe Fassett etc. Even if things weren’t to my taste I would still use the jumpers for a walk in the park, playing at home. She is a skilled knitter.

Actually think it's pretty stupid to knit clothes for babies without finding out what the recipients like before you do.
They won't use it so the effort was pointless.

I really like them. But I like the slightly vintage vibe they're giving. Have never been a fan of dressing babies in neutrals.