Would this be inappropriate......

[Fluffydogears]

I have a knitting hobby and I love it. At my last hair appointment my hairdresser expressed an interest in learning how to knit and wants to knit socks and socks just happen to be one of my many favourite items to knit. I would like to knit a gift for my next hair appointment for my hairdresser.

I googled it about gifts for hairdressers and nearly everything I read online said no gifts and keep it professional only.

Life seems very cold if you can't give a gift to someone based on professional relationships.

I know another professional - a different profession and she gets gifts from her patients sometimes and from patients to show their gratitude towards the help they get.

I don't think it's inappropriate but I wouldn't knit something for someone I don't really know, especially socks. The yarn is expensive and they're time consuming. Maybe you could talk to her about exploring the hobby a bit more, and recommend websites, tutorials etc.

Edited cos I used far too many words!

What would you have done pre-internet days and before google? I’d do that.

I don't see a thing wrong with it.

I've knitted baby clothes for my hairdresser when she was expecting, she was over the moon. Really what's the harm in a nice pair of socks?

So you want to knit her some socks because you think she'll love them?

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I'd be thrilled to receive a gift like this.

(It's hardly bribe and corruption ).

If you've been a client for a while, it's not inappropriate, but I'm not sure of the point. If she wants to learn then you giving her socks is a nice gesture but not really the point?

I agree with pp. It wouldn't be inappropriate, a small gift couldn't be seen as anything but a nice gesture. But she wants to learn how to knit, she doesn't necessarily want other people to knit for her.

Also, I'm pretty sure my hairdresser sometimes pretends to be more interested in whatever I'm talking about than she really is, just to keep the conversation going. And I do the same when she tells me about her hobbies - 'That sounds great, I wish I'd learned how to ride horses/apply lashes/make interesting salads.'

Either you're massively overthinking

Or if Google says you mustn't give your hairdresser a gift, then you absolutely mustn't, because that would be too awful to contemplate.

Perhaps it will inspire her to learn.

I think it's a nice idea.

I think it would be a lovely gesture if you bought her needles, some wool and maybe a beginners guide book. I think she’d be thrilled.

Ive bought my hairdresser gifts before. She’s done my hair for nearly 10 years and you really get to know each other. I bought her a gift for her wedding and she came to my 40th birthday party with her husband.

It's a nice idea but I actually wouldn't do that, because she might never get around to doing it, and then feel awkward about it every time she sees the OP.

Why not. It sounds like a lovely thing to do and may inspire her to start the same hobby. Who wouldn't like a kind present like that?

Will you have an appointment around the festive period? You could always give her the socks as a gift. Although I assume most people prefer a cash tip (at that time of year especially)

Knitting things for people is a craft as old as time.

Well before other things decreased the number of people knitting and apparently the internet decided it's odd!

Knit her the socks.

Maybe give her a copy of a pattern you have and she can then have her own go.

Ignore the fun sponge that is google

I would 'pass on' some yarn and needles if she wants to learn rather than giving something already made

Ime a good hairdresser is good for your mental wellbeing.. Why not express that with a pair of socks??

Knit the socks! I'm also a prolific knitter, cannot sit down without my needles, hundreds of babies i've never even met have worn my hand knits.😂 Anybody who expresses that they like handknits gets handknits, I get sent photos and begged for more so they are obviously appreciated. I think despite the resurgence of interest in knitting its a dying art that a lot of younger people cannot do but still appreciate and quite frankly there is a limit to how many i can wear so somebody else has to🤣

I think it's a lovely idea. I love knitting socks too! I wish I were as prolific as you, @Mossstitch - I've been a knitter for a long time, but I'm still quite slow!

Even better, knit the socks and pass her some old yarn with a little handwritten pattern so she can copy your work and make her own.

I think it's just lovely that you are thinking of her.

It would definitely be a nicer world if more people did thoughtful stuff like this wouldn’t it.

I take gifts for my hairdresser all the time! If I see something I know he will love

I think it's a nice thing to do. My mum's hairdresser knitted my dad a pair of socks when he was in hospital.

If she's your regular hairdresser I wouldn't say it's inappropriate. I would worry that she was just making conversation and isn't that bothered. It's part of her job to chat to people and it's probably easier to keep conversation going if she acts interested in whatever her client is talking about.

If she's never knit anything before, some old yarn and a handwritten pattern isn't enough to copy someone else's work. Socks are complicated to knit.

I’d love to receive hand knitted socks