...to ask MIL not to knit acrylic baby clothes?

[Umnitsa]

I have a lovely MIL. She is kind, tactful and is great with all the cooking / sewing /knitting / gardening stuff. She also lives in California (we are in London) and we do not really see each other often.

I am now expecting our first child, and MIL is enthusiastically knitting baby clothes - with acrylic and nylon!.. The thing is, neither DH nor I wear any manmade materials, really none (ok, nylon stockings and lingerie (for me!) and I guess ski gear is also some sort of polyester), and I am certainly not going to dress my baby in acrylic!!

She has already sent us a few parcels of all these tiny cardigans and hats which look quite adorable but... After the first parcel I thanked her profusely and then told her at length how I choose all organic cotton baby stuff and will try going with reusable nappies hoping she'll get the hint about my slight obsession with all things natural. Now we got the second batch - all acrylic, and apparently there are more...

I feel so bad - I know she is having so much joy making all this stuff, and it is knitted with much love, but it just won;t be worn! My husband spoke with her yesterday and in a joking way tried to pass the same message about me being strictly cotton / wool, and if perhaps she could knit with cotton instead. She kept insisting that it is difficult to wash cotton (??!), it is perfectly acceptable for babies to wear acrylic because it is soft, and also mentioned that cotton is more difficult to knit with. I suspect that cotton and wool yarn may also be more expensive than acrylic, but I'd rather she made one piece which will be worn and treasured than a dozen which will live in the bottom of the drawer. If we lived close enough I could just buy the yarn I like and ask her to knit with it, but seeing that we are on different continents it's too complicated - ordering something online etc.

Sorry for the rant, it is such a minor issue, but now I feel guilty and ungrateful...

Is the baby due in winter? Maybe you could say thanks for all the lovely warm winter knits, you're now very well supplied for those, but what you would really love is some nice cardigans or hats in cooler cotton for spring and summer in the next couple of sizes up - and send her a few balls of some cotton yarn you like.

(My DC1 was born in Japan in August, ie 35 degrees plus and incredibly humid, but we still got sent newborn-size acrylic cardies by various keen grannies and aunts...)

my DS has only a couple of knitted acrylic things (including one lovely cardi from his late great auntie who never got to meet him before she died) and they haven't bobbled at all. Unlike his cashmere jo maman bebe jumper which is horribly bobbled and not fit for passing on.

YANBU. I asked mine not to knit anything at all as I don't like the home knitted look. the alternative of course is to let her knit and then just smile politely and put thm in the back of the wardrobe. If she lives in California, she'll never know.

If she lives in California then she will never know if your baby is actually wearing the clothes or not. I would take some pictures of the baby in the clothes and send them to her, she need have no idea that the baby has only been in them once. I would then give them to a charity shop.
If that makes you feel too guilty then I suggest yr other half just tells get not to use acrylic and other types of material. It is your baby after all, I understand she only means well but if you don't lay down the law on what you want she will just keep doing it.
Personally I would say thank you very much and just not put yr baby in any of the clothes, she need never know!

ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT

If she's in the US, knitpicks.com is good (and cheap!)

If she's in the US, knitpicks.com is good (and cheap!) maybe buy her an electronic gift voucher?
There's actually a bit of controversy about using acrylic for babies - it can be dangerous in a fire as it melts onto the skin. When I knit for babies I use superwash wool, cotton or bamboo, or blends.

Oy vey another zombie thread

By now the OP will hopefully have this sorted...or she's had 2 years of hiding acrylic jumpers!

zombie alert

YANBU! My Mum knitted lots of things in wool (or wool blend - cashmerino I think) and they are soft, snuggly and wash brilliantly on the wool cycle. A family friend knitted loads of acrylic stuff and my baby only ever wore it for a photo to say thank you. It was beautiful but I hate the feel of acrylic.

All you posters sneering and pfb-ing - so what if the op IS being a bit precious! It's her first baby! Yes, she'll probably relax a bit as the baby gets older but we all do what is best for our babies don't we. Not nice to sneer.

Ha! Just saw the date. Oh op - id love it if you'd report back

I thought of this thread the other day as I am currently making myself a great big acrylic jumper

Its for doing the garden in the winter as it has detatchable sleeves and will go in the wash!

I don't know how these threads get dug up? Top marks for being precious though OP. Hopefull you've got past that a bit by now.

My dear MIL sent endless garments in strange colours, odd sizes and materials I would never have chosen. My Dc had to wear them because we were very poor and MIL had sent them with love.

hope you manage to hide your displeasure at any 'indifferent store bought' presents you get... of course u realise that they might have been agonized over to select perfect present....

Hmm. Well, I understand your position, but from a different direction. I cannot stand wool, as it makes me itch. A childhood of wearing itchy jumpers made me terrified of putting anything itchy on my babies. I therefore knit in cotton (bloody expensive!) and acrylic.

I think you should find some gorgeous yarn, and send it to your MIL. Most knitters would like that, I think. It shows you appreciate it and them very much.

Oh crap. Must check the date next time.

shame its an old thread, I was going to say, just save the clothes and let your daughter use them to dress her dolls or teddies in.. that way they will still be worn, and will be enjoyed for a lot longer too..

I am 42 and still have some of my own baby clothes that my mothers aunt knitted, as my tiny tears and rag doll are still wearing them!

As a knitter, I think acrylic yarn is much nicer to work with than say cotton (no stretch and loses shape easily).
Your MIL probably has bagfuls of the stuff and has been wanting to knit little baby clothes for her DGC.
Surely it won't hurt baby to wear acrylic knits once in a while?

Just noticed this is an old thread. OK, I'll shut-up now

Ya on a different planet. In a very bad way.

OP I think you're being very precious, and not very gracious. I'm thinking you aren't very compassionate towards your MIL who is obviously feeling delighted to help in her own way: you are not the boss of her.

IM'V'HO babies arrive to break us out of our rigid way of thinking, and to remake us to their own satisfaction. I do hope you can be flexible, and accept help wherever and whenever you can get it.

FWIW often wool can be very irritating for a baby's skin and cotton can take too long to dry (especially if you've no dryer).

Lots of quick drying Acrylic clothes may well be ideal after your sweet ikkle baby has thrown up like the exorcist (as they do) and his reusable nappies have all exploded poo everywhere (as they do)!

Don't be too quick to dismiss your MIL's efforts this side of the birth.

Oh is this an old one - OP probably posting in secondary school first day threads now. Hope the acrylic cardies came in handy after all and MIL's work was appreciated in the long run!