to think you should accept what you're given?

[sims2fan]

I think I am pronbably being unreasonable actually, but need to vent!
First of all - I love knitting. I find it really soothing, and it also stops me from eating in the evenings if I keep my hands busy with knitting! Lol. I find the best things to knit are baby things, because they knit up quickly and you get a sense of achievement at having finished something, before then going onto something else.

My SIL is pregnant so I have enjoyed knitting her a few bits and pieces. Not loads, just a couple of cardigans, a couple of pairs of booties, and a hat. I've already given them to her as I have a very small flat, and don't really have anywhere to store them. I hoped she would like them, but to be honest, I just liked having someone to knit for, so didn't really care! That said, I tried to keep them all simple so they couldn't possibly 'offend' in any way, and they are all white as she has said she likes white newborn things. Anyway, I just picked up my current project, looking forward to a couple of hours of knitting in front of the TV and my husband has told me his sister has said to tell me not to knit her anything else as she has loads of things for the baby and doesn't want anymore. I think that could just be her way of saying she doesn't like my gifts though. Now, in my opinion, the thing to do is to accept everything gratefully, and quietly discard anything you don't want to keep. Because now I really don't feel like giving her anything else ever! Which I know is being petty, but she has been like this on another couple of occasions. Once she complained to my husband that the present we gave our nephew, then aged 1, wasn't good enough, or up to her standard of gift. It was a nice treasury of nursery rhymes book and we were very hard up.

So, I can understand her not liking things, but am I being unreasonable to think that she shouldn't say anything but should accept all gifts gratefully and then get rid of what she actually doesn't want?

I'm not keen on woolly stuff but I have come to realise I am in a minority :)

Must be hormones, but I just burst into tears reading about you wanting to knit for your SIL's children. So kind of you and so unkind of your SIL.

If you were my SIL, I would be incredibly grateful. Handmade clothes are so much more special.

I need a dinner set; could you knit me one please? Stripey if poss.

There are definitely people who thoroughly appreciate simple, beautifully made handknitted clothes! I'm one of them! I have nobody to knit for me so I have to look out for knitted items in shops and on Ebay.

DD never looks cuter than when topped with a knit cardi I wouldn't even mind some small adornment of ribbons or the odd frill either, without getting too 1980's. Knitted matinee jackets are my favourite, sooo cute.

Not sure about a stripey dinner set Heracles. Babies cardies, blankets and booties are more my thing!

Aww, balletpink, how I wish you were in my family! I love knitted matinee coats, and my mum's old knitting patterns from years back for babies, though I did keep to more modern designs for SIL.

I am a long way past babies, but I loved loved loved two things above all my MIL gave me when my DC were born - a crotched (sp?) blanket and blanket made up of knitted squares. They kept the DC warm in their buggies/cots and looked so lovely because you knew someone had taken the care to make them.

I agree with the poster who said go and take your knitterings to a craft fair. Someone will definitely appreciate them!

I think your SIL is ungrateful and rude personally. I'm stunned at some people .

Knit for someone who appreciates it, and Keep Knitting !

So if you were spending money on wool and time knitting for someone who really didn't like the stuff and planned to send it straight to the charity shop, would you really rather not know??

Have you thought about knitting for the Bliss charity? My mum does and says it's hugely rewarding and always appreciated by them. Your sil sounds very ungrateful imo.

Your SIL sounds like a bit of a cow.
I take StealthPolarBear's point, and if you had knitted for months and provided endless sweaters but... the baby's not even born. She's snooty about homeknits and would rather the latest Primark shite.
When I'm up the duff again can I give you a call? My kids both came home in mum's homeknits, I was very proud of them!

I think you've earned your right to get yourself some lovely yarn and knit something nice for yourself. Your SIL sounds a bit ungrateful - forget about her for the time being.

Actually, I'm glad this topic has come up. DD is a keen knitter and has been looking for an outlet for her creations for ages. We did ask someone at the hospital about baby things, but they said they couldn't accept her stuff. Our local animal shelter will accept even the wonkiest blankets for the dogs and cats, so she has done a few of those.
I know she can knock out a pair of booties that don't look like something a spider has made. I'm going to look more at Bliss.

You could sell your lovely knitted things on etsy.com? It's an online marketplace for all things handmade. (also a fab place to find xmas presents...)

What about these Thesmallclanger?

Or there are these.

Thanks knitting, she would love that!
The donkeys look really cute.

No worries . Happy knitting!

My mum used to knit for Bliss but has been told their latest campaign has ended so not to send any more things in.
Actually Sparkle, I think I would rather not know. I would rather think they are appreciated than know that they are not, if that makes sense. I know in my family the things would be appreciated, or if they weren't they would still be thanked for. I was quite surprised when I started dating DH that his family always told each other what to get as presents for Christmas, how much to spend, etc. In my family we don't spend that much, but take time trying to find something we know whoever we're buying for will like. After I gave my nephew the book that was commented on by both SILs as being 'cheap' the next year I gave him something that came in a big box (that I got in a sale!), but the wrapping paper was ripped off without even checking who it was from, and I don't think he's ever played with it, so I've gone back to small and cheap!

Fair enough :) When I get the stuff I think "urgh not again" and then feel guilty for feelng like that and not grateful, then I have to add "write thank you card" to my to do list then feel guilty every day I don't get that done...

"I think that could just be her way of saying she doesn't like my gifts though."

naahh - it's her way of saying "she has loads of things for the baby and doesn't want anymore"

As she didn't thank you personally but sent a message via your dh I think she's just plain rude. Like my SIL - have never sent anything for her dc since I received a message via MIL that when I sent clothes could I please make sure they were pure cotton in future.

"since I received a message via MIL that when I sent clothes could I please make sure they were pure cotton in future."

I hope that was a misrepresentation y your MIL of what she actually said, but

YABU

They probably do have loads of stuff, especially if this is DC2. "a couple of cardigans, a couple of pairs of booties, and a hat" sounds plenty to me, and she's accepted them. I would have been offended if she'd refused the first item, but perhaps she is short on space? I have a loft full of unworn newborn baby clothes because of well wishing family members and friends, I feel guilty that we didn't get any wear out of most of them.

"Once she complained to my husband that the present we gave our nephew, then aged 1, wasn't good enough, or up to her standard of gift" I think this may be influencing how you feel about the 'snub', but it could easily have been your husband misinterpereting...

Sparkle - minded to take the view that as MIL passed on such a rude message, she was the one who taught SIL to be an ingrate.