How do you guys HONESTLY feel about handknitted/homemade baby gifts/garments etc?

[Filly4LOOP]

I really want to know.

Does it put you under an obligation that you don't like?

Or do you love it that someone has taken the time and trouble to knit something especially for your baby?

I tend toward this sort of thing if it makes a difference.

Thoughts? I don't want to be giving people stuff they don't want and have suddenly become paranoid.

Those deformed creatures are wild! A bit scary some of them but i'm sure a child would find them less so than a judgemental adult- you'd have to ask first i think. My mum asked me what i'd like and i said a rug and specified the colours, think we even bought them together, it's really special we used it loads when she was wee and i know we'll keep it for ever. I think the key is to ask and even let them choose from a catalogue of patterns. You can't go wrong with a nice rug tho'...Another friend of my mum's also made a hat and cardy and asked what colours i preferred. The arms are a bit long but she still wore it lots.

nice stuff NCQ

I love recieving knitted things, but then I am a knitter myself so maybe I'm biased! My db declared they didn't want any knitted things for their baby as they thought they were a bit lame , but then decided a hat and mittens would be useful in the winter. So I knitted them some. The silence was deafening

However I don't really mind, I knit for the enjoyment, and they'll probably get passed on to someone else who will appreciate them.

Knitted toys go down really well I find. If I make cardigans I tend to make them for 6-9m upwards (when babies can most likely sit up) as they are easier to get on and off at that stage. Hats and mitts are (usually) well-received too.

Yes, only cotton or wool obviously, no squeaky nylon yarn, yuk! and none of that horrible graded colour pastel stuff iykwim

Er NQC, dont like those, were they supposed to be examples of horrible ones?!

Um, no, actually, I didn't mean them as ugly examples, I'm afraid.

NQC, I want one!
Will you make me one pretty pretty please?

Are you expecting?

Soupy has one, for her BabyDragon. It apparently still gets worn - it was a very stretchy design.

Filly - I think unusual knitted toys are great. Say, a Clanger, perhaps?

I got loads of knitted stuff from MIL - she knew my tastes and DS got some pretty funky stuff.
PMSL about the stuff with the arms in the wrong place

I love the hats and would be delighted to receive one for a newborn. You can't start early enough with accessories in my eyes.
Not sure about the Where's Wally hat though. DS is obsessed with WW. The hat would give me a nervous twitch...

i love simple white knitted cardies and booties for newborns. dont like pastel/multicolours.

as long as the stuff isnt too fussy or trying to be funky then its really lovely. my nanna made dd1 a blanket, but unfortuntly it got ruined. its a shame as it was lovely.

No for me, lol!
I like the striped beige merino one.

I can tell you how to make one, but I don't really make hats on commission. They're all really easy to make. (The stripey one is grey and yellow, I think. My old digi camera really sucked.)

Sets up camp in opposite corner to Misdee with lime and olive green stripey cardigan as flag

You could tell me how to make one.
I wouldnt have a clue how to do it though

My mum sat and knitted a shawl for Jessica for the final 3 months of my pregnancy, and knocked up a gorgeous pink cardigan in 2 days once she was born. I treasure those items so much because as most of you know, my mum died suddenly when Jessica was only 2 weeks old.

I loved that cardgian, I will treasure it forever, and pass that onto Jessica and warn her that I never ever want her to part with it. Same goes for the shawl, although the edging wasnt finished before mum died, my dad took it upon himself to in secret get it finished with the help of a lady a work (she showed him how, and he did it) and he presented it to me on the morning of Jessica's christening.

I think hand knitted stuff is so much more than a few balls of wool, it is the sentiment.

Those bootees in the first post are adorable, and I would have loved them as a keepsake for either of my girls.

lol winestein.

actually with dd3 i actually bought a lot of knitted cardigans, and she has had more knits than the older 2. i should really get onto the community centre ladies round the corner to see if they knit larger sized stuff (i live in a warden controlled bungalow and we have our own community rooms, even a laundrette lol)

ah yes

clangers are funky

different thing altogether, I feel, to a knitted clown

like it i hope. just gave 2 hats to my mate who has 10 month old twins.

I adore home-made stuff for babies. Even if it's not a style/colour I'd normally like. I just love the fact that hours of care have gone into making it, as befits my precious offspring My only reservation is when the item is made from rough/man-made fibres.

All my DC came home from hospital in the same matinee jacket knitted by grandma, and one of those hats knitted by 'hospital friends' for the newborns I cabled a beautiful foxy coloured debbie bliss hat and matching jumper. Anything slightly funky is great, not keen on pastel coloured acrylic. On the A&C threads there have been links to really gorgeous baby blankets.

so vote on

a. multicoloured yarns

b. acrylics

then?

nice or bleurgh?

Bright multicolours - yes, pastels - no
Acrylic - yes who are we kidding, new mums do not have the time or inclination to handwash fancy yarns.

Filly, the boots are beautiful. MIL wants to knit stuff for this little one which will be lovely, and really special (while my mother will be shopping in Baby Monsoon for her gifts!). I have to keep reminded MIL that baby due in June, so not to knit newborn stuff. Can't wait though. Am trying to learn to knit myself, but it's a bit of a chore to get started. Do you knit those test swatches to see how many stitches you need?
NQC your hats are v stylish!

I mostly use interesting/funky multicoloured yarns. And I only use merino, but it is machine-washable, on delicate cycle.

Oh, I do have some cotton, but sizing is much more delicate for a cotton hat, as it has less give, iyswim.