Knitworthy: adj.  one deserving of receiving a hand-knitted gift

As a knitter, I get a lot of joy out of knitting gifts for those I love. For me, the inspiration to knit something for someone can come from many places. Recently, I came across the Braided Fog Vest pattern and immediately knew I had to make it for one of my sisters. Another sister has a birthday coming up, and she just loves socks. It struck me that I’ve never made her any, so I deep-searched Ravelry to find the perfect pair to make her. It’s the same with an ascot I made a girlfriend: I saw the picture on Facebook and shared it so I could save it to my wall. My girlfriend commented that she loved it and wanted it, and I just went out and found the perfect yarn for it.

The process of making the gift is, for me, the real reward. I know that I found the right pattern, and I’ve paired it with the perfect yarn. I’ve swatched to make sure that the final project comes out just right, and I painstakingly blocked it and waited for it to dry. Throughout, there’s a lot of anticipation and excitement for me. Giving the gift is simply the cherry on the sundae for me, that one last bit of awesomeness that makes the experience complete.

Generally speaking, I believe a gift is a gift and there should be no expectations associated with it. If I give you a gift and you hate it, please – donate it to someone who will, or return it to get something you really want. This is true of a knitted gift as well. I know not everyone has the same taste I do, or that I sometimes mis-judge what shade of blue is really your favorite one. That being said, I recognize that I do have some expectations when I give a handmade gift. They’re not (I think) high expectations, but more what I think most of us expect when we give any gift. So, if you are on the receiving end of a knitted gift, here are just a couple of points to keep in mind to make sure your knitter knows how knitworthy you are:

• Send pictures. If it’s a garment, we LOVE getting a quick picture of you wearing it. It’s even better when you have a smile on your face. Just send a picture the first time or two. If it’s not a garment, we love pictures when you find that gift a home. A picture of the blanket on the couch or the toy in its new home make us feel a warm glow inside.
• Care for it. We get so accustomed to the idea of hand-washing a garment that we sometimes forget to tell you to do the same. If care instructions are not included with your gift, please ask. That one question tells us that you enjoy your gift and want to make sure it lasts.
• Show it off. This last one is just a tip, but when you are so excited about something you receive that you post about it on social media or tell your friends about it, it sends a loud message.

What about if you don’t love it? That’s OK! If your knitter asks you about it, just be honest and tell us in a kind way that you helped it find a worthy home. It helps if you can point to something specific about why you aren’t holding on to it, such as you live in such a warm climate that mittens don’t make sense for you or that neon colors simply don’t sit well against your complexion. That’s all right; your knitter is highly likely to understand. After all, not every gift you’ve ever given has been a hit, right?

At the end of the day, knitting a gift is a joy in and of itself. Knowing that the gift has gone to someone who is knitworthy just makes it even better.