5 Reasons NOT to Crochet a Gift
By Rachel Choi – 10 CommentsLast week I discussed 5 reasons to crochet a gift. This week, I’ll be devil’s advocate and bring up 5 reasons NOT to crochet a gift. Let’s be truthful, we all know someone who may not appreciate our work or use it like it is indented to be used. Crochet gifts are great when they are given to the right people.
1. It’s Too Nice to Use
You put a lot of time and effort into crocheting your gift and it turns out perfect! Aunt Mary ooo’s and ahh’s over it when you give it to her for Christmas. But she never uses it and it sits in her closet never to see the light of day. She explains that it’s just too pretty and delicate to be used and dirtied. She doesn’t know that you made it with machine washable yarn and that you really do want her to use it.
2. Doesn’t Appreciate Work
Not everyone understands how long it takes to crochet a project or how much money you spend on the yarn. They think you gave them a crochet gift because you were too cheap to buy them something they really wanted. Ouch! Don’t crochet a gift for someone like that.
3. It Would Get Destroyed
Little cousins Jimmy and Anna are the crazies rugrats. They would play tug-of-war with a scarf if you crocheted it for them. They are on the same level as Max the dog who likes to eat everything.
4. Not Enough Time
Tick-tock, time is running out! There’s only so much you can crochet in the time you have. Skip the gifts that aren’t going to make the deadline, or hold off on them for another time.
5. Need More Practice
Crochet gifts can be great practice, but maybe you aren’t up to the level you need to actually crochet the gifts you want with the patterns you want. If you only know basic crochet stitches, choose a pattern that uses those stitches. If you really want to use a more advance technique for your crocheted gifts, spend more time practicing to perfect the new stitch or technique before committing to making the gift.
So there it is, 5 reasons to NOT crochet a gift. What are some reasons you can think of to and not to crochet a gift? Join the conversation in the comments below!
Wow!! I never thought of that before! This is a very helpful post to me! Thank you!
All the reasons ‘to’ or ‘not to’ are very good. My experience over the years has taught me one other lesson…KNOW the person well before making them a gift. It is so heart breaking to spend all the time and money making a beautiful item, especially filet crochet, and later on seeing the item
looking bad. Not many people are willing to put the time and effort into taking care of filet and if you do filet crochet, you know it takes extra work to care for it. You can add the care label from the thread but that doesn’t mean anyone will read it. Thanks for all your work and keep it going.
LOL!!! Number 3 really made me laugh maybe a little too loud!!! (hubby asked if I was OK) Reminds me of the time I crocheted a hat for grand-daughter….her brother spent the day walking around the house with it on and stretching it out with his fat head !!! Then he got too hot, and played football with it and the dog caught it thinking it was a chew toy!!! I was NOT pleased….this was some 4 years ago and just this year my grand-daughter now 8 asked me to make her a hat….I’m still debating…maybe she realized crocheting is NOT that easy….I taught her to crochet and it’s 2 years she is making a scarf!! LOL!! she hides in her room away from the dog and her brother!!!
I KNOW the feeling!! I crocheted sweet little lace covers to fit over candy canes last Christmas. My great niece jerked it off the candy cane and threw it on the floor!! She won’t get another one!!!!!
Excellent advice! 🙂
Too often I’ve found family members never use what I’ve given them for gifts, either in crochet or sewing. Stopped doing that. I did get a good response to making mittens and asking a whole family to send me their hand prints.
(Found things both my sister and I have made folded neatly in drawers, after my parents’ death (at 88 and 90).
Afghans do get used. My grandmother made them for her 5 children, their spouses, and 18 grandchildren. (So, that’s been covered.)
Another point: Even sisters may fail to tell you they are allergic to wool. Lots of my family members and friends are, I’ve found out after the fact. Be sure to ask,.
The result: most of my crocheting is for charity or for myself. Occasionally I’ve made scarves and cowls for gifts, as well as the aforementioned mitten.s
That is so true! I only knit and crochet for under privileged children, and Mothers who are in safe houses.
So true! I am making a mermaid tail blanket and finished a shark blanket for my niece’s children and I fear their dog is going to chew them up.
I have found, there truly are few people who are worthy of my time or talent. Those few always get a handmade gift. Some of the others? Wal-Mart!
Oh! so true!