Knitted Gifts, Guilt and Why We Don't Resist

So someone recently read my blog and emailed me on Ravelry.com and told me how much she enjoyed it. That got me thinking that I really ought to blog more. That's not what the guilt part of this post is about. Not to worry. That's just my little explanation about why I've suddenly come out of hibernation. Thanks, Deb. I needed to get back to this.

Like most knitters, I knit a LOT of gifts. I mean, please, I live in Texas, how many scarves and shawls and cowls could I possibly wear???

And baby stuff is so darn cute and seeing as how I don't have a baby... well, you get the picture.

But have you ever been guilted into knitting someone a gift?

I mean, really, think about it.

Have you ever had someone who you were kind of friends with just compliment the crap out of your work until you felt like you just HAD to make something for that person?

NO? Seriously?

You're lucky.

I'm currently working on a what I'll refer to as a "scarf of guilt."

It's a "gift" for someone I'm not super duper fond of, but who has hinted over and over that she'd really like a knitted gift. She probably lacks the social graces to realize the position she's put me or maybe she's more of a master manipulator than I give her credit for.

Regardless, I do enjoy giving away my work and I know she'll appreciate it so it's not an entirely selfless act.

I suppose you're wondering what a "scarf of guilt" looks like? Do I find the cheapest acrylic crap and just knit up a simple knit number that the earliest beginner could pull off because chances are she'll never know the difference?

No, totally not my style. I select three skeins of Noro Kureyon in her color pallette and knit up a feather and fan pattern. I'll post a picture when it's finished. It's a scarf I've made before and I wear myself quite often. It's simple but has a kind of grace to it.

Which brings me to why we don't resist... It would be easy to say that I'm a pushover but that would a lie. I like to give gifts, that is definitely true. But generally that falls to people I really like.

I guess I feel a duty to share a skill that I have; to spread the joy, so to speak. I used to knit hats for NICU babies. That seemed like a noble cause. I did that in the years after my nephews were born for the hospital where they born. It was my little way of thanking the universe that my nephews didn't need that kind of care. I think we all use our talents to make the world a better place in some way.

So now I'm knitting a "scarf of guilt" to make someone else happy and in turn that will make me happy. What goes around comes around.