More Gifts

So when I wrote that last post I was going to write about a scarf I had just made as well as a hat and booties.  These are all gifts for people and that got me thinking about the nature of gifting and then I just dove headfirst down that rabbit hole.  It’s funny that sometimes I know exactly what I’m going to say and how I’m going to say it.  Other times I start in one place and find that I really want to talk about something slightly different.  I can’t fight it, just surrender and go with the flow.

This scarf is one I made to donate to the Red Scarf Project.

http://orphan.org/index.php?id=40  This is an amazing organization that helps foster kids once they get to college.  These are kids who essentially have no family and no support network.  The fact that they are pushed out of state care and left to fend for themselves as adults is a huge challenge for them.  Personally, I know that I required an inordinate amount of parental support–emotional, financial, etc–during my college years.  I can’t imagine trying to find my way all by myself and try to make a success of my adult life and relationships.  I love the idea that my handmade gift will keep one of these kids warm and cozy.  When I knit things for other people I often feel like I am knitting a spell for them.  Knitting my intention and energy into the object as I imagine the person wearing or enjoying it.  When I was knitting this I definitely felt myself putting in surges of compassion, love, and hugs into this scarf.  We included a note telling this unknown recipient that we hope s/he finds his or her passion and that we have confidence that s/he can achieve whatever s/he sets his/her mind to accomplish.  That plus a $10 Target gift card.

This kind of anonymous gifting feels so fantastic.  There is no agenda beyond providing something pretty, cozy and warm plus a little encouragement to a kid who really, really needs it.  I don’t need thanks.  I don’t need to see the expression on his or her face.  I don’t need to receive anything in return.  It is gifting for the pure pleasure of gifting.

The next gift is a hat/bootie combo for a brand spanking new human named Ruby.  She was born just a couple of weeks ago to a dear couple who have been waiting a long time for her to enter their lives.  The booties are the standard ones I always make.  They crank out pretty fast and look cute.  Plus, they stay on because of the ankle ties.  The hat is one I’ve made a lot before and is really, really cute.  http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/baby_pixiehat.html

It is knit flat and then I use a three-needle bind off to create the point at the top.   What’s funny is that you start with 2×2 ribbing all the way across.  Gradually you start doing a horizontal ribbing on each side moving in by one rib until you get all the way to the top.  The side horizontal ribs become vertical ribs on the back.  Hard to describe without the visuals so here goes:

That triangle in the middle becomes the front of the hat and the pieces on the sides connect to become the back.  The bottom corners become the ear flaps where the ties attach.  Then I do a three needle bind off from the middle stitch working out. This makes a nice clean seam and I don’t have to sew (which if you’ve been following this at all you know I HATE). I add I-cord ties and it is darn cute~

This is H wearing the hat but it will definitely fit the newborn pretty soon.  All that ribbing makes it super-stretchy.  Ruby’s mom is a knitter  and both parents are artists so they was able to appreciate the work that went into it as well as the hand painted yarn.  The yarn looked a lot more pinky-purple at the yarn store but I do like the gold to tone it down.  Once again, I finished the booties just under the wire so there is no picture of them (again).  Alas.

Ok.  Now to turn my attention to the cashmere neck warmer for my mom.  It has been cast on and should not take too much time to work up.  I can knit while we’re in the car going up to my in-laws for the holidays.

Have a fantastically wonderful holiday, whichever Winter holiday you call your own.  This is the season of light and love and renewal.  I hope you are able to incorporate all of these ideas into your New Year.