January 04, 2009
A knit's fate
Awful when precious knits are lost (I still, periodically, mourn the disappearance of my Dundonnell stole) but despite the pain of the loss, and given the alternatives, this must be one of the best possible fates for a handknit?
Of course, the finest honour is that it should be worn out. Worn to holes, darned, worn some more, clung to despite being no longer actually fit to wear (reference the sleeve of my Great Sweater waiting, for a year now, for a few stitches to secure this disgraceful sleeve) and then gracefully, regretfully, retired. An attractive and well-fitting pair of socks and an appreciative owner will usually secure this noble destiny. No less desirable, but not always appropriate, is the knit which is outgrown, then preserved, carefully, for a younger sibling - it being too precious to place in the round-robin bags of infant clothes that travel between parents of young children, who do grow (you may have heard) like weeds.
And yes, perhaps they may be lost. The Ene's scarf I made for my aunt the Christmas before dear John died, escaped. It's disappearance even made the front page of the local newspaper ('Reward offered!'), but alas the absence proved permanent; snagged (maybe?) upon some wire croft fencing, no doubt by now shredded by the elements and the animals, vanished into the air, earth and water of the Highlands.
Better to be lost in the course of regular wearing, though, than ignored! Pity the poor handknit, received with a smile but relegated to the dresser drawer, it's woollen heart swelling with hope each time it peeks the daylight, only to be disappointed once more. The creases where it has been carefully folded set more firmly with the passing months. The fabric takes on a faint layer of dust. The garment barely knows what it would do with itself were it ever to be worn.
Christmas knitting invariably raises this issue. For the most part, people are polite and would not dream of expressing disatisfaction with a knit gifted them. No matter how many times I invoke, "Please, if you find you don't wear it, return it to me and I will give it a new home! Believe me! I will not take offence!"
I only wish I had the confidence that they would all be allowed to fulfil their only wish - to be worn, and to warm their owner - like this one.
This is Ann Hanson's Wing of the Moth shawl, made from some Sirdar laceweight probably as old as I am, liberated from a stash organisation undertaken a couple of years ago. The yarn belonged to John's mother (an expert knitter before she lost her eyesight) and I hope that in its new incarnation it will warm the neck of his widow. What it lacks in the beauty of the berry colours of Ene's scarf, I hope it will make up for in sentimental value.
Posted by Anna at January 4, 2009 02:25 PM
Comments
Hi Anna and what a nice post. Tears come to my eyes as you describe the fate of the dresser drawer inhabitant! Yes, the joy of usefulness cannot be overestimated! Looking forward to seeing more of your knits. Although I am not a knitter, I still very much enjoy seeing your work.
Posted by: Anna T. at January 4, 2009 04:54 PM
What a lovely surprise to see a post from you today amid the chaos of sorting out school uniforms, lost homework and muddy PE kits that missed the laundry basket! Congratulations too on your recent appearance in Yarn Forward...your pattern in that is about to become my 'Great Sweater'!
I love making knitting gifts especially ones that hold such sentimental value. From what you have posted previously about your Aunt, I am sure the shawl will be absolutely cherished.
Posted by: Becky at January 4, 2009 06:05 PM
What a lovely surprise to see a post from you today amid the chaos of sorting out school uniforms, lost homework and muddy PE kits that missed the laundry basket! Congratulations too on your recent appearance in Yarn Forward...your pattern in that is about to become my 'Great Sweater'!
I love making knitted gifts especially ones that hold such sentimental value. From what you have posted previously about your Aunt, I am sure the shawl will be absolutely cherished.
Posted by: Becky at January 4, 2009 06:08 PM
i do often wonder of the fate of the gifted items that came off my needles. i prefer to see them as cherished and warming someone rather than shelved.
good to 'hear' from you again. happy new year to you ans yours.
Posted by: mamie at January 4, 2009 08:15 PM
Great shawl!
Posted by: Nadia Lewis at January 5, 2009 01:15 AM
Dear Anna
I was thinking of you this morning and hoping all is well in your real world. Thank you for the lovely thoughtful post. It is great to see you are cranking out beautiful handknits. The shawl is exquisite. There is always a dark corner of my mind worrying that people will dismiss, or even worse mock the handknits I gift them that have been invested with a lot of my time and a little bit of my soul. How dramatic that sounds when I write it!! Very best wishes to you and your family.
Posted by: Lucie at January 5, 2009 02:00 AM
I'm sure it will be loved. Sentimental gifts, in my opinion, are the most valuable kind of gift to give.
Posted by: nikki at January 5, 2009 04:21 AM
A beautiful shawl with a lot of meaningful connections knitted into it as well. Thanks for the link to Ann Hanson's site, I hadn't come across her before - a lot of inspiration over there too, when I get time for a browse.
Great to see a new post and Happy New Year to you all.
Posted by: sheila at January 5, 2009 09:31 AM
A beautiful shawl with a lot of meaningful connections knitted into it as well. Thanks for the link to Ann Hanson's site, I hadn't come across her before - a lot of inspiration over there too, when I get time for a browse.
Great to see a new post and Happy New Year to you all.
Posted by: sheila at January 5, 2009 09:32 AM
Huzzah! You've posted. What a nice surprise, and what a beautiful piece of writing and what a gorgeous shawl. I'm sure it will be loved.
Posted by: alison at January 7, 2009 09:25 PM
Your knitting is beautiful and classic. You have been on my mind. So glad you are back.
Posted by: Rhonda at January 7, 2009 10:52 PM
The shawl is so beautiful and not a pattern I have previously come across so thank you for the link. I rarely knit for anyone outside my immediate family for fear of the knits being unloved but the one thing I have gifted is a lace shawl and I know that it is very much loved and frequently worn. The lovely thoughts knitted into your shawl are sure to provide joy and comfort to the wearer
Posted by: Rebecca at January 8, 2009 01:34 PM
The shawl is so beautiful and not a pattern I have previously come across so thank you for the link. I rarely knit for anyone outside my immediate family for fear of the knits being unloved but the one thing I have gifted is a lace shawl and I know that it is very much loved and frequently worn. The lovely thoughts knitted into your shawl are sure to provide joy and comfort to the wearer
Posted by: Rebecca at January 8, 2009 01:35 PM
Lovely to see an entry from you. I, too, wonder about the fate of the handknit gift. I did give some handknitted socks just before Christmas and was (almost) moved beyond words to see them being worn the following day. The highest form of praise, perhaps.
Your shawl is beautiful and I'm sure will be much appreciated and loved.
Posted by: Anita at January 8, 2009 05:33 PM
How nice to hear from you. The shawl is lovely and I hope it sees many days of use. I love coming home and finding a hat I knit for my dad covered in leaves and dirt: a sure sign of many uses.
Posted by: katie m. at January 8, 2009 08:15 PM
Lovely! And lovely to hear from you!
Posted by: Leah at January 9, 2009 04:32 AM
I know you posted this several days ago, but I was thinking of you (and this post) this morning when I sorted through my sock drawer -- and found a pair of socks I knitted years ago for a dear friend. She kept them (along with several other pairs), and loved them because I made them, but was never able to wear them because of her (undiagnosed) wool allergy. When, recently, I realized she couldn't wear wool and started looking for non-wool sock yarns, she excitedly offered to give back the unworn wool socks in exchange for new non-wool ones: she wanted the wool socks to be worn, too. It was a really wonderful thing for me: I knew she appreciated my handknits, and I get a few more pairs of socks for myself! And it guarantees her many more pairs of socks!
Posted by: Margaret at January 10, 2009 01:45 AM
Beautifully written post - nice to see a new one!
Posted by: Caroline at January 10, 2009 06:41 PM
it is a beautiful shawl. i am sure that it will receive its full weight in wear.
Posted by: britt at February 14, 2009 07:26 PM