Sunday, January 6, 2013

Creating for yourself

I am all about creating gifts for others.  I love to knit and crochet to make special presents for my friends and family.  When I was new to the land of yarn I felt I had to justify yarn purchases by giving the end product to someone else.  Not any more I tell you.  I have to admit it took me a while to get to this place, I used to spend so much time, money and energy on only gifts.  Yes there was a rare thing for myself, but creating for others was my main goal.  I felt it allowed me to buy more expensive yarn because my friends and family deserved the best.  Why did I feel like I did not deserve as nice of yarn as everyone else?  After years of creating, and not seeing the people I love really use the items I made, I decided to focus more on myself, and to be okay with that.  


I got reminded of this yesterday as my MIL was visiting for the afternoon and evening.  She just came down form Milwaukee a few days ago.  She is staying with my SIL as we have stairs that are just too hard for her to get up and down.  She is 94 and frankly the most amazing person.  I have written about her in the past, I am blessed to have her in my life.  She is now suffering from short term memory loss, bless her.  She repeats the same things 4, 5, 19 times and asks with the same sense of urgency and passion.  She kept asking me what I was making and who it was for.  Well after you answer, me, me, me, 19 times it gets to sound a bit selfish, but it is not.  Who better to create for than myself.  I can pick the perfect color, weight of yarn, style of pattern and hopefully fit.  I can adjust the pattern to my liking and rip the whole thing out if it doesn't work. 
I deserve it.



So with that in mind I would like to show you my first finished project of the year.  The chevron crochet sweater I discussed previously.  I am really not a fan of chevron so I'd like to rename it the gentle ripple sweater, but since I did not write the pattern I can't do that.  I had just under 400 yards of yarn to make this sweater, so I knew it would be more like a shrug or vest.  I just kind of went with it until I ran out of yarn.  I already had the button and the yarn, so I didn't even have to run to the store for supplies.


  It fits snugly even though I went up a hook size and did the medium pattern.  I really love it.  It is made from my favorite Cascade Eco Duo yarn that I am in love with.  So in typical Meredith fashion I have started on number two with Universal Yarn Classic Shades, a beautiful cost effective yarn in a billion beautiful shades.  This one I am changing, well I always do so you should not be surprised.  I am adding sleeves like the pattern, but I am also increasing the hook size right after making the under arms, I want the bottom portion of the sweater to look more lace like and close more in the front.  We'll see how it turns out, and because it is for me, I can take my time and just roll with it.  I have decided that while counting my completed projects for the year I am also going to try to count up the yards of yarn I use up for these completed projects.  It might be a fun number to keep track of, so right now I am at 380 yards.  Not bad for January 6.


 Who is this spying on his Mother while she is taking a picture of a sweater hanging from a tree like a crazy person?

27 comments:

Unknown said...

BEAUTIFUL! Yes, if you are deserving who is? We have to care of ourselves to take care of others. I am so glad that you have come to the decision that you are as deserving on the best yarn as others are.
I can not imagine me in my nineties! How wonderful that you get to enjoy time with her! Though it has to be hard to answer the same questions over and over. Kind of like a little kid with their why questions. Enjoy the time you have with her. Where in Milwaukee does she live?
Isn't funny how many times dogs peak around corners just to check up on you. Give Max a scratch behind the ears for me.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

How wonderful that your MIL has been blessed with such a long and reasonably healthy life. At least she knows who you are even if she can't remember why you are doing what you are doing. :) Good for you keeping some things for yourself. I just made something for myself -- m&m cookies. Ha! Best wishes, Tammy

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

P.S. Maybe Max wants you to make him a sweater, too. :)

moonstruckcreations said...

I know just what you mean Meredith - at the moment Im working on some stitching that is just for me, because I like it! Will be back to making things for others soon, but for the meantime - it is me-time!!!!

Bless your MIL, she sounds like quite a lady!!

Have a great week, Helenxx

Lillie and Moss said...

It must be in the air for I am making something for me also...don't feel guilty, it what I always say for we all know how giving you are!
Your new sweater turned out great...keep it up!
xoxo, Shari!

JCDiTaranto said...

Not bad for January 6 at all! Love the shrug!

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

I love it! What a great first finish...so pretty. :)

Max cracks me up...he's adorable.

Hugs and blessings to you ....and Max, too.

kathy b said...

MEre

That is one adorable lovely finish for such a NEw new year. Your sweet MIL is adorable. Lets get a picture of her with you !

mynestofyarnandbuttons said...

Hi Meredith, I love the gentle ripple sweater. It is so you and nice and light for Florida weather. I think it's great to make things for yourself and I'm a fan of buying things for myself also!!! We have to keep ourselves happy! Right!! Right!
Max, I 'm sure doesn't think his mom is crazy, maybe just silly : )
xoRobin❤

Anonymous said...

Very pretty! Enjoy wearing it. You deserve it!

I make things MOSTLY for myself. Once in awhile I'll stitch or knit for others, but most people don't understand the work that goes into it. So, I don't.

Teresa Kasner said...

That sweater is just beautiful.. it reminds me of the gentle color gradations of alpaca. And of course, you deserve to own the treasures you create!
((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Gracie Saylor said...

Bravo, Meredith! Your first project of 2013 is lovely and I am so glad you are pleased with it and intent on enjoying it!
Your audience, Mr. Max, is precious :)
xx from Gracie

Bridget said...

Beautiful! I love how delicate it looks.

Thanks for wishing Dug a Happy Birthday, I did give him a kiss from you. :-) I think he is really enjoying his day.

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

Yes, Meredith, you do deserve something pretty and creative. I love the varying shades of gray and the wave pattern. I told Claudia today how wonderful her wave afghan was today too. You both are so talented! Good for you, it is only 6 days into 2013 and you are being very productive so far! ~ Peace,
Patti

gaia said...

Your gentle ripple sweater is beautiful!

Taci simmons said...

Beautiful Meredith! I love the color also. You work so fast.,today is only the 6th day of the year and yu already have a sweater done ! Wow.

Babajeza said...

The shrug is beautiful, and the second one will be too.
I know exactle what you mean about making things for other people. But then: I can't wear all the things I am making ... :-) Have a great week. Regula

WildflowerWool said...

That is super cute! A finished sweater for you. A great way to start the new year!

Rizzi said...

HI MEREDITH,
YOUR SWEATER IS JUST LOVELY AND I LOVE THE COLOR......I LOVE TO CROCHET TOO......I MAKE A LOT OF AFGHANS.....
LARGE AND SMALL.......I DID MAKE OTHER THINGS YEARS AGO....BUT......
NOW I JUST STICK TO AFGHANS.....MAX IS ADORABLE.....YOUR WEATHER LOOKS SO NICE...IT IS SO CALLED IN NJ RIGHT NOW....RIZZI

Karen said...

I love this post, Meredith! Why do we always save the best of everything for everyone else? Guess what, I actually knitted a project this week. Okay, it was only a dishcloth, but I have loved the ones my SIL's mother gave me and decided to try making some myself. Now, I'm motivated to try something bigger. Maybe a scarf. Someday, maybe a sweater, but right now that is just too scary.

Susanne Tyree said...

I have given tons of things away too, mainly blankets/afghans, and probably the most went to both of my daughters. I have sold many, and given just as many as house warming gifts and "just because" gifts. The only one who had ever given me gifts to compare in size was my sweet MIL who was generous to a fault, she would have given the last thing she owned without thought to herself. Of course most gifts I gave were not given expecting something in return. You deserve gifting yourself. I think you are a very unselfish person because of all the things you have made for others, but once in awhile we just need to make something for ourselves.
(((HUGS))) Susanne :)

Toni said...

Love, love, LOVE the shrug! And I think now that it's made you can call it anything you want.

Why is it that when people see other people knitting, the first question seems to be "Who is that for?" My mother does that--like I can't knit for myself. Of course you can knit for yourself! You deserve it--and with the NICE yarn.

I'm sorry to hear about your MIL's memory problems. I have an aunt with Alzheimer's and I think the worst part was when she knew she was forgetting things because it made her feel bad. They had medications that helped slow the progression, which helped, and everyone has been great at playing along once she didn't remember that she was forgetting.

HUGS!

Rose Red said...

That looks great. I have had that cardigan in my queue for such a long time. I really need to make one! I agree, there is nothing wrong with selfish knitting/crochet.

Annaboo's House said...

What a beautiful cardigan! I love the gentle ripples too. And the colour is perfect.
Enjoy making for yourself. You thoroughly deserve it.
Have a lovely week.
Xx

Kris said...

It is lovely Meredith!! I am kind of like that too. I make and make for everyone else!!! But I hope to do some things for me this year!!!
Enjoy your dear MIL.....I miss mine so!
XO Kris

Mrs. Micawber said...

My MIL, though much younger than yours, is also suffering memory loss, so I've had those conversations too. How great that yours still travels!

I've learned over the years who I can make gifts for and who not. It's frustrating when we love to make beautiful things but people don't appreciate them properly. And I too have a hard time buying expensive yarn for myself. (Luckily I have generous relatives who buy nice yarn for me at Christmas.)

Your little chevron sweater is beautiful! I really like that shaded yarn. Max is probably wondering why you need so many different-coloured pelts. :)

Petra said...

Beautiful!