I have some special knitted items that were gifts to me through the years. I haven’t received any knitted gifts since I started back up into knitting with a vengeance (about 4 years ago). I wonder why that is? At any rate (I feel like Guido. He says “at any rate” a lot on his podcast. I must be listening to too many episodes. Must make a mental note to stop using that phrase. Do any of you listen to the “It’s A Purlman” podcast?) At any rate So, I thought I’d share these wonderful items with you.
Here is a wonderful baby sweater that my grandmother made for her first great grandson. When I was pregnant with College Boy, she knit this up (in a neutral yellow, since we didn’t know boy or girl at that point.) She had a tradition of making baby sweaters for all of the new babies at their church. In fact, we took baby College Boy there to visit when he was 3 months old. I dressed him in the sweater and someone saw us in the nursery. 
She said, “That looks like one of Mrs. Carpenter’s baby sweaters!” and I had the pleasure of telling her that she was correct, and that this was in fact Mrs. Carpenter’s great grandson! How wonderful must it be to bless all of the babies in your church (or neighborhood) with hand-knitted items that get a reputation on their own? I’m saving this for my grandchildren one day.
Another wonderful handknit sweater, and this one was knit up for toddler Knitting Daughter. My friend Audrey’s mother was an accomplished knitter who lived quite a ways away. She was always knitting the most wonderful sweaters for Audrey’s young son and daughter, and I must’ve appreciated them overly much. 
I was just thrilled to receive a package in the mail one day, with this beautiful sweater, just for us. My favorite part of it is the angora kittens. (And check out the back of the sweater, too.) I’m saving this for my grandchildren one day, too.
My other grandmother was a knitter as well. She had three grandchildren and 1 great grandchild at the time she decided to knit all of us afghans. I seem to remember that she knitted through them all that fall, and presented them to us at Christmas that year. I wish I would’ve been “in” to knitting back then, and could’ve sat with her and knitted. I do remember thinking she was a blur of fast clicking needles! (Kind of like this knitting video on YouTube which I think every knitter on the planet has now seen.) Yes, she was fast. I have much to learn.
Do you have knitted items from special people in your life? What is your favorite knitted gift that has been given to you? And what is your favorite knitted gift to give to others? Since many of us are working on knitted holiday gifts, I thought it would be fun to hear about knitted gifts that you have received and loved.
Sheri wonderingifeitherofmygrandmotherseverknitsocks?Mom-doyouknow?:-)
My grandma crocheted baby afghans for all her great-grandchildren. She used that classic zig-zag pattern. My youngest got the last one before she had to quit because her arthritis made it too painful.
My cousin just had twins, so I knitted two baby hats for them. It was bugging me that those babies were coming into the family without anything handmade for them. I crochet as well, but I couldn’t face making two baby afghans in the zig-zag pattern. :o)
My aunt used to knit slippers for everyone in Red Heart yarn. I have to buy Red Heart occasionally just to feel like part of the family. :o)
Oh, and those sweaters are lovely, by the way.
Never received a hand-knit gift as no one in my family knits except for me. 🙂
those sweaters are so beautiful, and what sweet stories to go along with them!
I’m the only knitter in the family, so no hand knit gifts for me. I decided to go on gift knitting strike this year, but my favorite thing to knit for others is socks. I especially like to knit socks for my FIL because he really appreciates them. He’s the only person I’m knitting for this year 🙂
No handknit items for me either. My son’s great-great aunt did crochet some cowboy boot booties for him. I never made him wear them but I kept those plus all the flannel blankets she made for him. She crocheted pretty trimmings on each blanket. I appreciated her taking the time to handsew and crochet for him.
This whole subject brings back a flood of memories some special women in my life. My mother is a knitter, and she made blankets, booties, hats, etc. when my 3 children were born. When I was a child, she made jackets, hats, mittens and countless slippers for my brothers and me. And she taught me to knit. I have a couple of boxes of bed linens with crocheted and tatted edging done by both of my grandmothers and a great aunt. My most treasured item is an afghan that my great aunt crocheted for me ( in that timeless chevron pattern!) some 40 years ago. It went with me to college, and my kids use it today. She always had some project in the works, and I liked to sit at her feet and watch her crochet (I learned from her). When I think of all the hand-made items I’ve received over the years, I feel truly blessed.
As for socks, I think those Red Heart slippers my mom knit were the closest she ever got to socks. I’m pretty sure I’m the first to try them.
i loved reading about your treasured hand knit items. the photos are great too. i’m the knitter and hand crafter in my family. i think my aunt probably made me some slippers way back when. she is the one who taught me to knit and crochet. i’m very grateful she did that too. i love doing hand made gifts so thanks to her, alot of family members are getting socks during this winter. they aren’t for christmas but some are for birthdays. and the others are just because i love them and love doing the socks too. happy knitting to you all.
I love that those sweaters are so precious to you that they look brand new! They are so cute!
The only handknit items I have that were made for me are 2 pairs of socks from Sockapalooza 🙁 My Mom knit when I was younger but if she knit for me, she didn’t save anything.
As far as gifts I like to give, you get 3 guesses (but you’ll only need one!) 🙂
Those sweaters are gorgeous! What treasures. I’m the only knitter in my family. Mom taught me to crochet over 40 years ago. She had made me an afghan and ponchos, but all was lost some years ago. I was given hanknits for my children when they were born and kept everything. They don’t (right now) want to learn how to knit, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed! I like to make a certain crocheted blanket with a matching knitted sweater & hat. If there’s a big brother or sister, I make them a blanket buddy.
This is a wonderful topic, Sheri!
My grandmother is my inspiration in knitting. She died about four years ago, but she left a wonderful legacy. She would make us something every year. From handknit sweaters (matching for 5 cousins!) to a handknit Strawberry Shortcake doll (how DID she do that?!). One of the legacys that has lived on is that everyone in my extended family has a special stocking with his/her name and year of birth. It is the same pattern for each peson. She knit at least 30 of those before she passed on. Luckily, I have an aunt that has committed to carrying on the tradition. They are beautiful and complicated. Beyond Christmas stockings, I don’t think she knit socks.
As for gifts, I’m not sure what I like to give yet. Probably felted things and socks.
My great-aunt was the knitter who outfitted us in handknits, as well as some crocheted items. I was the first of my generation (siblings & cousins) to have children, and Mom gave me several sweaters that had been made for us as babies/toddlers. My daughter wore them, then I don’t really remember if my son did, but I think I sent them to my sister for my niece, who is a year younger than my son. I’ll have to ask my sister what has happened to those sweaters. Hope she still has them.
Christmas knitting: I’ve started some felted slippers, a scarf, planning some felted bags.
Oh dear, this makes me cry. My grandmother knit sweaters for my babies when they were little. I think I need to go open the cedar chest and see if they are in there!! My great grandmother was making something (I will have to find the story) and when my grandmother came to take care of her in her dying days, they ended up turning it into a dress jumper for me with a matching little purse and dolly pillow. This dress went on to my girl cousin, then my daughter, then my boy cousin’s daughter. So the two great-grandchildren and the two great-great-grandchildren of my great-grandmother wore that dress. It might have been crocheted granny squares. I don’t have the dress, but I still have the pillow. My mother knit me a couple of sweaters when I was younger, and my daughter has knit me a scarf or two. Oh and there are the various afghans from both grandmas. I must have three or four of those around here.