A challange to all.. help me prove daughter wrong!

#1

OK, I’m home from spoiling grandchildren, and daughter… son-in law was spoiled by his mother…

When I was quizzing her about what she wanted me to knit next…she said… (brace yourselves)

Why don’t you sew…something… w/ material & a pattern, stitch it up… like NeNaw(my mother) did.

I about died. First of all my mother…(God rest her soul) was a perfectionist. She drove me nuts. So therefore, she made sewing pure frustration. If I didn’t do it her way…she would take it out and make me redo it… enough about that said.

I explained to daughter, (through cleenched teeth) that I hated sewing and she knew that. I asked why no knit items…

“I just don’t like the LOOK of knitted things” she stated.

I almost lost it. I’ve knitted blankets, toys, ponchos, for a little over 2 years. Huge afghans… she loved all of those…But, when it comes to clothing… she stated she hasn’t seen a knitted item she likes the look of. She likes sweaters, but can’t imagine anything else looking good knitted.

OK ALL… HELP!. I’m not a novice, but also not an expert. Help me find a cute top for granddaughter, or a dress that will fit a 4T. It needs not to look knitted… (yeah right) give me specific ideas… I have to proove her wrong… ( & yes I can’t wait to do that)

I can handle cables, no problem. I’ve made a sweater… (ok wrong size… but I hadn’t seen granddaughter in 5 months at the time… and just followed the pattern) I can handle sleeves and necklines.

I’ve yet to do zippers, but I do want to do it fairly quick to proove her wrong… buttons are no problem.

Grandson is 5 weeks so, a sweater would be fine for him as well, he’s almost 8 lb. (* don’t get me started about the looks of these 2… Amy doesn’t have enough bandwidth… believe me)

Or for daughter… She’s about a size 9… breastfeeding… so top needs to be easily accessable. She is short… but likes longer sweaters…

Any of the above 3 give me specific ideas & or patterns w/ yarn ideas. I’m desperate.

I was so devastated, I couldn’t even finish the dragon scarf I was knitting for grandson… She looked at it and said… oh I didn’t know you were knitting it…

I begging you… help!

If she hadn’t given me 2 wonderful grandchildren, I might have spanked her right then and there… but she was nursing grandson at the moment so I couldn’t. and she is 23, and can run faster than I can… dang it…

#2

Different people do have different tastes.

What about some sort of felted project?

#3

well I think that this little skirt is cute as a button!

#4

Are you able to show her some cool websites like knitty? Some of the patterns in there are so different than you find in the shops that she may just not have seen what she wants yet.

As soon as she puts that baby down, you spank her! Go Girl!!!

:teehee:

#5

I agree, take her to knitty.com or elann.com. Even better take her to a Barnes&Noble or Borders and look let her look at the books. Ask her to pick something out that she would wear. Tell her she is helping you… uh, improve your skills. This should open her eyes to a lot.

Stuff looking “Homemade” is a lot more prevalent with sewing ( I know, I’ve been there) than knitted sweaters…

#6

I’ve always loved this pattern but my dd is to big!

[color=blue]Studio Knits Skirt and Top[/color]

If you scroll down past the odd little booties and other stuff on their homepage, there are a few cute and easy looking children’s sweaters:
[color=green]Studio Knits[/color]

Hope this helps!

#7

I love Wendy’s items and have knit a lot for my little girl… here is one of her patterns that I really like… you can see her other patterns on garterblet too… along with other great children items… The drive thru is another cute one… they all are :teehee:

http://www.thegarterbelt.com/wb_jan.html

and then on her blog under free patterns she has the Short Snort tank top… my daughter got so many compliments on this tank…

if you go to KPC there are a lot of wonderful kid’s patterns on their too… :cheering:

#8

Well, people do like different things. There’s not one knitting item in my mother’s wardrobe that isn’t done at some crazy fine gauge. My mother’s tastes are very sleek and modern, and even the most form-fitting and slickest of sweaters knit up in silk on size 3 needles would be too bulky and, well, knitty, for her. And certainly no home accessories that are knitted or crocheted. And that’s cool. How about a romp through your daughter’s closet to see what types of things she likes? I suspect you’d have to go as fine a gauge as possible.

#9

:hug: :hug: :hug:
Hang in there MOM~!! :hug:

Maybe it’s those post pregnancy hormones that are making her loose her memory and sanity~!! :teehee:

#10

Ha ha I will catch her so you can spank her! I am a 20 year old daughter lol and I cant get enough knitted items I love them I think they look great. I have a bit of the opposite problem though my mom is always wanting something knitted I think clogs for her next lol. How about that some clogs or a baby bag. Sorry I just don’t know how to please someone like that lol.

Good luck babe!

#11

Well if it was me, I’d just shrug and go buy something. If she doesn’t like knitted things, she doesn’t like knitted things and probably no amount of showing her patterns on knitty or elann will change her mind. Unless you want to knit something on size 2s so they don’t have a bulky hand knitted look, which is maybe what she objects to.

sue

#12

Cutest Jumper Ever.

#13

I know how you feel. But, why waste a lot of time making something for her or one of the children that she probably will not even use? I think I would first make something for myself that would knock her socks off. This way you can smile while proving to her that hand tailored knits can be pretty and not look homemade. There’s a difference between hand tailored and homemade you know. :teehee: Then maybe she’ll ask or beg you for a knitted item.

#14

Welcome home! Tell us all about the cute grandchildren :slight_smile:

Since she lives in a warm climate, does she associate knitting with wool? Would she be more open to cotton/silk/rayon type things?

Mama Bear

#15

Knitty, elan and also www.knittingforboozehags.com

:muah: :hug:

Nadja xxx

#16

I’m home… and she’s in San Diego… so can’t chase her…

I’ve shown her magazines after magazine, and book out the wazoo. She is very picky. She would probably have to go on 2’s w/ a silk type. Now for the sweaters for the kids… that would be no prob… and a sweater for her next winter… no prob… it’s all this summer I have to deal with. She loves smooth cotton/poly blouses/ she is a girly girl… BIG time.

Hubby is as picky as she is.

I’ll try to make some jackets for the kids… they can be knitted… and see if I can find a silk yarn and knit for 2 yrs on a simple blouse. Problem is… I don’t want to spend 2 months on something she won’t wear.

She likes socks… so may break down and try those…I’m just sooo frustrated.

The funny thing is … other than this… she & I got along better than we have in yrs…! No arguments… lol, talking… it was great… I really loved being w/ her and had a wonderful time!

#17

You know… I don’t knit for my daughters for similar reasons. They are just too picky. I say knit for other people and don’t worry about it. :hug: :hug:

#18

I have absolutely no suggestions, but you’re description of your perfectionist mom brought back really grim memories that I thought were long buried.
(Shudder). Sewing, knitting, crochet. It’s a wonder I do anything even semi-creative.

#19

Thanks… I have a tendency to worry so much and I shouldn’t she’s my only child, and I should just say to heck w/ it… I might knit the kids some jackets/sweaters… and then… (brace yourselves everyone…)

knit something for me! I’ve only knitted for others… never for myself other than coasters…wow… what a concept…

:muah:

thanks for all the great ideas and sharing…

#20

Snowbear, you should definitely make something for yourself. Now would be a good time to learn sock and say the heck with everyone else. (Especially you DD; my dtr can be very much like that too.) You deserve to enjoy the fruits of your craft/labor.

My husband asked what I was knitting and when I told him I was making another pair of socks for me he asked why I didn’t make an afghan. LOL! Because I don’t have to listen to others complain about color, size, fit, etc. if I make myself socks!!

And if I make a mistake, no one is the wiser. And I won’t point it out to anyone!