Hi Everybody–
I would welcome your suggestions regarding what to get an experienced knitter when you do not know what she has in her stash. She’s a friend of my mom, and when I go to visit them in July, this friend is going to let me pester her with knitting questions and show me her stash! 
Anyway, as a thank you, I’d like to get her something, but am not sure what to buy. Any ideas?
Thank you!
Julie
GIFT CERTIFICATE! For her favorite LYS, or for one of the online yarn stores, like yarn.com, knitpicks, herrschners, Jimmy Beans Wool, littleknits, kpixie, etc. Let her enhance her own stash… its hard to know what she might like!
I second Kelly’s suggestion of gift certificate.
I know that gift certificates to our LYS is a favorite among my group of knitter friends. If she doesn’t have a favorite LYS, then go for one of the cool online stores.
I agree, gift certificate…to DivaKnitting 
If you are the type of person that doesn’t like giving GCs {my DH is one of them}, you can try for a gift basket of little goodies. You can try and personalize this with anything you might know about the person. If they KIP, small purse-sized accessories like a small knitting gauge, pocket tape measure, folding scissors, etc would be appreciated. I found some cool yarn-printed fabric that would make a really cool tote bag. Basically, I’d be thinking of things that duplicates of would still be appreciated, or items that are totally unique.
WHY dont people like to give gift certificates!!!1/1/1/1 Those are my FAVORITE! Nicole… please explain to your DH that women LOVE to be sent on shopping sprees! Especially knitters! Set me loose in my LYS or online and Im a happy camper!
Yeah, it’s way better than getting something you a. don’t like or b. can’t use and have to be kind and gracious about it even when you’re feeling a little sad or disgruntled. :lol:
HOWEVER…I understand the GC issue as I don’t like to give them as the only gift…they look like you didn’t bother to think so I always include something with them. With a GC to say Blockbuster I’d include a little basket with popcorn, etc. With a GC to a yarn store you could include some neat little knitter things… a sheep measuring tape, needle tip protectors, lotion or cream for yarn dry hands, etc…
Maybe you get get your mom to “spy” a little…like does she take her knitting out…if so, does she have a nice knitting bag to carry it in? Does she knit socks? If so, you definitely can’t go wrong with sock yarn! I don’t know a single sock knitter who wouldn’t love another skein or two for the stash, no matter how much they already have.
I usually like to give something small along with a GC just to show a little extra effort and thought. In your case, maybe a GC with a few pretty stitch markers or some other knitting do-dad as part of the wrapping?
Gift Certificates can be dicey.
Some people love them, some people think they show lack of thoughtfulness.
Personally, I LOVE getting gift certificates, buy my family, and DH’s family don’t like giving them… which sucks for me… because I usually end up with a bunch of stuff that I don’t need/want.
This poses huge issues at birthdays/Christmas. Because none of us really ‘need’ anything. I try to give Dh’s cousins something small at Christmas that has been hand made, or is a little luxurious that they wouldn’t buy themselves.
However, back to the OP’s question… if she’s an experienced knitter, what about a ball or two of totally off the top luxury yarn? Something she may not buy for herself to make a lovely scarf or something?
How about a subscription to a knitting magazine? I for one, would LOVE to get that!
I bet that you could call the toll-free number to the magazine and tell them to check their records to see if she already gets it.
Kelly, I’m one of those people who doesn’t like to give them. I think it’s because when people give them to me, I nearly always forget where I put them and rarely ever manage to USE them. And then I feel bad because it’s like they wasted the money, which seems worse than if they had spent it on something that I didn’t need or love. But that’s my own personal forgetfulness. :rollseyes:
Thanks for all of your suggestions
I found a cute sheep tape measure at knitpicks that I am going to get for her, and am now searching for a few things to round out her gift.
Regarding gift certificates, I have mixed feelings–on the plus side the person does get to pick what s/he likes, but on the other hand I sometimes feel that they could be used as a cop out.
I have posted a question on the general site about the bulky weight merino malabrigo yarn–whether anyone had used it and how much they like it–was thinking of getting some of that, or maybe some of the laceweight, as I know she is often asked to knit baby items.
Julie
OMG…just do a search for Malabrigo on the forum…everyone LOVES it.
my dh hates for me to give him gc’s b/c he is so indecisive he ends up never spending the money!!! Me, on the other hand…I certainly don’t have that problem!!!
I think the little gifts are a good idea–maybe just a basket of little gifts. She’ll love that sheep measuring tape…I have given them to several people who think they are the cutest! I have one too, btw!