Stress About Selflessness

My mother as a crafter is a quilter first and foremost.  She's crocheted afghans, made dresses for me and now my daughter, we've all gotten pajamas, matching Hawaiian shirts (it was the 80s), and lots of pillow cases but her heart is in quilting.  When I turned 16, I got a lavender and white double Irish chain quilt.  And I knew at 16 what a double Irish chain pattern was; quilting was so engrained in my childhood.

This isn't mine, but you get the idea



AND for my middle school outdoor school, my mom made a Christmas Log Cabin pattern to RAFFLE away to raise money!!!  For me!  Anywho, point is, I was raised to know how much work goes into something like knitting, quilting, embroidery, and if you give it to someone it's a HUGE labor of love expected to be appreciated.  I've heard the ladies on Knit Happens (episode here) talk about why they don't knit for the holidays and I sort of felt guilty for the puff-paint sweatshirts my grandma painted for me that I never wore. 

Then!  Bust magazine posted on their FB profile today about "Virgin Knitters" - A First Scarves Exhibit.  No thank you Rumpelstiltskin! 

Ok, you're wondering why this deserves a post.  My darling devil of a daughter insists she wants my practice piece which I so affectionately call the 'wash cloth'.  Now, I know it's crap, I know it's silly, but it's the first piece of nothing I've knitted and I'm sort of attached to it.  I'll never knit a first piece of nothing again. 

DDD: "Mom, can I have that when you're done with it?"

Me: "Why would you want it? It's just a practice piece."

DDD: "Please mom, I just want it."

Me: "But it's just a wash cloth at best."

DDD: "Mom, I really just want it."

And we go on and on and finally I say, fine, and she can have it.  But I resent her for it in that loving mother way. 

PS, I just want to say I'm so excited and feel so special that someone posted a response to my blog on the Knit Happens!  I feel so special.

PPS or is it PSS? Who cares: I got my knitting DVD and Ms. Nici McNally has me all calm and secure and insists that I can do this.  Ok, Nici.  On Wednesday, when the kids go to bed, it's going to be you and me and a glass of wine.  Wait.  I'll need another hand for that wine....OMG!!!  How do knitters do it?!?!  Must contruct long straw tonight....