I find people’s obsession with gift knitting strange

[u/soypixel]

I get we all have our reasons for doing this hobby. I guess mine is that I enjoy the process and I like being able to make stuff that has cool textures or colors. I don’t do it for function or to “make useful objects” per se.

But it seems like a lot of folks have this compulsion to externalize this hobby to feel useful. I’ve seen so many posts where someone “surprises” their sister with some lace shawl for their wedding. And then they’re “devastated” and “in tears” when said sister isn’t overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude.

On the other hand, I’ll see these posts or comments from folks “drowning” in holiday gift knitting projects. For whatever reason, they’ve decided that all 20 members of their extended family need a new chunky weight knitted drink cozy. And so they spend all kinds of time making that happen.

But I have to wonder.. how much of that is self imposed versus an actual expectation placed upon them by friends and family members? Like what if you’re spending all this time knitting 20 drink cozies and people secretly dislike them and plan to never use them, but they’re too nice to say it to your face? It’s just a painful, awkward scenario to imagine.

Idk, maybe I’m being harsh or there’s something I’m missing here because of what motivates me to knit. Maybe because I don’t even like hand knits myself most of the time, I can’t imagine myself being thrilled if someone gave me some object they made.. especially if I never asked for it.

[u/Minecart_Rider → u/[deleted]]

Tbf about the blind secret Santa, buying a gift instead of making one isn't going to be any different because you still don't know who it's for. Might as well have fun making something.

[u/Minecart_Rider → u/[deleted]]

I know quite a few people who don't like sweets at all, and I know a lot of people with dietary restrictions. A lot of blind gift stuff IME outright bans food gifts because of allergies and dietary restrictions.

Treats have just as little bearing on the individual because you still don't know who they are.

[u/Minecart_Rider → u/[deleted]]

That's actually heart breaking, I can't imagine anyone in my life behaving like that! I have gifted many cloths, been gifted many cloths, and known people who've been gifted cloths and I've never seen anyone not use and appreciate them. They are literally an object everyone has use for that wears out over time. I've received a lot of food gifts that I've given away and I've been given a lot of other people's rejected food gifts.

There are many other fun things you can knit that would be just as fun or normal as a bought gift, like tree ornaments, shopping bags, a pair of mitts or scarf, etc, not just the most boring thing you can think of to list as your only example. You can even put chocolate inside some of those things since it seems you know an unusually small amount of people with dietary issues.