Perceived value of needlework

[Mabel Figworthy]

if you feel the overwhelming desire to stitch some ornaments you can always send them to ME!

[Calypse]

If part of the theme for the gift giving party is handmade then there shouldn't be an issue. This time of year I always stress the lessons of manners with my weeone and my bigone that doesn't seem to have learned them himself. To always appreciate the gift giving no matter and bite your tongue if it's not something to your liking. My daughter is learning quite well since she knitted hats and scarves for all her friends last year. Only 2 out of the 8 friends she knitted for appreciated it. It was a hard lesson but sometimes it is to find who is truly a friend. My husband on the other hand has a long way to go.

[Allyn]

.....
Kind of bothers me that all of that time and effort would not be perceived as having much value.

Gary

Gary, Without even considering the rest of the family, I'm rather surprised that your wife doesn't 'get it'.

[Mystonique]

Personally I would do the ornaments but add a little card explaining the materials used and the value and time = TREASURE.

Sometimes people simply don't realise ... when it's pointed out they come away with a whole new respect and appreciation (my Mum and Dad did and my Mum was a seamstress so you'd have thought she'd know but she didn't until she watched it being done).

I also have aunts that got into the homemade arts and crafts thing thinking it would be easy money at the markets ... they too now have a whole new appreciation of homemade.

[NinjaBetty]

Awww Crosstitcher1 you made me cry with the story about your sister. How could they be so cruel to her when she worked so hard to make them something special. I will never understand how people can look down their noses at a gift from someone. It was given freely and usually with love so it should be accepted in the same way.

I would much rather have something that someone took the time to make instead of something they just grabbed off the shelf without putting any thought into it. My heart goes out to those that have been snubbed because of a hand made gift.

[gparr]

Not the case at all. My wife is basically protecting me from doing a lot of work for people she knows won't appreciate it.
Gary

.....
Kind of bothers me that all of that time and effort would not be perceived as having much value.

Gary

Gary, Without even considering the rest of the family, I'm rather surprised that your wife doesn't 'get it'.

[Mabel Figworthy]

That is very thoughtful of her, and very wise!

[coffee_freak]

I kinda agree with her..the people that receive stitching, or anything handmade, have no idea what goes into it because sadly we have grown up in a time where you can go to walmart,target etc and see a whole row of "embroidered" ornaments and they are $2. a piece..because they were mass produced by a machine or sweat shop workers.

It really depends on who you gets the gift..it would be troublesome to spend time and effort on something like that if the person that gets them won't appreciate them.

I've had bad experiences with giving stitching as a gift..or quoting someone on something they wanted me to stitch..only for them to think I was crazy..little did they know..I really undercut my price..

[littleturtlegirl]

It is sad that today people would rather receive something from China rather than something made from my own hands. If you can't get it in the store people do not think it is of value, so sad.

I only give to those who value handcrafted work....so that means people who either do some sort of craft or are older...where is the world going....

[NeedleAndFork]

I rarely give hand made gifts any more - too many people just don't realize the work that goes into it. I made a pair of fingerless gloves for my mom once because she complained that her hands got cold when driving in the winter, but she didn't like wearing gloves because she lost dexterity. They were a lovely grey cashmere yarn that I'd been hoarding forever because I didn't have a lot and I wanted to save it for a special project. When I gave them to her, she found 3 things wrong with them.. and wanted me to know if I could change them to suit her wants more. I was so ticked about that. Then I find out later than when she bought a new car, she left them behind in her old car that she traded in at the dealership... and while she called the dealership about something else trivial that got left behind, she didn't even ask them about the gloves. I was so upset at this. My mom KNOWS the work that goes into this type of thing.. when she was younger she did her share of needlework and knitting. But now she poohpoohs all my work saying 'oh, I did all of that already' .. as if because she did it, what I do is not significant, even though comparatively speaking I choose much more detailed difficult pieces than she ever did.

This year even though I don't particuarly want to, I'm making several ornaments as gifts. It's not that I don't want to make them - I really want to make ornaments because they're nice small and easy finishes, and they're so much fun. But I don't put up a tree - and I'm not handing my ornaments over to my roommate to put in her tree - the cat would destroy them. So I'm going to give them away as gifts to several people who I have to come up with gifts for - they all put up a tree, so an ornament is something they can use - and I can use the scraps of fabric I have for them and floss and fiberfill I have already. Unfortunately I have more time to spare than cash for gifts for people I only see once a year at christmas, so it will have to do. I've given them home made gifts of some sort or the other nearly every year an I have no idea if they appreciate them or not, but oh well.

[Allyn]

Not the case at all. My wife is basically protecting me from doing a lot of work for people she knows won't appreciate it.
Gary

Gary, Without even considering the rest of the family, I'm rather surprised that your wife doesn't 'get it'.

Oh, I am so glad to hear that, and after thinking about this for a while, I agree. Buy something to give for the exchange and make the ornaments for yourself.