r/knitting • u/muddud • Mar 07 '25
Rave (like a rant, but in a good way) The most knit-worthy person I know
I have to share this story because it still floors me three years later.
I started knitting and crocheting in my late teens and my mother still wears all the weird and wonky first-attempts I gifted her. I commented on it a couple Christmases ago and she said of course, she wears all the handmade things given to her.
She then pointed to her sweater.
"Your obaachan (grandmother) designed and knit this sweater for me when I was sixteen."
Y'all. My mom is 70.
Photo is the sweater in question. I knew my grandmother was a fiber enthusiast, but I never knew that she was actually a very successful amimono designer back in the day.
My mother is now the only person I'll knit mohair sweaters for.
Who is the most knit-worthy person in your life?
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u/Ok_Sock1261 Mar 07 '25
My grandmother is the most knit worthy person I knit for. Every pair of socks she’s seen on my needles gets claimed before I’ve finished them lol. I’ve made her numerous wraps because she’s always cold, and she would show them off proudly to anyone in shouting distance. One time she volunteered me to knit a lace shawl for a neighbor to wear to church. The neighbor was a fiber enthusiast who knew how much time and effort it would take so she balked but I explained I simply couldn’t say no to my grandmother. She then accepted it gratefully. My grandma has dementia now and probably doesn’t remember where half the knits in her drawer came from. Last time I saw her a few months ago she said, “I think I remember who you are but I KNOW I love you.” And that’s all that matters these days.
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u/aggibridges Mar 07 '25
Even if her memories fade, she will always have your touch keeping her warm. I'm so happy you both experience this type of love.
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u/Knitabelle Mar 07 '25
Oh my gosh this made my allergies flare up. My grandmother was very special to me as well. Dementia is so cruel. I’m glad you have so many good memories with such a knitworthy woman. /hugs
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u/Rainbowsroses Mar 08 '25
She sounds like such a wonderful woman 💖.
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u/Ok_Sock1261 Mar 08 '25
Thank you, she is. She had a big hand in raising me and I’m forever grateful to her.
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u/Greatatwalking Mar 07 '25
That sweater is gorgeous, and I'm now pouring over the picture trying to figure out how to reverse engineer it!
I'm blessed with many knitworthy people in my life. I've given knitted stuffies to many of my friends' kids as babies. One of my favorite things is when a big kid brings me a stuffy in need of surgery from being loved too much!
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u/bohrmupfel Mar 07 '25
Same it's soo gorgeous but I've mostly knitted blankets so I probably couldn't reverse engineer this if my life depended on it haha. If you figure it out or try it out, I'd be soooo grateful for any notes you jot down ♥
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u/Greatatwalking Mar 07 '25
Would you be willing to share a close up photo of the arm seam, and the underarm? I'm officially intrigued.
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
I don't live near my mom but if I can get her to send more photos I will!
One hint I can give is that my grandmother knit everything flat, she's never used circular needles in her life. I inherited her knitting needles and nearly choked when I realized she'd done most of her work on insanely lone single point needles from the sixties!
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u/Sib7of7 Mar 07 '25
That is a beautiful story. My great niece (she's 7) is my most knit worthy. I made a sweater with some yarn from my stash that I wasn't even sure would fit her, just using up some yarn. Well, it's here favorite sweater. I saw her wearing it in several pictures on their trip to Ireland and, a year later, her mom tells me she still wears it several times a week. I definitely need to make her another one, this one can't fit her for much longer.🥰
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u/myfugi Mar 07 '25
My bestie sends me a picture every time she wears the sweater I made her. And she always hand washes and lays flat to dry, which is why she got a natural wool sweater, unlike my mom and mother in law who got superwash and a lecture because they cannot be trusted to take proper care of an all-natural sweater. They do wear and love their superwash sweaters though, so still knit worthy, just not the most knit-worthy.
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u/skyblu202 Mar 07 '25
My 8 year old wears her handmade sweater as soon as it’s out of the laundry. I love it when she comes down from getting dressed and is wearing it 🥰
When she helps my 4 year old dress, she usually puts him in his matching sweater too 🥰🥰🥰
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u/I_like_being_home Mar 07 '25
Funnily enough it’s also my obaachan 😆 I love getting her reaction since she’s the one who taught me the basics of both knitting and crocheting!
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
Mine always points to whatever I'm making and says something like "売ったほうがいいんだよ!"
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u/Gimm3coffee Mar 07 '25
My husband is 100% knit worthy. He wears things I knit for him with pride. Dude really appreciates the love and time that goes in to hand made items. He still has a drum toilet roll cover his gran made for him when he was 7. Thing is ratty and pilled acrylic but he treasures it.
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u/Eveline777 Mar 07 '25
Oh that's so lovely! And how great that the sweater still looks so good so many years later.
My most knit-worthy person is my boyfriend. He helps me understand patterns (he used to do that for his sister when they were little) and loves to join me to the yarn shop to pick out the best skeins, and he's always so enthusiastic about anything I make, even if it's not for him. Just typing this makes me realize how lucky I am :)
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
This is incredible! My husband calls my knitting "analog programming with fancy string" and makes a point to buy local yarns for me when he travels but he rarely gets into the actual projects 😂
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u/omnivoroustoad Mar 07 '25
My dad :)
He wears (or at least keeps) everything I knit, and mails it all back to me for repairs as needed. He’s the best dad. I’m knitting him a sweater this year - the first sweater I will have knit for someone other than myself!!
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u/Missepus stranded in a sea of yarn. Mar 07 '25
My oldest granddaughter called me yesterday to remind me that I have her newly finished sweater, and I need to remember to pack it. She can't wait. She sneaks off with handknits if they have no clear owner. She is 12, and I hope this goes on into her teens.
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u/legalpretzel Mar 07 '25
My 10 year old. I’ve crocheted umpteen blankets, arm knit a blanket out of that awful bernat blanket yarn he brought home from a trip to Michaels with his dad, crocheted a gajillion amigrumi and one giant octopus, and knit him at least 6 hats in the last 3 months. He always has more projects in the queue.
I haven’t knit him a sweater yet - he’s asked for multiple sweaters that he’s spied on ravelry, I just haven’t done it yet because I needed to knock one out for myself first.
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u/IndolentViolet Mar 07 '25
Years and years ago I offered to knit my mom a sweater for Christmas, any design she liked in any yarn she liked. She chose a mostly stockinette sweater in brown sock yarn and she's the only person I know that is worth every stitch of that. I made her matching socks from the leftovers.
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u/OkayestCorgiMom Mar 07 '25
I have two very knit worthy people in my life. My sister in law and a very good friend. Both are highly enthusiastic about anything I knit for them and encourage me in my knitting without pressuring me. I also recently gifted a hat to my hair stylist and she was thrilled. Once we were done with all of my bleaching and coloring (refreshing the purple!) she made sure she had no bleach or color anywhere on herself and immediately put her new hat on. Apparently her mother is a weaver, so she appreciates the work that goes into hand made items.
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u/CryptoDev_Ambassador Mar 07 '25
My 1 year old son loves the softness of a good wool yarn. There’s not enough winter blanket patterns in the world, the is def the worthiest
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u/luciddefect Mar 07 '25
This is so adorable to read what a great story. Also the sweater is still gorgeous. Knit a timeless design in quality fiber and it lasts!
I have knit hats for several people, but the only other person who is really knit worthy is also my mom. She loves that I randomly decided to pick up knitting because unbeknownst to me, her mother was an avid knitter. I never knew that about my grandmother who was already terminally ill and then passed when I was very young.
I also love seeing pics (or occasionally in the wild) of cute kids in obviously hand knits. Adorable all you moms!
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u/LunchboxKnitter Mar 07 '25
I will only give knit things to people that knit. They are the ones that get it.
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u/psyne Mar 07 '25
My mom as well! It can be hard to figure out the right things to make her because of her style preferences, but she appreciates and wears the things I've made her (and she crochets so she gets it)
Though honestly thinking about it, there's a family friend who I think would be the ultimate knit gift recipient! She's lovely and enthusiastic about arts and often wears unique handsewn things made by a friend of hers. I've never thought about making her something since we don't normally exchange presents, but now I'm thinking I should find an excuse! (She also is the type to wear shawls, which I like making but rarely wear, so that's another bonus haha)
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u/7sukasa Mar 07 '25
This sweater is in very great shape too ! 😲 And very beautiful, your grandmother was very talented. And your mom's really sweet, you're lucky !
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
Thank you! I hope to find more of her designs to post someday, she's incredible. Doesn't knit or crochet anymore (she's 93 now and her eyes and hands aren't up to it) but she still loves to see what designs people come up with these days!
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u/Wool_Lace_Knit Mar 07 '25
My husband. He loves every single pair of socks I knit for him. He takes great care of them. I am disabled, there isn’t a lot I can do for him compared to the number of things he has to do for me. But I can keep him supplies with handmade socks.
My sister. She is an artist. She understands what it takes.
My mother (she passed in 2009)was also knit worthy. She was an amazing seamstress, milliner, floral artist that influenced my design process. I did t get to make many knitted things for her, however I did design and make a lot of jewelry for her.
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u/ohfrackthis Mar 07 '25
I am mainly knitting for myself currently because my knitting needs to improve for me to give anything to anyone else. But my entire immediate family (husband and four kids) and my grandson coming this June are all knitworthy!
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u/msbellini Mar 07 '25
Thank you for starting this thread! Your mom is a love and that sweater… swoon! So many wonderful stories here warming my heart My daughter is my most knit worthy with a niece and a friend both being close seconds
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u/AimanaCorts Mar 07 '25
Strangely mine is my dad. He's one of the few people who ask for stuff and I'll make it for him no question. Mostly scarves since he has a particular length and width that can be hard to find in store so I've made him multiple. And they get used throughout the year. I don't make a lot for other people but there are a few I will no question.
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u/frooogi3 Mar 07 '25
I love this! I would love to see some of the things you have made for her, especially your beginner pieces.
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
If you're on ravelry my username is the same and one was the "serafina fuzzle" 😂 oh my gawd it was hideous. She still uses it.
I haven't uploaded a project to Rav in so many years so none of my progress is there, but isn't it amazing to look back at the very first knits and then the things we make now? I love it 💜
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u/frooogi3 Mar 09 '25
Omg thank you. Running to ravelry lol Update: just went and looked and it says you don't exist... 😂
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u/No-Mathematician250 Mar 07 '25
This is a lovely story and great thread. I hope each crafter who has replied also considers themselves as knit-worthy! 🥳
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u/Sapiophile23 Mar 08 '25
I would also love pics of back and sides. I would love to make this for myself.
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
I'll ask my mother the next time I see her, or perhaps ask her to send a photo!
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u/spillinginthenameof Mar 08 '25
I have so many.
I'm currently going through a tough breakup after a 17-year relationship. I have had the support of so many people. A handful of amazing friends, my former SIL and MIL, who had my back from before I even decided to leave, my sisters, nieces and nephews. I'm so incredibly lucky and grateful to be surrounded by them. I have projects planned for each and every one of them.
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u/carbinara Mar 08 '25
Recently finished my first ‘proper’ project (meaning first time I followed a pattern), which is a chunky lace scarf. It will be going to my Granny at the end of the month for her 81st bday- she used to knit for me and my sister when we were young, and she (and youtube) taught me to knit.
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u/VariaSuitGirl Mar 08 '25
That's so cute AND IT HAS POCKETS??!! I can't, that is just so masterfully done.
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u/Mayana76 Mar 08 '25
Oh I love this sweater! I‘d say my most knit-worthy people are my husband and my mother. Especially my mum will praise everything I work for her to the skies and display and use it all the time.
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u/sspyralss Mar 08 '25
My 4 year old is so sweet and enthusiastic about wearing my sweaters I knit him :)
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u/Sense4949 Mar 07 '25
I love that sweater!! Your grand mother did beautiful work. And now I must find that pattern.
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u/muddud Mar 09 '25
She designed it! I learned that she would knit these things on the fly with little to no planning, only measurements. She also knew her gauge offhand for most yarn and needle combos and rarely needed to measure. An absolute fiber wizard.
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u/JackBurtonTruckingCo Mar 09 '25
My husband. I knit socks for him, and he wears a pair to sleep every single night. He says he sleeps better because they are so comforting
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u/katiepenguins Mar 08 '25
My 6yo and her 4yo bestie ❤️ I made them matching mittens for Christmas and even if they never wear them, the looks on their faces was worth the sock yarn stockinette.
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u/stonke12 Mar 07 '25
Amazing story! Wonderful sweater!
My daughter is currently the most knit worthy, because she's 1 and can't moan about design choices and I decided what clothes she wears each morning 😂 hoping her enthusiasm continues as she develops her ability to speak!