Sunday, November 05, 2006

 
Hey y'all, and greetings from South Carolina! I just joined this knitalong, a few days before I finished my first kimono. I needed a quick baby shower gift so I reached for my newly-acquired MDK book (I know, where have I been, the book has been around a while!). I liked the kimono, but wanted to see some more before starting, and a google search led me to this here knitalong. Wow, there are some gorgeous kimonos here! I especially love the ones that do something unique with the pattern, like adding stripes, using fancy yarn, or doing something different with the ribbon. I got a lot of tips, too, and I'm grateful (like adding a second tie to the inside flap to keep it in place). I finished my kimono yesterday morning, in time for the shower. Here it is (on the super shag carpet in our playroom, ha).




My own MDK baby kimono
Knitted with slightly more than one skein of TLC Cotton Plus
using size 6 Denise Interchangeables
More details at my blog, Knits and Grits

Too bad the mother-to-be hates pink. I'm not kidding--after opening about 20 gifts where nearly every item was pink, she opened a gift from her mother that had primary-colored clothes in it and said "Thank goodness my mom gave me stuff in different colors. She knows I hate pink." There was a pretty awkward silence all around. Next time I may not knit for someone I don't know all that well.

But anyway, I really loved knitting this. I made a few mods to the pattern as written, using the knitted cast on for the sleeve increases, and a sloped cast off on the other side of the sleeves. The selvage edges were nice and smooth that way. I also did eyelets down the side of the front panel, without increasing beyond 40 stitches, by working a k2tog immediately after the yo (which is how the model in the book appears to have been made, even though the pattern doesn't seem to mention it).

Now I have plans for a few ballband dishcloths, and another kimono is probably in my near future--but I will be sure to ask what colors the mom likes next time around!

Comments:
Hopefully the next mother to be will be gracious enough to accept a gift regardless of her color preferences! Your kimono is beautiful! She'd be crazy not to love it!
 
Don't you love L O V E rude people? NOT!
 
I just take it with a grain of salt. You know, some people just say stuff without even thinking. But most people will try to recover gracefully when they realize they made a gaffe like that--and she didn't. Oh well. =)
 
Your kimono is beautiful. Some people just don't know how to accept a gift graciously.
 
Even though I post every once in a while, I do so without using my usual blogger name today. My stepdaughter made a comment about the color yellow before her first child was born. I was quite put off by it and was inclined not to knit for her or her babies. We now have three grandchildren and I am glad I did not hold onto my grudge against her. I would have missed out on so much joy with all our family. Yes, sometimes people are rude and inconsiderate. I had to realize that at times I am one of those people.
 
Gee, perhaps the friends that threw the shower would have appreciated knowing her color preferrences and could have aprised the guests. If it was me, I would have left the shower with the impression that my gift would get returned not because it didn't fit, but because the "recipient" thought it ugly. I hope the child grows up with better manners than the mother. What a lovely gesture for you to make something by hand for her, you obviously are nicer and more thoughtful than she. How interesting, though, that these days people are invited to showers and such for people they aren't terribly close to...happens to me too and it's starting to make me feel like just another gift buyer. Hence why I only make something by hand for family or very close friends - and even then only when I know it's something that will be appreciated. Better luck next time kind lady :-)
 
Oh, it really IS too bad the mom-to-be doesn't like pink, since your kimono is absolutely stunning! The baby is sure to get tons of compliments wearing this, so maybe the new mom will change her mind a little?
 
I love the way you threaded the ribbon through the eyelets! Great idea!
 
Your kimono looks very nice.

It's too bad she let that slip out. I do know, though, that some parents-to-be have ideological objections to gender-specific colors for babies. Maybe that was the source of her frustration?
 
Your kimono is beautiful. I suppose you could just chalk up her comments about the color "pink" to hormones or something like that. Hopefully she'll change her mind, and if not you'll know you gave her a heart felt gift. I can't help adding that I love pink for my baby daughter.
 
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The kimono is BEAUTIFUL! Tell the mom-to-be that I would be happy to take it off of her hands if she wants to part with it. (Just don't tell her that my "baby is a 21-month-old boy!)

Keep up the great work!
 
Hope it becomes the baby's FAVORITE color for the the rest of her life !
 
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