Scarf-tastic!

8 down, 1 out the door, a few more to make.

First up (L to R)
For the Work Exchange, Patons Twister in Pink Power and Lion Brand Homespun in Florida Keys Green. For the Girly Exchange Lion Brand Incredible in Accent on Black. This one also had some black Fun Fur stripes on the ends.



Next (L to R)
These are for no one in particular, but someone will be getting them.
Mystery yarn from a lot on eBay, Sensations Willow in Green, Patons Mosaic in Earthen.



I have finished one for my boss, one for Rita's birthday (not today, but friday, oops) and 1/2 of another. I've decided I'm only going to post them in threes so it will just have to wait.

I'm also about 1/2 thru a Homespun hat for a coworker/friend. His birthday is Christmas Eve and I didn't draw him in the gift exchange, so this is a birthday gift.

I started the hat yesterday while hanging out with the girly group. See, I thought ahead and said "If I bring another scarf to make, Kim will see how quick it goes and maybe she'll think I just whipped something up for her with no thought behind it." Since I did spend some time and effort deciding on yarn and colors and such, I didn't want to negate all that by poor choice of traveling projects. I don't know why I bothered. Kim did seem to like the scarf and out of the 4 of them, she is probably the only one who would appreciate handiwork.

I'm the newest addition to this group, about 3 years ago. The others have know each other for at least 8 or 9 years. And yet the gifts they gave each other had no thought behind them. A generic picture frame, a candle, a dog mug. One girl got slippers, which she had been saying she needed for 2 months, shaped like frogs, which she collects. Ok, that one was pretty good. But it was paired with a CD of a band she has no interest in. I received a pink (PINK!) poodle (POODLE!) purse and a pink machine knit scarf ("to wear when you go home"). Except for the fact that the girl who gave them to me knows that I crochet, knows that I am in the process of making myself a scarf for home and knows that I don't carry big purses...they were perfect gifts. Unless I'm going to a 50's retro party and need something to go with my poodle skirt, there is no chance I'm going to use this stuff. I am not a light pink person and my friend knows this, we've had discussions about it. We've gone purse shopping together. This gathering was generic gift giving at its worst.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful but I routinely put a lot of thought into gifts. If I don't know someone, yes I'll fall back on the candle/picture frame thing (last year I got a candle set from this group), but if I know them at all, I try to find something the person could use or would enjoy. This is why I always have trouble getting stuff for my dad (no hobbies, remember). I'd rather get a gift certificate to a bookstore or yarn store or even cash designated for those things, at least it would show that someone knew what my interests are.

Yeah, I know I'm making a butt-load of scarves with no specific intended recipients, but trust me, when the time comes to choose, the scarf will be a color they wear or a yarn I think they'd like. Nothing lacy for the Harley cousin, nothing flashy for the maiden aunt. And at least I put some effort into making it.

Maybe I just pay more attention to people than others do. Maybe I'm just bitter, 'cause I got a crap gift. Maybe I should just invest in a drawer of walmart picture frames and be done with it.

But I know I won't. Somewhere along the way the aphorism "'Tis better to give then to receive" stuck in my pointy little head. And I will continue to feel joy in getting the right gift idea for the right person. And I will also probably continue to bitch about it.

Enough ranting. I'm going to take a break and then try to post something more positive.