Recently my husband bought an old oil carriage lamp on a whim. It had a satisfying heft, clean lines, and a deep patina to its brass. He brougnt it home, cleaned it up, and with some lamp oil and a new wick it was burning again after perhaps almost a century of disuse. For one week it sat on our open hearth, casting a warm glow on evenings that were too warm for a fire. One such evening, my husband asked if he should give it to his father for his 65th birthday. Hmmm.. I mulled it over. I wouldn't begrudge much to Wieb. He's a deliberate and kind man. My response, "He might like it, but it's kind of an odd gift." We decided to give Wieb the lamp and if he didn't like it we could get him something else.
He loves it. I didn't know it at the time, but Wieb gets up every day without fail, long before the sun rises and meditates in the dark on his balcony. He wrote to my husband that he now has the company of his friend during his morning reverie. It's nice to think that each morning Wieb lights the lamp he also feels the company of his son. I think the gift exchange even more lovely since my husband would have liked to keep the lamp, but he was willing to give it to someone he loved. I find that beautiful.
He loves it. I didn't know it at the time, but Wieb gets up every day without fail, long before the sun rises and meditates in the dark on his balcony. He wrote to my husband that he now has the company of his friend during his morning reverie. It's nice to think that each morning Wieb lights the lamp he also feels the company of his son. I think the gift exchange even more lovely since my husband would have liked to keep the lamp, but he was willing to give it to someone he loved. I find that beautiful.
It turned out to be a fantastic gift and as I sit to review the book "Knitted Gifts" by Debbie Bliss I stop to ask myself what makes a good gift. Top on the list, something out of the ordinary. I think a good gift is unique. Lucky for knitters, each knit is one of a kind. As a bonus, when you have put your time and energy into making something, the recipient immediatley knows they're important to you. And isn't that what gift giving is all about? Showing the people in your life that you care about them?
In Debbie Bliss' introduction to the book, she mentions that sometimes in the
hustle and bustle of hand knitting as a business it's hard to find that intiial
inspiration, the spark that drew her to this career in the very beginning, BUT
when she's knitting something special for someone special that feeling is back.
In Debbie Bliss' introduction to the book, she mentions that sometimes in the
hustle and bustle of hand knitting as a business it's hard to find that intiial
inspiration, the spark that drew her to this career in the very beginning, BUT
when she's knitting something special for someone special that feeling is back.
A lot of the projects are suitable for beginners, but sprinkled in are more challenging projects for more advanced knitters. I'd say that the majority of the designs could be completed in a weekend, though things like the lace baby blanket could take a week or longer. But heirlooms aren't knitted in a day, and such a lovely item is bound to be cherished by any new mother.
As with all Debbie Bliss books, the photography is lovely, the styling divine and inspirational, but what I love most is that while paging through the 30 projects I found many things that are going on my Holiday knitting gift list. First and foremost, a handsome iPad cover for our family iPad, the adorable bunny baby booties for a friend who just gave birth to a daughter, a stylish hot water bottle cover for my mother-in-law. I can find something to make for just about everyone on my gift list, AND use up my growing stash in the process. I've already assembled yarn for a lot of the projects and am ready to cast on. If I get enough of a headstart on my holiday gift knitting, I'm going to knit the moss stitch placemats for myself. Now I just need to find a brass carriage lamp for my dear hubby.
As with all Debbie Bliss books, the photography is lovely, the styling divine and inspirational, but what I love most is that while paging through the 30 projects I found many things that are going on my Holiday knitting gift list. First and foremost, a handsome iPad cover for our family iPad, the adorable bunny baby booties for a friend who just gave birth to a daughter, a stylish hot water bottle cover for my mother-in-law. I can find something to make for just about everyone on my gift list, AND use up my growing stash in the process. I've already assembled yarn for a lot of the projects and am ready to cast on. If I get enough of a headstart on my holiday gift knitting, I'm going to knit the moss stitch placemats for myself. Now I just need to find a brass carriage lamp for my dear hubby.
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