Monday, January 10, 2011

Hand-Me-Downs?

I had a thought, and it started like this;
I just made this wee vest for my my sweet River's 1st birthday, which is coming up on the 25th of this month. I so love this pattern and the yarn. It's the same I used for these longies. And I really love how it turned out, only thing is, it's rather on the smallish size (I used the free version, size 1 year) and she won't be able to wear it as much as I'd hoped.
No problem, I thought, my best friend is expecting and I'll just pass it down to her along with some other hand knits River has outgrown. Wrong! See, I am a lover of all things woolly (vest is 60/40 alpaca/wool) and said friend is allergic to wool. Which also means she won't so much appreciate snuggling her new babe dressed in the wool/cotton t-shirts I had planned to give her, either.
So, yes, I could just put these tiny, lovingly knit clothes away for my children's children, or!
I could pass them along to you where they could be worn and loved right now. As a matter of fact, I have several pieces that River has outgrown and a hat I just made that is too big for River, too small for Kaiya and Zoe won't wear and I really don't want to frog. And then I thought perhaps some of you have things you've knit and now no one can (or will) wear them in your house and you just don't have the heart to just give them away to Goodwill where you will never know if someone will really love it or even knows how to properly care for it without you there to tell them the fiber content and how to wash.
So, my thought is this; would you like to join me in a hand-knit hand-me-down? I was thinking that we could post pictures of the item we would like to find a new home for in a Flickr group and there we give away and receive gently used hand knit (or crocheted) clothing, children or adult (who hasn't made a sweater that just doesn't fit you like it did the model?) No selling, there are plenty of sites for selling used items already. And the only thing to be asked for in return would be a photo of the recipient wearing the item.
What do you think? Is this something you would like to do? Comment and let me know, please, and I will start the group if at least a few people are interested.

7 comments:

karen said...

I think this is a great idea! Especially to provide a pic of the clothes with their new happy owner:) I think I have a few little things that I can add, a pair of bamboo socks that dont fit me and and a woolen beanie if I havent opp shopped it. Maybe more, being summer here i havent looked at my warm clothes for a long time! good luck with getting the group started. Thats great that your almost getting to our catterpillars.
River looks so cute in the little blue vest, what a shame it turned out too small

KnitterMama said...

This is such a nice idea. We are saving our hand knits for another baby at this point, and it always makes me sad when they have outgrown them and I have to put them away. Depending on the gender, I may never see some of them on one of my children again. :( I hope you do this again in a couple of years.

Bending Birches said...

yes, yes count me in!!!

Andréann said...

Oh wow, what a truly great idea! I've just started knitting and can only provide you with a pair of too big socks... But I'd totally use little hats and other things previously loved!

Hullabaloo Homestead said...

This is a great idea. I will link to it in my inspiration column.

:)Lisa

angie said...

what a great idea!

Anonymous said...

Love...this...idea!

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