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Gifts from the heart

Writer's picture: Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)

I decided to make a family member, who loves flamingoes, a poolside bag as part of her birthday gift ensemble this year.

I used cotton canvas from Joann's and lined it with Novelty Cotton fabric (also from Joann's). The pattern is Simplicity 9308 and it went together quickly (it's not the first one I've made with this pattern, but it's also a simple and straightforward pattern).

I decided to use colorful webbed belting for the straps instead of the pattern-provided ones made from fabric and think that it makes a nice option for the finished product.

It can be difficult to find a meaningful gift to buy for someone, and yet, going all-handmade can also be challenging. I have navigated these 2 ends of the spectrum by combining both kinds of gifts, when feasible, and have found that it's a well-received approach.

Our carefully designed and constructed gifts communicate more than just a birthday wish; they tell the story of a gift that took planning ahead, thoughtful consideration of the recipient, and time. As a teenager, I know that I indeed was underappreciative of the handmade gifts that came from family members. As I got older, I began to recognize their true worth.

I noted in an earlier blog post that these gifts often remain and represent a tangible reminder of someone's love for us. When we give gifts from OUR hands, they help to communicate messages of how much we care for the people who receive them.

Handmade gifts whisper "I care about you!", "You're special!", "You are loved", and more. I can't think of a more long-lasting or meaningful gift than these messages, carried over time by the work of our hands.

I smile when I think of my plans to knit or crochet my older grandchildren a blanket when they graduate from High School.. I am aware that this gift will not make the "Top 10" list of their favorite gifts (teenagers, after all), but I ALSO know what that hand-stitched blanket will mean to them many years later.

This post would be incomplete if I did not also address people who are not appreciative of our hand-crafted gifts. When we give someone a gift we made and they seem dismissive or even annoyed, it can be painful. My recommendation is that we give them grace, even while we protect our own self-esteem by reminding ourselves that THEY may have some things to learn. Still, we should also make a mental note: those folks aren't ready - and may never be - to receive a pearl of great price, which is what a hand-created and constructed gift represents.

Over the years, I have learned that those sometimes awkward gifting situations end up serving as a "teacher" for the person who - perhaps ungraciously - received a handmade gift. We may never know how much that gift ends up impacting the recipient, and that's OK.

The world needs MORE giving from the heart, not less. We don't know when our gifts of love will step up to teach an important lesson, provide comfort in the form of a happy memory, or communicate a much-needed message of love, comfort and grace.

In this season of symbols, here's to unsuspecting gifts that are really messages of our love, in physical form.

 

(C) 2024 Stitch 'n Dish





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