Gift knitting for those you love most
My uncle may very well be the most knitworthy person I know. He’s one of the most creative, capable, and compassionate people I’ve ever met. He can do just about anything, from welding and electrical work to sculpting and jewelry making. He built me a rocking horse when I was two that looks just as beautiful now as it did 26 years ago.
I’ve loved that rocking horse for more than two decades and will soon get to watch my little nephew grow up to love it, too. My uncle is always making beautiful heirloom gifts like that, so I felt it only right that I try to make something for him that holds even an ounce of the craftsmanship and love he pours into his gifts.
I don’t get to see my uncle very often. He lives in another state and has a hectic work schedule, and I get to visit once a year at best. The last time I saw him was in 2023. While sitting in his kitchen chatting about knitwear, he’d shown me a picture of a Double R Ralph Lauren cardigan. It was denim blue with a shawl collar and western-style colorwork throughout. He said he loved the way it looked and had even tried it on in a store, but with a price tag nearing $1,000, he’d been keeping an eye on eBay to see if he could find it cheaper.
The knitter in me screamed, “I could make that.”
I started the cardigan in late October with the lofty goal of finishing it in time for Christmas. As fast a knitter as I may be, though, I failed to take my uncle’s 6’4” frame into account; I’m used to knitting for my frame (a full foot shorter) and didn’t realize just how much of a difference that would make for my timeline. There was also some trial and error involved with the colorwork that ate into my time, plus several mid-project blocks so I could force my husband, dad, or brother to try the cardigan on in an attempt to get the sizing just right.
Christmas came and went without a finished product. As did the New Year. Valentine’s Day, however, was just around the corner.
Finally, on February 12, I finished the most heartfelt gift I’d ever made and prepared to send it to its new home. I packed it as securely as I could, praying that it wouldn’t get moisture damage during shipping. A week later, on a rainy Tuesday night, the cardigan arrived at his door safe and sound. And, dear reader, it fit him perfectly!
I have gift knit for a lot of people in my life, all of whom are more than deserving. Still, no one has ever loved something I’ve made them as openly and earnestly as my uncle loved this cardigan. Seeing his reaction, and getting the confirmation that it actually fit him (!!), might just be the highlight of my whole year.
Fox & Fleece 