Do You Give Instructions for Care with Your Hand-Crafted Gifts?

**McD** · 01-07-2011, 11:06 AM

An interesting question came up at my knitting group last night. One woman was knitting a baby blanket and she said she was never going to do another one, because she never sees them being used.

I mentioned that with Dubya, I never used the pretty blankets, because I was afraid of ruining them or that he'd puke on them and I'd have no way to clean it. But with Moo, we use them more than we do the storebought blankets because I know how to clean and care for them. This brought up whether or not instructions for care were given with the blankets.

So here's my question for you: When you make someone a gift, be it crochet, knitting, embroidery etc, do you give instructions on how to wash it?

**nuisance26** · 01-07-2011, 11:07 AM

~Yep, sure do! I always see the items I make in use.~

**knitnmom** · 01-07-2011, 11:20 AM

I always send the washing/care instructions along with items I gift. Of course, 99% of what I knit or crochet is done with acrylic or cotton that can be tossed in the washing machine. I know how I am and if something has to be handwashed- I won't use it. That's just me.

**Contrary Housewife** · 01-07-2011, 03:39 PM

Yes, and I construct things so they can be machine washed.

**renmerc446** · 01-07-2011, 03:53 PM

Another yes.

Then again, I use acrylic yarn because I want them to be used. And I know my friends will use their afgans hard because they're LARPers and campers. As for the ones I make for my Mom's prayer group / Church Ladies, I don't think they'll use them as hard as my friends but I want something simple for them to use because I know they need all the comfort and care they can get. And if I do use something other than acrylic, I tell the recipient the washing instructions. And even the ones that are acrylic, some of them can be pretty heavy (my double strand ones) so I'll mention that it's best if they're washed at a laundromat where there's heavy duty washers and dryers that can deal with the weight. I don't want to risk these afgans burning out a regular washer otherwise.

**sunshine** · 01-07-2011, 04:09 PM

I copy the care instructions from the skein of yarn and include that with the gift.

**frugalfranny** · 01-07-2011, 07:16 PM

Sorry McD..........just couldn't resist...................

I am not good enough to give the 'needle stuff' yet and the sewn items I have given, the people know how to clean........BUT.......

(*smirks* --devil made me do it) with my goodies and candy I just tell them to "NOT EAT them all at once"!!

Although with deb-cat I think this fell on deaf ears!!