Am I being weird about this?

[feuervogel]

My sister is pregnant. I want to crochet her (baby) a blanket.

I emailed my mom to ask if that's something she'd like, and mom replies that I should email sis a picture of the pattern and let her decide if she wants it and pick a color.

Isn't that the opposite of a gift? I'd planned to go to the store and pick out a pattern from a book and some yarn, or get yarn that has a pattern on the label. I want to make something very neutral gendered: no pink or blue, no patterns (hearts or flowers). I saw a book of afghan crochet (the kind of crochet that's like single-hook knitting) baby blankets, and I liked one of the patterns in it.

Honestly, now I don't even want to bother.

Anyway, internets, am I wrong for being upset that I should let a gift be dictated?

Comments

[bossymarmalade]

I fall kind of in the middle on this: I don't think you need to pre-plan it entirely with your sister, but asking her what her favourite colours are and then choosing one might not be a bad idea! That way you don't need to tell her what you're making, and you can pick a pattern that you like, but you can be guaranteed that she'll at least like the colour.

I see what twistedchick is saying, that it's something you want to give them of yourself, but at the same time you want it to be something they'd enjoy and use! And if you know it's gonna be a big Thing asking what colour she'd prefer, it's also totally valid to not make anything either. Lord knows I've ended up doing that in some occasions where it was guaranteed to be a pain in the ass to involve the person, heh.

[feuervogel]

My mom said what colors my sister likes (magenta and silver-grey), so I can use that as a palette. Though when I was at the craft store a couple weeks ago (for costume stuff), there weren't any baby yarns in those colors. Ehn, we'll see.

[bossymarmalade]

BABY YARNS! That sounds so adorable, I'm not a knitter so I didn't realize there were specific baby yarns! Makes sense now that you've said it though.

Good luck with however this goes!

[feuervogel]

Baby yarns are mostly just really soft and synthetic (acrylic) for washing ease. They come in medium to bulky weights, depending on what you're making. (I want to use bulky, because it goes faster! Also I have trouble using smaller hooks.) Like this: http://www.joann.com/bernat-softee-baby-yarn/prd12377.html

[bossymarmalade]

Oho! Yes, the bulky ones look like they'd make for really snuggly, awesome blankets, too.

The last time I crocheted anything I was eleven and I determinedly made collars for the cat that he scraped off within ten seconds of them touching his body, hee!

[feuervogel]

YESSSS I kind of want to use baby yarn to make my own lap blanket. It's so soft and fluffy.