Sisterhood of the Traveling Socks

As a knitter there is little that is as rewarding as giving a gift and watching someone's face light up with delight at the hand knit item in her hands. Better yet is when she takes a picture sitting in the snow wearing her "Go Irish" (Charade by Sandra Park) green socks and sends it to you. I love giving gifts and finding a recipient who appreciates and loves the gift. It is exciting and rewarding but the opposite is also true and a knitter or crafter of any kind learns very early in her explorations as a crafter/designer/gift giver who is worthy and who is not. When I was newly married (a long, long time ago), I crocheted afghans for baby showers and other gifts until I saw one of my labors of love in a yard sale of someone claiming to be a close friend. I realize that some of us are more nostalgic than others and value such items of the heart differently. However, Angela, the friend in the snow, will be receiving more hand-made gifts. The unnamed yard sale diva will not.