Compliments

I wore my Valentine's Day sweater (Knitty/com - "Hey Teach" pattern) to work for the first time yesterday - it was so much fun! When someone complimented on my sweater I was able to say, "Thank you. I made it myself." And then smile.

Wearing something that I made myself is a real treat, I must say. So many people do not make ANYTHING themselves - not even boil a pot of water - so when someone makes something by hand people go insane over it, especially when it turns out well. This wasn't the case for my mother's generation.

They were expected to make things. It was part of being a "good wife" for some lucky schmoe. My generation grew up on the cusp of the previous women throwing off the "good wife" expectations.

My mother doesn't knit. She always hated it, but she knew how to do electrical wiring and how to keep the house running.

Maybe my generation likes the handmade stuff so much because we don't HAVE to do it. There are no expectations for us to do the ironing with starch (HA! - as if!). I knit because I like to. I can go out whenever and buy socks or sweaters or hats, or whatever, but I get great satisfaction from doing it myself.

And compliments, too - they really make my day.

I can cook, too! :)