What did Grandma knit for you?

As the youngest of two huge families I never knew my Grandmothers as one died long before I was born and the other when I was two. However, I had a dear Aunt who knitted for me; she was possibly the best knitter I have ever come across and could create beautiful garments with intricate designs in no time. Sadly, she was also a lady of very economical ways, and would present me with a tiny, pygmy sized jumper, and three balls of wool, that I could 'use for something else.' Presumably another tiny jumper to give to the little girl next door!

Not very pc now but my Nan knitted me the most gorgeous Gollywogs. She also made me felt ones and I had the Peter Rabbit characters she made too. She used to wear the most fantastic arran knitted suits which were amazingly stylish and all hand made. I'm afraid when I knit, I always drop and add stitches with gay abandon and I was always having to go round to my mother to put it right. I am quite hopeless.

Non stop socks for me. Alternate grey and navy. Sometimes she branched out and put a school colour rim around the top. I loved them. Cosy as heck. Daresay I took her talents for granted as a child. Lovely Granny.....

Between my granny and my mum knitting it's a wonder our knickers weren't made of wool. Dolls were even kitted out with a new wardrobe on Christmas morning.

My nana always knitted our school cardigans every year and mittens with matching scarf's she always seemed to have a set of needles in her hand.
Mum did all our dresses with matching ribbons for Xmas and Easter the three of us always had the same every year.

I'm another who didn't have grandparents though I do remember " sharing " those of the next door neighbour's grandparents who lived with the family. Plenty of old aunts in long black dresses and white aprons who only knitted their eyebrows from what I can remember of them

It was mum who knitted everything when I was a baby/toddler/young child. I have a studio photograph which had been taken at 9 months old wearing a knitted dress. Pity I hadn't been smiling, though I wasn't a smiley child.

One Grandma deceased before I was born, other died when I was 2. I can just imagine the one who was alive would certainly have knitted something as her background was very self sufficient country life. The picture Vampurequeen posted shows the hat I knitted in white for my own DD.

I'm sure they must have done but I cannot remember either of my Grandmothers knitting. My Mother did & she taught me. One Grandmother did exquisite crochet & during the war made crocheted net curtains for Harrods. She taught me to crochet but not to her standard- I use wool - she used really fine crochet cotton. I have some bedspreads & table cloths she made. The table cloths come out at Christmas & for dinner parties.

I well remember watching my gran knitting on four needles socks I would wear in the summer.These were in cotton not wool.Is this where the saying ' bless your cotton socks' comes from?

Nope! One did knit, but not for me the other crocheted but again not for me. That was all left to mum!!

My dad's mum was fabulous with all types of needles and taught me. Everyone got my crocheted hot water bottle covers and we used to embroider table cloths together. When I was clearing my aunt's house I found one that had been in a chest since my DGM died in 1983. My mum's mum didn't knit but worked in a sock factory and brought home the machine rejects. At an early age we were taught to toe bit them (finish them off) then they were given as gifts at christmas. I still have her darning mushroom and the knowledge to use it!

I don’t remember either of my grandparents knitting for me unless maybe socks for wellies, I have however knitted for mine and was very touched recently when, having knitted a neck warmer for my 14 yr old grandson which he wore over his jacket. I tried to point out that it was meant to be worn under, and he replied, well that’s daft because no one will see it there and I really like it. Actually felt the proverbial lump in the throat

A swimming costume! Ugh!

Really made me smile, I’ve been knitting hats like mad for my family?, now on number 12, don’t think any of them will wear them but knitting them keeps me awake!!!

Nothing. My Nan hated knitting!
But my Mum was an obsessed knitter and a very good one. So throughout my childhood I had beautifully knitted jumpers, cardigans, dresses, socks, vests and bodices (remember those?). When I started secondary school I discovered school cardigans could be bought, and that no-one else wore vests let alone knitted ones, so I refused to wear what Mum made. She confessed then that she much preferred to knit small things like baby clothes but it had been cheaper to knit for me than to buy ready made. She made some beautiful mattinee coats and cardigans for our boys when they were born, always white as she insisted babies shouldn't be dressed in colours. Mum taught me to knit and I have made a few things over the years, but I find knitting slow and tedious so don't do much. I prefer to sew.

My gran was the knitter, my mum, her daughter, was a prewar qualified tailoress/dressmaker between them we were well clothed, only thing ever bought was underwear, including liberty bodices! However, she taught me to knit, made many jerseys, socks, all the baby clothes for my children for nieces and nephews and countless friends and relatives. Make anything from Arans to baby Shawls.
What a huge pity it’s a dying art, those woolly jumpers etc lasted for years!

One grandmother died when my mum was only a child and the other one when I was four so I hardly remember her. But there was a great aunt who used to come and stay and she knitted and sewed for us. Her speciality was smocking and as 50's children my sister and I loved the dresses she made for us. My mum knitted and sewed too when she had the time and my children remember the sets of matching Aran jackets she knitted for them.

I never had grandparents. They were both dead before I was born. My Mum made dresses for me though, and for my daughters too when they were small. I knit mostly toys for my Grandchildren now. They are grown up and don't want hand knitted clothes, except gloves and camping socks.

My grandparents never knitted for me but I knit for the grandchildren - with mixed reactions. I like traditional things which do not always go down as well as I would hope....but I think they are appreciated!!

Both my Granny and Nanna knitted, cardigans with special buttons (I remember ducks, flowers and ladybirds) school jumpers etc.

Granny knitted me a swimming costume, I can still feel the embarrassment of getting out of the lido and the costume sagging down to my knees exposing my torso

My parents both being the youngest in their families and my parents being caught up in the war for the first years of their marriage, by the time I came on the scene, both Nanna's were in their 80s with arthiritc hands, so they never knitted for us.

My mother was a wonderful knitter and I have some beautiful jumpers she made for my boys, which, unfortunately, my DiLs don't want. It doesn't get cold enough for aran knitwear these days. I liked mine to wear them on winter walks because I thought they would give more freedom of movement than a zipped up anorak.

One grandmother died before I was born and the other didn’t knit. My mother was a prolific knitter and kept us all cosy with sweaters, hats, scarves and mittens. She did Shetland lace and Fair Isle.

Neither of my grandmothers knitted for me, but my mum used to for her grandchildren. My son best remembers his Thunderbird Two jumper and my daughter her pink Power Rangers jumper. We still have them somewhere.

Allegretto I was about to say neither of my grannies knitted, but you reminded me of the vests! No fine wool, however, they were double knitting in pink and white. I hated them.
For my own children, the Bodach’s mother and aunt were prodigious knitters, and, ours being the only grandchildren, they were recipients of many beautifully crafted garments.

Really baggy cardigans which I was made to wear.