He Returned to His Dying Ex-Wife After 10 Years – And Found a Peace He Didn’t Expect

Handmade gifts carry something special – patience, love, hours of quiet dedication, and little imperfections that prove a real human created it.

But what happens when the recipient expects machine-level perfection from a gift that was made by hand? That’s exactly what happened to one crocheter, whose heartfelt blanket turned into a surprising family dispute.

This story dives into the expectations placed on handmade work, the value of time and effort, and what happens when gratitude gets overshadowed by perfectionism.

Here’s The Original Post:

The Handmade Gift With Good Intentions

The story begins when a woman crocheted a blanket for her sister-in-law, Amanda.

Amanda had requested a set of specific colors, and since the crocheter already had most of the yarn and wasn’t working on other projects, she was happy to make it.

Nothing about the request felt burdensome, she enjoyed crocheting, and crafting the blanket became a project of love.

After finishing the blanket, she brought it to Amanda last weekend. Amanda’s face lit up immediately. She unfolded the blanket, looked over every detail, and the crocheter assumed she was simply admiring the stitches and the work that went into it.

But instead of appreciation, things took a sudden turn.

“I Love It, BUT…”: The Perfectionist Twist

After inspecting it for a while, Amanda began pointing out what she called “mistakes”:

• One stripe section had one row instead of three

• A color switch happened earlier than it should have

• A minor pattern break only noticeable if someone studied it closely

These were tiny inconsistencies, normal for handmade items and usually invisible to anyone not actively searching.

Then Amanda handed the blanket back.

She said she loved the progress and couldn’t wait to see the finished version.

The crocheter was stunned. She gently explained that the blanket was finished. That’s when Amanda declared it wasn’t “done” until it was “perfect,” and that she wouldn’t be able to use it because she’d “notice the mistakes.”

She insisted the crocheter could “easily” go back and fix them.

Anyone who crochets knows this is laughably wrong.

Why “Fixing” Isn’t Simple in Crochet

Here’s the reality:

If a mistake happens on row 36 of a 115-row blanket, the only way to fix it is to unravel everything above row 36.

It’s hours – or days – of work undone. Crocheters don’t “spot-fix” the middle of a finished project the way a person might touch up a painting.

This blanket was complete. But Amanda insisted it wasn’t good enough.

She even said the crocheter’s work was “half-assed.”

That was the last straw.

Taking the Blanket Back

The crocheter calmly said:

“If you don’t want it like this, then I’ll just keep it.”

Amanda was shocked. She said she did want the blanket – just not “with mistakes.” She accused the crocheter of being “ridiculous” for refusing to fix it.

But at that point, the message was clear:
Amanda didn’t appreciate the gift unless it met flawless, unrealistic standards.

So the crocheter kept the blanket and turned to Reddit, wondering whether she had overreacted.

People who craft understood the physical labor behind every stitch. 

Others focused on the entitlement and ungratefulness in Amanda’s response. 

Many pointed out how handmade items are unique precisely because they’re not flawless.

This situation reveals a powerful truth: Not everyone is “craft-worthy.”
If someone treats a handmade gift like it should come off a factory assembly line, they may not deserve the time, skill, or heart that goes into handmade items.

The crocheter’s reaction was widely supported because she wasn’t rude – she simply protected her time, effort, and self-respect. She gave Amanda a choice: appreciate the blanket as it is, or not at all.

And Amanda chose “not at all.”

In the end, the crocheter walked away with her blanket, her dignity, and newfound clarity about who truly values her work.