# Is it rude to indicate that you made the thing you were just complimented on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435 "2013-10-16T21:21:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/41 "2013-10-17T14:31:27Z")
Why would it be rude? It’s a great conversational lead: if the other person knows the first thing about knitting, within seconds the two of you will be engrossed in a discusion of the fine points of How To Make Those Socks. See: this thread. ETA: the Calvin and Hobbes? Man, it’s a pity the Kidlets already know where babbi comes from, cos I would so have loved pulling that one on them. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/42 "2013-10-17T15:39:26Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > [These](http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p4/rhiannon8404/Hypnosis.jpg) are the socks I was wearing today. They’re my favorite of all the ones I’ve made. 🙂 Wow! Those are very intricate and well made! No wonder you got compliments, and they look warm. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/43 "2013-10-17T16:06:26Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Why would it be rude? Imagine if the admirer already knows who made the thing and is offering sincere compliments on that basis, rather than trivially commending someone for being able to _buy_ something nice. Doesn’t responding with, “thanks, I made them” demean that? Imagine being asked to dinner, it is delicious, and you tell your hostess so. She responds, “thanks, _I made it_.” Well… no shit. Did she think you thought you were being served something out of a box in the freezer? That she had sent out to the place on the corner? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/44 "2013-10-17T16:51:04Z")
This thread is all one elaborate humblebrag, isn’t it? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/45 "2013-10-17T16:58:15Z")
My wife crochets and knits. The biggest issue with her saying “I made it!” after getting a compliment isn’t that anyone is put off or offended, it’s that they start in with the “OMG you have to make one for me! I’ll pay you!” Not that she’s adverse to getting money but people rarely understand the time/cost issue and I think a lot of hobbyist crafters would rather not work under a perceived deadline. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > Imagine if the admirer already knows who made the thing and is offering sincere compliments on that basis, rather than trivially commending someone for being able to _buy_ something nice. Doesn’t responding with, “thanks, I made them” demean that? I don’t get where the automatic assumption is “They’re complimenting me because they know I made it”. Especially with Etsy and eBay and boutique shops and any other avenue to buy hand crafted products these days. For your food example, I’d see it more like someone saying the cookies in the break room is great and you saying “Thanks, I made them!”. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/46 "2013-10-17T17:16:36Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > [These](http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p4/rhiannon8404/Hypnosis.jpg) are the socks I was wearing today. They’re my favorite of all the ones I’ve made. 🙂 WAY cool! 🆒 FWIW, you should be quite proud of them and also of the fact that you have mastered the skills required to make 'em! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/47 "2013-10-17T17:20:21Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This thread is all one elaborate humblebrag, isn’t it? > > 😉 Spoilsport! I keed, I keed! 😃 On the other hand, I have to agree with that characterization of this thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/48 "2013-10-17T17:24:02Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > “Thanks. For a hundred bucks, she can be your girlfriend for the night.” Only a _hundred_? A hundred for an hour, maybe. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/49 "2013-10-17T17:36:57Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Thanks; I’ll look for the book. I love making socks. I’m also the same name on Ravelry. > > Any other sock knitters on here? Maybe we need a SDMB group on Ravelry. There already is one, but it’s inactive. No reason not to start it back up, though. > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > It’s not rude at all. It also gives us an opportunity to ask you to make us a pair! 🙂 > > Those are great looking socks. I’d buy several. You might, but most people would not, simply because the yarn alone would run $10-$25 per pair. And that’s before a single stitch is cast on. I had this conversation with a gynecologist a few weeks ago, when she was looking at my socks and telling me I could totally sell those. > [@Jophiel](#): > > My wife crochets and knits. The biggest issue with her saying “I made it!” after getting a compliment isn’t that anyone is put off or offended, it’s that they start in with the “OMG you have to make one for me! I’ll pay you!” > > Not that she’s adverse to getting money but people rarely understand the time/cost issue and I think a lot of hobbyist crafters would rather not work under a perceived deadline. Yeah, this. I no longer take commission work for exactly those reasons. Someone on Ravelry put it best: Knitting is like sex–if I want to do it, I’d never take your money, and if I don’t want to you couldn’t pay me enough. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/50 "2013-10-17T18:01:52Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > I had this conversation with a gynecologist a few weeks ago, when she was looking at my socks and telling me I could totally sell those. I’ve never been to a gynecologist, but I think yours might be doing the examination wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/51 "2013-10-17T19:12:57Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This thread is all one elaborate humblebrag, isn’t it? > > 😉 LOL! I actually said that to **Suburban Plankton** when he told me someone asked for a picture. I was like, “Oh, man! They’re totally going to think I did this on purpose to brag!” I really asked because I do knit a variety of things and sometimes I wear them and sometimes I get compliments. When it’s a closer friend, I have no problem telling them I made it since they already know I knit. I just wondered how it would come across to someone I didn’t know all that well. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/52 "2013-10-17T19:47:21Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > LOL! I actually said that to **Suburban Plankton** when he told me someone asked for a picture. I was like, “Oh, man! They’re totally going to think I did this on purpose to brag!” I make pottery and I know exactly what you’re talking about. My problem is that when someone complements a piece I usually spend some time to point out all the flaws. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/53 "2013-10-17T20:06:58Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I’ve never been to a gynecologist, but I think yours might be doing the examination wrong. I don’t recall anyone saying they were on my _feet_. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/54 "2013-10-17T21:21:14Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying they were on my _feet_. Got me with that one. Made me laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/55 "2013-10-17T21:43:47Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > \ > You might, but most people would not, simply because the yarn alone would run $10-$25 per pair. And that’s before a single stitch is cast on. I had this conversation with a gynecologist a few weeks ago, when she was looking at my socks and telling me I could totally sell those.\ My sister has been making a good living selling her handmade jewellery at craft fairs, but she’s running into trouble now - the craft fairs are allowing people to bring in Chinese factory made jewellery, and there’s no way her prices can compete. The quality and specialness of the jewellery doesn’t compete either, of course, but people see a necklace for $25 versus a handmade real gemstone and silver necklace for $125 and they don’t see the value. > [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > I don’t recall anyone saying they were on my _feet_. Now I’m trying to picture where else you could put them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/56 "2013-10-17T22:05:31Z")
Learning that you made them would make me feel even better about complimenting your socks. I just added everyone in this thread who mentioned Ravelry to my friends list there. I’m a little embarrassed though. My grandmother used to tell me that there’s a difference between a thing looking hand made and home made. My projects look home made compared to **Rhiannon8404** ’s socks **kay T** ’s lace. Very nice work. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/57 "2013-10-18T00:41:16Z")
Thanks so much **gwendee**! (By the way, who are you on Rav?) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/58 "2013-10-18T02:45:43Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Imagine if the admirer already knows who made the thing and is offering sincere compliments on that basis, rather than trivially commending someone for being able to _buy_ something nice. Doesn’t responding with, “thanks, I made them” demean that? > > Imagine being asked to dinner, it is delicious, and you tell your hostess so. She responds, “thanks, _I made it_.” Well… no shit. Did she think you thought you were being served something out of a box in the freezer? That she had sent out to the place on the corner? “No shit”, really? Considering how many times I’ve been served food from the deli or a cake from the bakery… they making it is not a given at all. Saying “this salad is real good” and having the Kidlet pipe up “thanks, I helped Dad make it!” is not a given at all. The Redhead is known throughout the family as a horrid cook, most of her meals are from the deli or takeout - if she does cook something and it’s actually good, she certainly should let us know she made it! And FTR, my sister-in-law’s apple pies are much, much better than the baker’s (her chocolate cakes do leave something to be desired, oh well). ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/59 "2013-10-18T03:10:19Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > Got me with that one. Made me laugh out loud. Thanks, I made it up myself. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435/60 "2013-10-18T04:20:55Z")
One of my hobbies is 3D art. I display the latest image as my computer desktop. On occasion, people have commented upon the art and while I am always proud to claim it as my own, I find myself often telling the person about the work’s flaws. That seems to be common among other hobbyists. **Rhiannon8404** , I don’t think it ever rude to acknowledge another’s appreciation of your work. It will likely enhance the experience to have met the maker of the work. And, by the way, that was beautiful work on the socks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-indicate-that-you-made-the-thing-you-were-just-complimented-on/671435.md?page=4)