My sister's best friend had just gotten pregnant after losing a baby the year before (she did have a 12 yr.old daughter,also). We were so excited, I offered to surprise her with a hand knitted blanket. So the older daughter would not feel left out, I made one for her and for the baby- a natural bonding gift. When finished, I sent them to my sister(I live 5 hours away)to bring to the shower. Several months later, I asked how the mom & teenager had responded to the matching gifts. My sister,who does no crafts, said "Well,I know how sensitive babies are, so I washed both blankets on hot. They shrank so much, I could only give the big one to the baby." What did she do with the original baby sized blanket? She gave it to her chihuaua.(Sigh!) She couldn't understand my silence.
It is always a good idea to send a note on care with a handmade gift!