learning to knit

I don't remember learning to knit. I know I learned as a child, and I know my Grammie Rosie taught me. What I don't remember is the actual moment I learned to use sticks and string to make a loop, pull yarn through, and make a stitch. I vaguely remember red 'Red Heart' yarn and aluminum knitting needles. My grammie also taught me to crochet. As a child I remember making 'granny squares' and 'book worm' book marks, I don't crochet anymore. I don't remember knitting anything, except a small misshapen red square.

I got bitten by the knitting bug when I was in OT school. I remember my mom at that time sitting down and refreshing my memory on how to make the loops, pull yarn through and make stitches. I made hats, mittens, socks, knitting on and off for years. When I was pregnant with my son, I was placed on bed rest. With nothing to do (daytime tv was not an option, and I couldn't focus to read), I picked up my knitting. I haven't put it down since.

Knitting, not only provides me with entertainment and a creative outlet, it connects me to my past. Both of my grandmothers knit, my mom still knits. My Grammie Rosie knit basic things, afghans, hats and mittens. In her later years, she mostly knit dish cloths (one of which is pictured above). Every Christmas she would give them as gifts. I can't bear to use the one above, it was the last one she made me before she died. I try to remember her teaching me to knit and crochet, but the memory remains fuzzy. When you're a kid, you don't know that moment will be important one day. She still sits with me when I knit. When I am trying to tell myself that the mistake I made 3 rows back, which I think I can live with because "no one will know it is there"...She tells me, "but, you will know it is there" is always her response. She is right, I fix the mistake and go on. I tell her: "Thank-you grammie, for giving me this gift. Like so many of the things you gave me it came from your heart." Unlike so many material things/gifts that are cast off, I still have knitting to bring me joy, comfort, and connection.

On the knitting front, I have been sock crazy. I currently have 3 pairs in various stages of completion, and am thinking about casting on another pair in some of the 'Bearfoot' I picked-up last week. They are the perfect summer project, portable and small. Our summer has been pretty cool (I am not complaining, I hate hot, humid weather), so I have not had to put away the knitting. My last order from the Loopy Ewe put me in 'Loopy Groupie' status, with lots of cool stuff included in the package. I generally try to shop at my LYSs, but TLE has lots of great independent dyers, that I can't find here, and their customer service is great.
Here are my Mini Mochi socks, heel is turned and I am on the home stretch: