Knitting Passion

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My nearly teen aged granddaughter has asked me to teach her how to knit. So, Saturday she and her friend and I spent most of the morning together. First they came to my house and I got needles out for them and let them choose a practice ball of yarn from my stash.

Then we began to learn to cast on and from there to knit. There were sighs, giggles, and many exclamations of “Gramma! help!” followed by more giggles and sighs.

At 10 we went to the library where we joined the Gathering of Knitters for a bit over an hour. We did much giggling there as well as “frogging” (a term I had yet to hear - but it fits) good naturedly.

When we left the group I took the girls to a local sewing shop which also has yarns - we went, as far as they knew, to purchase ribbon for the baby bonnet (pics of it tomorrow). However, after we picked out the ribbon I told them to follow me.

I led my little parade (no, we didn’t have a permit for our parade, but we paraded anyway ) to the back of the store and watched as their eyes grew bigger as they saw just how many yarn varieties there are. Then I let them each pick a skein of worsted to use once they felt comfortable with the practice yarn. Oh, the angst and decision making that went on - this color, no this color, no, that one . . .

It was lovely to watch. Thanks, girls, for asking me to work play with you.

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Looking for a way to give back? - me, too. I will be sharing sites from time to time that you may like to help with also.

I receive newsletters from Bobby Matela who is the editor of Creative Knitting magazine. Today’s newsletter featured a way to help veterans:

The Museum reports that it received over 600 hand-knitted and crocheted scarves from 38 different states since October 2006. The scarves were distributed to V.A. Hospitals and other Veteran’s organizations. Since the scarves are still coming in at a good rate, the Museum has committed to continuing the distribution through 2007. Lauren Handley, the education programs coordinator, introduced this program to show WW ll veterans appreciation for their service.

This goes to my heart as my dad was a WWII vet - he died in 1966 in the Vet’s hospital in Dayton, Ohio. When I was small there were also a lot of WWI vets in my home town. You may not believe this, but there were even vets from before that war. (They were incredibly old to my young eyes, of course).

If you will check out the link to the National World War II Museum you will find a link to a free pattern (it’s a pdf) that you can download and use to make one (or several) scarves for veterans. There’s an address to send the completed scarf to.

There is also a map showing which states have contributed so far. I’m ashamed to see that Alaska is one of the ones that has NOT contributed. I am heading out to check my stash and take care of that problem tonight.

from the site:
How to Participate

Please include your mailing address, so we can recognize your generosity by sending you a certificate of participation and let the veterans know where the scarf has come from.

(there is also a link to a pattern for crochet)

I hope you will consider adding to the knitting circle of care as we warm up our vets.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Knit on!
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