knitting (a story)

My middle name is Gretchen (did you know that?) and I'm named after my Grandma, my Dad's mother, who died years before I was born. As a little girl I always remembered being so sad that I never had the chance to meet her. I remember seeing pictures of her and thought she was so beautiful and hearing stories about how she was a great cook and loved to knit. I remember the day, ok not the exact day, but round about day, I discovered a sweater she made for my dad when he was 18 years old. I thought it was beautiful and instantly wanted to create beautiful sweaters just like her. I guess, I just always wanted to be like her because we shared the same name.


[my inspiration, the sweater my grandma made for my dad 45 years ago, yes I stole it from him with his permission...sort of]

Life happened, time went on, and I never learned how to knit until the fall of 2001, specifically labor day weekend. I was up in Afton, WY and my aunt, my Dad's sister, got me started on a red hat (seen below on Megan) and taught me how to cast on and the basic knit stitch. I was so excited when I got home to be knitting that I went to the local wool shop to get a pattern and some cute yarn. The lady at the store told me I should start with a scarf, but I was more ambitious. I had just knit a hat (that was practice, right?) and wanted to dive right in and make a sweater. I figured if I'm going to be knitting I might as well be knitting what I want.

I found a very cute cardigan sweater (pg. 13 ) in Debbie Bliss Quick Baby Knits pattern book that I decided to tackle. Since I really had no idea how to add or decrease a stitch or even how to read a pattern I invested in The Complete Idiots Guide to Knitting and Crocheting. I think there are better ones out there now, how could there not, but it work great for my needs at the time. Plus it also taught me how to crochet so it was a two in one.

A few months later, a book read, and a few stops back to the wool shop for advice I had made this.


[my first sweater. Megan wanted to try it on and I thought it wouldn't fit because it's a 2t. Then I remembered, after she had it on, that I messed up and made the sleeves way too long so although it is tight in the mid section the sleeves fit.]

I have to say I was so pleased that I actually made a sweater (mind you, it wasn't any old sweater it had a collar, button holes, and even pockets) it made me feel like I could create anything. Seriously, it was very empowering.

I won't go on and on with the rest of this history, but suffice to say, along the way, somewhere in the middle of making hats for my wee little ones, booties, scarfs, blankets, and a few more sweaters still unfinished, I found the perfect pattern and made a sweater just like the one my Grandma made for my Dad (below).


[my first hat and aran sweater, photo taken in the fall]

I think this is my favorite knitting project so far and the one that made me feel closer to my Grandma than anything. I like to think knitting is in my blood thanks to her. I like to think I am closer to her and know her when I knit...so that is how I got started and why I never want to stop.