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.

personal history

This is the lesson I gave today in YW. I was actually really excited to give it and it went very well. The girls were really receptive to my thoughts and my passion for documenting life. I told them about my Grandmother I am named after that I believe I am a lot alike. I don't have journals of her's to read, but I do know the things she loved to do. Things that I am also interested in and it makes me feel closer to her. Makes me feel like I am connected to her even though I never met her in this life.

So while preparing for this lesson I was amazed at how much I am documenting my life for my children and those to come. My blog is a great example of course of a continuous journal. A place that really holds my true thoughts emotions and what I am going through right now in my life. I hope it will be invaluable to my girls as they become mothers. Scrapbooking is also a really great way I am document life. I didn't say "my life" because I have few pages of myself, but I am challenging myself to do more. I certainly have learned a lot about "me" through the few layouts I have created. I love them and look forward to my girls knowing who I am through my art. Next photography. I see photography as a great way of docuementing life. It's a visual way of seeing what life was like and how I lived and what was important to me.

I have never been so great at keeping a journal, though when I do, I love the freedom it gives me. It is my best friend at times, which is why often I feel there are entries that need to be burned. Times I was too critical or too frustrated and don't want anyone to read it. But honestly, that is me. That is real. That is my life and I wouldn't want to take that away.

So I applaud you all for keeping a journal by writing in your blog. For opening up and sharing something for all of us to learn from. For learning about yourself. For giving this gift to your family. The gift of you.

I love being apart of this.