In 1963 my father was transferred from Hawaii (where we had lived for 4 years) to the Naval Annex. We stopped in California to visit grandparents. My fathers mother was the grandmother I was the closest to and she had a pioneer spirit. She was born in Fall brook California as the last of 6 children. When we visited she taught me to embroider on flour sack cloths. Because she insisted that my backs were as neat as my fronts I learned from her the care in handiwork. I didn't actually learn to knit until 1967 when we moved to upstate New York. My mother bought size 35 needles and an instruction book. From the pictures she taught herself enough to knit a bulky sweater for my father (He was 6'3" and over 250 lbs). From my mother I learned to knit simple things scarves, stocking caps and mismatched mittens. I would take my allowance to the 5 and dime store in Endicott and buy yarn for mittens. When I was reading Harry Potter books I just loved Dobby's socks and the fact they didn't match really brought home the memory of mittens...I really needed mittens as we had horses and caring for them in the winter without mittens wasn't very warm.
I started seriously knitting while in high school. I would knit during class lectures looking back fairly rude of me but, that way I would listen to lecture. I knitted the ugliest variegated purple sweater for my brother Joe (6' 5") and bless him he wore it out.
When I met Stephanie (she was my daughters grandmother) in 1973 she was the one who had the patience and time to answer my questions regarding yo etc. I loved and still do love fisherman sweaters. I was still knitting in acrylic yarns and she taught me to appreciate wool, silk, and cotton yarns. When she died in 1977 I lost a good friend and knitting buddy. She had at the time of her death 22 knitting bags for every room, her car, and her class room. She introduced me to Penguion Yarns, and their beautiful magazine.
I stopped knitting for many years, only to start again when my daughter was a teenager.
If you stop by here..... and have a story or two of your knitting teachers ... please feel free to post.
ps finally finished the 8 pairs of socks I started the weekend after Thanksgiving. Good thing I really enjoy knitting socks.
Merry Christmas
Karen
