Finished Project

When people ask how I learned to knit, I always wish I could say, "My grandmother taught me." Or, "I learned from my mother." But I learned from a 39-cent Coats & Clark how-to book many years ago that I bought when I worked at our local 5 & 10 cent store after school. It was my job was to restock the yarn shelves. I loved handling all the colors. So I taught myself how to knit a little way back then. I've learned much more in the last few years.

I was excited when Big Sister wanted me to show her how to knit. A few days spent at our house during a snow storm gave us plenty of time to try something new. The very first day she finished an iPod cover. Then she chose her own second project--a scarf for her sister. This project took lots longer than the little iPod cover. Probably longer than she anticipated, but she stayed with it. A few rows every day. And she learned to deal with frustration when some rows had to come back out to be knit over again. "Patience", I kept saying, "Everyone makes mistakes. It's how we learn." After a few weeks, she finished and it was with great pride that she gave the red scarf to Baby Sister who happily modeled it for the camera.

Big Sister now has a beautiful knitting bag of her own. The one she was promised if she finished the scarf. She's looking carefully for the next project. Pretty sure she wants a small one this time. Hopefully, many years from now, when someone asks Big Sister, "Where did you learn to knit?", she will fondly say, "My grandmother taught me."