Making And Giving

There is joy is making and joy in giving. Here is a look at some of the making and the giving that has happened around here in the last several weeks. And some of these makers gave things to me. There is also joy in receiving. 

I can barely keep up with the baby hats. The babies just keep coming. Don't you love the yarn bowl made by my friend Sue? It's made of clothesline so I can squish it up a little and pack it when I travel.

And one more sweet hat for a long anticipated baby. Jessica's co-workers look forward to "one of your mom's little hats" when a new baby arrives. (The how-to for making these hats is in a previous blog post.)  And they look forward to a "new mom" meal from Jessica, too. She makes delicious food and loves to give it when the need arises.

I love that I have friends with tremendous talent and skill. They love making AND giving. This linen handkerchief with a tatted edging was a lovely surprise in the mail a few weeks ago. It was made by a knitter friend Sonja who is skilled in many needlecrafts. She thought the mother-of-the-bride might need this for happy tears. I think she's probably right. In fact, I know she's right. There have been some happy tears already as I watched Jessica and her Daddy-O practice their father/daughter dance.

And another lovely gift given to me a few days ago. A finely handcrafted seam ripper. Have you ever seen anything like it?  Such workmanship. This was a thank you from a friend who borrowed my sewing machine when hers went on the fritz at the last minute while finishing Easter dresses for her granddaughters. Her son (father of one of the granddaughters) made this beautiful seam ripper. I am thrilled to have one. Lots of making and giving was involved in this exchange. 

For the last couple of months, my knitting energy has been focused on Jessica. I just finished a wedding shawl to keep her warm at the outdoor reception in the cool evening. She chose this pattern with a geometric design. She wasn't a fan of lace and ruffles as a little girl. She hasn't changed much. There is a lot of love knitted into this shawl. The bamboo yarn has a softness and heaviness that creates a beautiful drape. I hope when she wraps it around her shoulders, it will feel like a hug from her mother. I'll share a photo of the bride wearing it after the wedding.

And last week, I drove to a Chick Fil A on the south side of Atlanta to meet a dear knitting friend who had this stunning exquisite gift ready to give to me—a beaded lace shawl for me to wear at the wedding. This was probably the most elegant parking lot handoff ever! (The tiny beads don't show up well in these photographs, but they just twinkle in the light!) She had heard me say that if I had time after I finished Jessica's wedding shawl, I'd love to make one for myself. To be honest, I doubt that would have really happened. And she instinctively knew that. I am more grateful than words can say.

I tried to figure out what to give Jennifer in return, to thank her for this enormous gift of knitting and of time and of skill. She told me that she didn't expect anything. In her words... "I want you to know I give you the shawl freely to enjoy. I get an enormous amount of satisfaction knitting for someone who appreciates it and being a small part of your special day."

I've been on the receiving end of so much thoughtfulness lately. I love giving things I've made, but I also have loved receiving these special gifts. I fully appreciate the skill and time that went into the making of each one. So many wonderful gifts have come my way in the last couple of weeks that a song from The Sound Of Music popped into my head. Well, part of the song. These were the only words that I remembered. But I've been humming this for days now....

 🎶...somewhere in my youth or childhood,

I must have done something good.

To the many readers who commented (here, by email, & by text) on the previous post, On Being A Grandmother, I'm glad this one spoke to you. We grandmothers are entrusted with a precious mission...to pass along family traditions and stories, to care, to listen patiently, to love without limit—and to do it all with good humor. It doesn't hurt if you bake really good cookies, too!

(Before you tell you you don't bake, let me say that Tate's Bake Shop Cookies are also excellent. And I can find them in my small town grocery store.)