Mimi's Joy

One of the great joys of grandmothering is seeing your grandchildren share your interests. When they love what I love, it makes my heart full. We've cooked and baked together since they were big enough to peep over the kitchen counter. But as they grow and their world expands, we have even more things to share.

I started taking piano lessons just before I started first grade, so I've been playing a long time. But truly nothing has been any more fun than playing duets with Little Sister. We are now playing a rockin' bluesy version of Give Me That Ol' Time Religion. When I happen to be at their house on a piano lesson day, I love listening to her teacher. If my teacher had used the methods that this gifted teachers does, I would be a better pianist now. Little Sister has taken to playing  piano like a duck takes to water. Combine that with an excellent teacher and she will go far.

One of the birthday gifts I gave to Baby Girl was a knitting spool. When I was a child I used a homemade version (wooden thread spool with four finishing nails tapped into the top) and made a few things with it.

I know I was older than this little one when I worked with a knitting spool, but she has asked to knit so many times that I thought maybe she could do this. Boy, did she!

When the piano teacher was leaving this week, Baby Girl told her, "When you come back, I'll teach you how to knit." It's good to be confident in your abilities. And she has reason to be. 

The day I was to leave, she finished her necklace and then quickly made a bracelet...with a bow so it will be "fancy"...to go with it. (Understand that I get it started and then close it up. She's just turned 5.) She proudly wore her new jewelry to a school program to see Little Sister make a presentation. 

The piano teacher did ask what you could make with this kind of knitting. My too-quick answer was "not much." The Wonder Knitter makes a tube of knitting. But a quick Google search will show you many ways to make more sophisticated projects. They are still primarily in the jewelry category, but they are beautiful pieces. If you happen to have a grandmother with a wide range of leftover yarns to play with and maybe some beads left from a fleeting interest in that craft, there are many possibilities. I do remember, when I was about 10, coiling up the knitting tube and stitching it together to make a doll house rug. 

While I was there, Baby Girl also asked me to knit a hat for her doll Camille. She has a Wellie Wisher (a 14-inch doll.) I had yarn left from a baby hat, so I whipped up a hat that evening, making it up as I knitted.

Here is the pattern I made up. I tried a different decrease for the top of this hat and really like how it worked out. Camille was happy with her hat. Baby Girl liked it, too. Now she wants a blue one. With a sweater to match.

WELLIE WISHER HAT  ...for Camille

MATERIALS:

DK yarn, size 5 DPNs, yarn needle

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cast on 60. 

Knit K2 P2 for 6 rounds. 

Next round, knit all and increasing 4 stitches, evenly spaced. (64 st)  

Knit in stockinette until hat measures 2-1/2  to 3 inches from cast on edge. 

K2tog all the way around. (32 st.)

Knit one round. 

K2tog all the way around. (16 st.)

Knit one round. 

K2tog all the way around. (8 st.)

Cut yarn leaving 7 inch tail. Run yarn through stitches on needles and pull snug to close. 

Take yarn to wrong side and weave it in. Weave in cast on yarn. 

If I had other needles handy, I might go down a needle size for the ribbing.