"What is it?" The girl asked. I told her it was a sock. To prove it, I turned it upside-right so she could see it in a more sock-like pose.
"WOW," she replied, eyes filled with awe. "How did you learn to do that?" I said my Mom taught me when I was little.
"Mommy," she turned to her and asked, "will you teach me to do that?"
"As soon as I get someone to show me how, sweetie," her Mom answered.
I decided there I would make this week's post in praise of my Mom, the craftster who started me down this path with yarn. When I was little, she taught me to crochet first, then knit. I did both off and on through my life, but it's only the past ten years or so it's become a passion for me.
Mom taught me other crafts as well; sewing, baking, embroidery...except tatting. She kept telling me she'd teach me to tat when I was older. I'm 34 now, Ma, am I old enough? :)
I hear from a lot of people who talk to me about crafting that their grandmother would knit, sew, or crochet, but their mom didn't, and so they never learned. Somehow, fiber arts skipped a generation.
In today's society, we don't need to pass on skills or trades to our children for their livelihood. I think that's why a lot of people in my age group weren't taught these things as kids. Although I am grateful for the advancement of women in society, and the other advancements we've made, I'm sad about this loss. I hope the current "craze" with knitting, and now crocheting, will be passed on, both to sons and daughters (Mom was ahead of her time there, too; my brother was taught cross-stitching, and made a quite a few great bits of art).
All of this makes me so lucky that I had a Mom that didn't skip on the crafting, and was able to pass it on to me. I also realize that I've never asked her how she was taught, something I should rectify in the future.
Until I have kids to pass this on to, I'll do my part by giving lessons, and inspire awe in kids on the subway.
And the sock, so far:
(Picture quality is due to being taken with a cell-phone; my digital camera is in mood, and won't work today.)
2 comments:
My mom learned how to knit, and apparently made an aran sweater, among other things. She stopped doing it before I was born, though, so she never taught me. She did pick up the needles again recently, but I think she put them down again shortly after. It's kind of a pity, because I think she'd be very good at it.
I'm going to teach any kids I have how to knit, unless they really don't want to.
I am so touched by what you said about me, and so very proud of you with how you think of things to do with crafts, I taught you the basics but you went flying. Your aunt Marie did a lot of knitting and she and Skip helped me alot when I got stuck on something. Think we can find a loopy dog for Bob? Love you lots "Ma"
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