Happy Trails For Us: My Reluctant Blog

or crochet. My grandmother taught me how to crochet a doily when I was nine years old, but I don't remember doing anything else until I was all grown. My mother was not into the home arts as they were called, my grandmother was actually a step-grand and had not raised her or her sisters. In middle school, then called junior high, I learned to sew and actually made a lot of my clothes after that - it was the mini-skirt era, so how hard was that?

In college I learned how to do needlepoint from a dorm friend, but when I got to Toronto several years later, newly married, cold winters, not a lot of friends at first, I picked up the needles and started to knit. Some of my office friends got afghans and baby sweaters, David even got a cable vest. I did this until oh maybe early 80's, back in California, having our own baby, made a few more afgans, and then with babies 2 and 3, pretty much put down the needles. I do have several half-finished needlepoint projects from that era, only one tallit bag ever got done.

Anyway, flash forward to a few years ago when I picked up the needles again, this time pretty large ones and basically knit a scarf for anyone who had a neck. I'm wearing one today made from yarn I bought in Florence. The I found my inner afghan and made a few more baby blankets for colleagues, neighbors with grandchildren. Finally, this year I was able to make a blanket for our own soon-to-be-born grandchild, in yellow and white, to go with the bedding for the cradle. Then I started a second one, which I finished last Sunday in front of our new grandson. He also has some lovely sweaters from Grandma Kerry and Great Aunt Sue in Australia - I think I will leave the more complicated work to them.

Here's the afghan, tossed on Flippa, baby's dolphin:

This week I bought some yarn for new projects. I am going to make a cradle blanket for my newly pregnant niece, who will hopefully take over the family cradle in August, and I am also going to try my hand at a hooded cardigan for our baby, but in a size larger enough for next winter. This should keep me busy for awhile.

Not sure if I plan to dust off the sewing machine again - that's a whole other concept. And I would probably have to upgrade my 35 year old model. Knitting/crocheting should be enough to keep me busy for now.