December 11, 2015
Dear Everyone:
“Jeannie” started
knitting many, many years ago because, in part, the woman who ran
the office where “Jeannie” did a lot of work started a “Knitting Class”.
Actually, the “teacher” was someone else, but most of the women
who worked in that office were “encouraged” to attend the weekly
“class”. In reality, it was
a kind of semi-work-related-“social-club” with knitting on the side.
I started knitting when I was in high school.
Then I forgot about it until I was a freshman in college at the
University
of Oregon. Suddenly
hand-knitting slippers was all the rage and everyone was taking up
knitting.
I particularly remember a young lady in my dormitory who needed yarn for
knitting, but didn’t want to spend any money.
So instead, she unraveled a wool
sweater that her mother had given her, using the community
ironing
board and iron
to steam out the “kinks” in the yarn so that she could put new kinks in
as she knitted a pair of slippers from the pattern that was making the
rounds. I don’t know how
much her mother paid for that wool sweater; but I’d be willing to bet
those were a very expensive pair of slippers, assuming she even finished
them.
Then I forgot about knitting again.
In time I took up
crochet instead. I found
it easier, despite the fact that I held the hook “wrong” according to all the books and our mother.
One time, as I was working on a project, I overheard her say to a
friend, “I don’t know which bothers me more:
The fact that she’s holding the hook
wrong, or the fact that she’s
going three times as fast as I ever could.”
The fact is: I enjoy
crocheting more than I enjoy knitting and isn’t that what it’s all
about? It gives me something
to do with my hands and is more productive than
Solitaire
and Jigsaw Puzzles.
In time, “Jeannie’s” “knitting class” fell apart as people changed jobs,
moved to other parts of the country and just lost touch with one
another.
Last summer, we found out about group of people who meet every other
Saturday in the basement of the
Martinez Public Library.
The official name is:
Needle Art with
“Maisie”. It is not limited
to knitting, or crochet, or
needlepoint, or
embroidery or
anything else that technically involves needles of one sort or another.
Mostly, it’s knitting and crochet.
And “Maisie” is not the only one there who knows a great deal
about working with needles and hooks.
The bottom line is: If you
want to learn how to knit, crochet, etc., “Maisie” is more than willing
to show you how and get you started.
If, like “Jeannie”, you know how to knit, crochet, etc., but need
someone to help when you get off track, “Maisie” is there to help.
And if she’s not there that day, plenty of others are.
Once again, it’s a sort of “social club” with knitting, crochet, etc.,
on the side. We sit around a
table, working our various projects and talking about just about
everything. I find it very
enjoyable and it serves to satisfy my crochet-cravings.
As to what I’m making?
Several people will find out on
Christmas morning.
(Oh, boy! Yet
another hand-crafted car cover!)
Speaking of Christmas, with all the usual Holiday proceedings, I may not
have time to write another Letter until after the Big Day.
In which case…
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
Love, as always,
Pete
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