So, I knit, too

I learned to knit and crochet from a neighbor who had all boys, and was dying to show a young'n like me how to do things like knit, make pom-poms and decorate cakes. Boy was she fun. Then I sort of forgot all about yarn and sticks until about 10 years ago. I had a friend who was crocheting something and I wanted to learn again. I made a zillion doilies. Gave most of them away. Then another friend helped me remember how to knit so I could make a felted purse. That resulted in about 20 purses that also got given away. Loads of fun.


Today, I'm knitting a Christmas stocking that has a history as long as I've been living. When I was a baby, my Gran'ma knitted me a Christmas stocking with my name on it. She went on to knit similar stockings for everyone who was born or married into the family. My husband and 2 of our 3 kids have them. She passed away about 2 years ago, and my 2 year old needs one.

They're not just ordinary stockings. They're over 2 feet long, and very stretchy, so you could fit enough gifts for a family of 4 inside one. Or the legs of a young child. I used to try to use my Christmas stocking like a potato-sack and jump all around the house. Then I got in big trouble for it. Parents are such joy-kills. Of course, if my kids ever did that, I'd wring their necks! lol

It's knit from a graph, "Knit O Graf" is the company name. Top-down, in the flat (you can have a bulky seam if you're not wearing it, right?), with the heel done last. I haven't gotten that far yet, so I don't know how hard that is. Wish me luck - I'll probably need it!

I started this last summer, as in a year and a half ago. This baby has kept me rather busy - colicky, precocious, cat-torturing, has to everything I'm doing - so handwork has been on hold for these 2 years. Besides which, it seems everytime I sit down, I'm missing either the pattern (where does it run away to?), the current color (which is why I put it away the last time), or the scissors (which I borrowed for what?), or I have everything and get all the various colors situated, needles in hand, and someone NEEDS me. You know how it goes.

So another Christmas has come and gone, do you think I'll finish by her 3rd Christmas!? lol