From the time I was a girl I remember imagining what it would be like to be a grandmother. Both of my grandmothers were a big part of my life, but they weren’t a part of my play. We didn’t have sleepovers, unless my parents were along, and I don’t remember sitting on their laps reading together or having conversations. Children played and adults visited.
What I do remember most about my grandmothers were their homes, down to the smallest detail. I often dream about those homes now as an adult. It's a bit sad that I didn’t grow up feeling as connected to the women my grandmothers were as much as the connection I have to their homes.
Now that I am a grandmother I do my best to create memories my grandchildren will carry with them. I make them things, and we make things together. They never come for a visit when I don't have a "project" handy for us to work on.
One day a few weeks ago my oldest grandchild, Olivia, asked me to teach her how to knit. I was skeptical. I taught myself to knit as a young woman. I wasn't sure an almost nine-year-old would have the dexterity/agility to manage the needles. But her birthday was approaching and I was grasping for suitable and interesting gifts for a nine-year-old girl. So I began to research teaching children to knit.
I decided to make this her gift. I bought a knitting kit with child needles, some extra yarn, a spool knitting doll, an amazing knitting book for children, wrapped it up in a pretty decorative box with a ribbon, and gave it to her with the promise of a sleepover and a knitting lesson. The sleepover was also to include a viewing of the new Disney Beauty and the Beast movie and some St. Patrick's day shenanigans.
After our busy day she was a bit too excited and distracted and I thought twice about mentioning the knitting lesson. But we started, with a little frustration. Then there was a moment when I could tell something clicked. Sure there were mistakes, but she had the concept. And she was having fun. That moment became a moment I will always treasure.
Later in the evening she told her mom on the phone, "I'm knitting and I'm great at it." She started out with the intention of knitting her mom a potholder but time was running short and she wanted to make sure she knew how to stop knitting. So the potholder became a fairy blanket and she learned to do a basic bind off.
First thing the next morning she grabbed the needles and the book. She looked up how to cast on and did it again, without help from me. I knew then my choice in books was a good one, and that a memory and hopefully a skill was born.
