I really should not love a past time that combines numerical patterns that must be adhered to coupled with an inability to follow how-to videos and illustrations, but I do! I love knitting! I can hardly follow a pattern, but...when I was 6 my very talented and crafty grandmother who could knit and crochet circles around anyone and everyone had an amazing next door neighbour whom I loved dearly named Grace. She had 3 daughters who were a bit older and seemed much more glamorous than I could ever hope to be. Their hand-me-downs were nothing short of Christmas Morning for me, especially the knitted ones!
One day my Nana's neighbour was visiting and two out of three of us were knitting. Nana knew I was always up for a challenge, so she asked me if I could tell the difference between her and Grace's knitting. I first looked at the colour of the yarn, "Well, Nana", I said with confidence, "Grace's yarn is yellow and your yarn is green. Green is my favourite colour and it is also your favourite colour". She continued to encourage me to look for differences. It was much like the back of magazines that ask you to find the subtle differences in the same picture, and since I had a subscription to Ranger Rick and the library had Highlights, I felt I was especially qualified and up to this task! After the yarn, I established that their needles were of different sizes, their patterns were different, and Nana was on a couch but Grace was on a chair. I noticed they were both wearing dresses, but not the same type. My Nana also had short hair, but Grace and her daughters had long flowing locks, way past their bottoms! My wonderful grandmother then had me sit between them - I on the edge of Nana's chair, looking back and forth between these two patient beautiful ladies working away. I thought I had finally had it - their knitting baskets were different, but then I paused. Such an insignificant day to others and probably one that could be quickly forgotten, but to me it was amazing! With a lightning bolt of realization I happily reported that Grace was using the yarn and needles differently from Nana!
That is right, Grace was a left-handed, or Continental knitter. For twenty amazing minutes which to me felt like twenty hours, I was taught how to knit left handed by Grace. I had never seen anyone else using their left hand more than their right, it was incredible! My maternal grandfather was left-handed, but back when he was growing up they tied his left hand behind his back so he couldn't use it. I was an enigma, a left handed child in a sea of right handed people. I had to have special left handed scissors, it took me longer to butter my toast (The angle was ALL wrong), everything seemed to be made for right handed people. As I got older I found many others who were left handed, even having the prestige of having a left hand fry scoop provided for my stint at McDonald's as a teen. But, this was way before the glamour days of inclusionary fry utensils, and I was amazed at how I loved to be able to do something that to me seemed so foreign and exotic.
As we got down to business and I was shown how to cast on, knit and purl I realized that these two amazing women had this fabulous experience for me preplanned. I was given yellow plastic knitting needles with brown ends and soft, light green yarn. I still have those yellow knitting needles in my knitting bag.
That glorious day will always stay close to my heart. I felt I belonged, I felt I could do a craft, I felt normal and included, and successful! Tune in for more of my knitting memories in days to come....
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