My Grandma

My maternal grandmother raised ten kids (five boys, five girls) mostly on her own.  She cooked, cleaned, sewed the majority of their clothes (including wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses of her own design for all the girls, as well as many things for my dolls) worked as a legal secretary, and was, of course, a knitter.  It is because she taught my mom to knit that I know how.  She was Frances Claus Winholt, the heart of our family.  Smart, funny, and altogether talented, we all loved her very much.

 

Looks like a sweater to me.  By the time I was grown, her eyes had gotten bad enough that she no longer knit, and it's sad that we never talked about the things she made or what her favorite patterns were.  I'm even left to wonder if she was a sock knitter.  I'll have to ask my aunt.  

But I'm very happy that she was a knitter, because otherwise I don't know if I would ever have learned to do this.

• Mockery Socks - This is a fun pattern, but the next time I make it, I'll use a size 1 needle, instead of a 0.  They came out just a bit tight.
• Pagewood Farm yarn.  Denali hand-dyed sock yarn in the Fruit Freeze colorway.  It was a gift from my friend Meg.  My monitor shows it as more red, but really it's a nice, bright orange.   Lovely stuff.
  

 That's one of my three current projects done.  There are several other non-knitting things to be attended to today, then attention can be paid to knitting.  Hopefully, project #2 will make its appearance soon!

Comments

[Karen]

Very pretty socks Jane!

[Debbie]

Those are some fancy toes ya got there.

[Lynn]

that's a great picture of your grandmother! I swear pictures from that era all look the same, I think I have something similar of my grandmother!

[Meg]

Nice socks! The yarn looks fabulous in that pattern. You have such a talent for using just the right yarn for each sock pattern!!!! I need to pick my Mother's brain about how I learned to knit--just cannot remember. Loved reading about your Grandmother-great photo of her. I've decided to stay in Boulder until Saturday so that I can attend a huge fiber festival. :-p I'll keep a lookout for some local stuff. See y'all on Sunday...

[Chris]

How cool that you have that history behind you!

Gorgeous socks.

[Sydney]

Great photo and story of your grandma! I love how the Mockery socks came out.

[Brittany Newberry]

OMG Jane! No wonder you are so talented. Thanks for the great story. The socks look great! Monkeys have been on my "to do" list for about a year now..........

[Robin]

Meant to add -- my great-aunt, Mary, did all kinds of hand / fibery stuff - knitting, crocheting, rug hooking, rug braiding. I wish she was around for me to share my love of those things with her.

[Robin]

Mockery socks - cool sock pattern. Thanks for the link.

[Dee]

Grandmas are great for teaching the needlearts. I learned to crochet from mine.

My "aunt" (actually a friend of my Mom and Dad) taught me how to knit. I thought she was so sophisticated and I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

Okay .... so I don't have platinum blond dyed hair done up in a french twist, but I did learn to knit (just like her!).

Beautiful socks. I love that bright color!

[Trish]

Both of my Grandmas crocheted, but I don't remember them knitting. Mom knit and must've taught me, though I have no recollection of it happening. I do have a VERY DORKY photo of me at a very young age bent over my needles. Maybe someday I'll share it. Love the picture of your dear Grandma