Proof That I Still Attend Knitting Events

Yesterday I learned of a knitting group that meets in the town where I grew up, and David had to do some campaign-related activities in the same town, so I decided to go along with him and find my people. And find them I did. You know what's so great? Knitters are knitters everywhere you go. Our hands all speak the same language. 

It still kind of boggles my mind.

I knew a few of these ladies from my childhood, and some were new acquaintances last night, but the atmosphere was warmly welcoming, everybody was working on something nice, and it was just a fun, fun time. 

FAB story being told by one of them: I don't think she remembered me, but I remembered her. She is about my mom's age, and she comes from the same town in rural Quebec. She's lived here as long as my mom and my aunt have, but is still a Canadian citizen. She was telling the story that her husband has been hounding her a bit for not doing enough. (Those French Canadian farmers; I'm tellin' ya!)

She said, "I said to him, I've got 49 pairs of mittens made -- I'm being productive!"  He said, "But you aren't doing anything for your mind!" 

So she went to her doctor and told him this story. Her doctor sent her home with a prescription for her health:  

"Walk. Knit. Read."  

"I posted it up on the refrigerator, and now my husband doesn't bother me about my knitting anymore."  

Not doing anything for her mind?! She's reading charts, she is doing math, she is doing spatial reckoning, she's creating 3-dimensional objects, she is doing eye-hand coordination! <-----I said this to her. 

Her eyes got kind of big. Hm. She hadn't thought of it that way. She just enjoys it, is all.  

And, last night she was teaching a relatively new knitter how to read the directions and how to knit a mitten. Those are her helpful hands in the final photo down below. Well, two of those hands are hers. The third one is the person trying not to poke her own eyes out with her knitting needles out of frustration. (Kidding, Sherry!)

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I even managed to add a few inches to my red scarf in progress. I amazed myself that I remembered the Corrugator stitch pattern after it had sat dormant for so long.

 

Comments

[toni in florida]

Not using her mind, indeed! Isn't that what (uninformed) people who work in offices think about farmers? Good for her doctor for recognizing that knitting is a vital part of her good health. And good for you for pointing out the mental aspects of the craft... although I'm a little surprised she hadn't thought of it herself. Talk about knitters undervaluing themselves and their craft!

[Carole]

Norma, you aren't turning into a joiner, are you? hahahaha

[Bev]

She could also listen to a book on an MP3 player WHILE knitting and then really blow her husband's mind!

[Nora]

I just love the photos of the hands.

I think your friend is just enough older than we are not to have been taught to overthink everything - knitting is just something she does, like breathing. Just as necessary, and certainly just as healthy!

xo

[Paula]

How very social of you! I'm glad to see your Corrugator back in action. Perfect social knitting, that one.

[Lisa]

Good to see you are knitting!

[lisa]

"Those French Canadians". Dad (being FC himself) used to complain about the lazy FC framers he'd hire. But, most of the FC I know are busy people. Or at least wickedly anal. Friend's MIL, after returning home from an amputation at the knee as a result of a brown recluse bite (in Maine!), was found by family standing (one-legged) in the sink taking the kitchen curtains down to wash them. One can drive around here and totally pick out the FC houses (they are neat). And you know, people will tell you a story about somebody, and you just have to ask "is she French?". Why yes, how'd you know? Um....

[AnnaMarie]

I read my kindle while I spin, does that count?

[Laurie]

That's my kind of doctor - actually he sounds like my doctor whose "prescription" for me after learning that I'd just been laid off from a job that was destroying my health was "Get unemployment. Enjoy the summer. Run barefoot through the warm grass until Labor Day." I did. It helped! :-)

[mary lou]

My doc is a knitter, maybe she'll give me one of those. My French Canadian grandfather never stopped working at anything and everything. Died of a heart attack, natch.

[Joannah]

Knitting has got to be better than crossword puzzles or sudoku, right? Figuring out some patterns definitely involves a mental workout. PS: Nice scarf. What yarn did you use? (Inquiring minds need to know!)

[Cheryl S.]

Great doctor - right to the point.

[Collette]

I love those hands. Those hands know things.

[Doris]

Sounds like a wonderful evening! Glad you are so smart and could tell her how much she WAS using her mind.

[Elaine]

Has her DH ever tried to knit? And I encourage the use of audio books while knitting. Doesn't exactly redefine 'multitasking', but does mildly qualify.

[Cookie]

Who are you and where's my Norma?!

[elizabeth a airhart]

delightful post

what is the campaign all about

[Konna]

love the hand photos and the list of things that knitters do!

[gayle]

Love the hands photos.
But I gotta know. What's the chicken picture in the basket?