My mother, who passed away in May, was a talented knitter who taught me how to knit when I was a child. She knitted for her grandchildren, my father and herself, including a beautiful Irish fisherman cardigan made from yarn she bought on a trip to Ireland with my dad. In her later years, knitting became more difficult for her, but she wanted to continue, joining the knitting group at her senior housing complex. She made a prayer shawl and recently had been working on a scarf. She even asked me to bring it to the hospital during her last illness and she worked on it a little when she was well enough. When it became clear that she would not get well, she asked me to promise to finish it when she was gone.
I mentioned this to my sister who told me about a friend who had some knitting that she kept in her living room and friends were invited to add to it when they visited. We decided to bring Mom’s scarf to the reception after her funeral to have people add to it. Later I brought it to her Wednesday morning knitting thinking that group members might want to contribute to the project. One of the aides who cared for my mother and had helped her with her knitting said that she would add a few rows as well. What a fitting way for them to remember my mom. When I returned to pick it up, each person who added to the scarf signed the note I had left with it.
The basket with the unfinished scarf sat in my car and then in my family room for quite a while. I just couldn’t bring myself to work on it. I started other projects, but I didn’t seem to be able to finish anything. Then it dawned on me that I needed to fulfill my promise to my mom and finish the scarf. The first day, I touched the part that my mom had completed and felt the connection. I finished the scarf last night and now it is ready for its intended recipient. My promise to my mom has been kept and now I can get on with my own knitting.
I mentioned this to my sister who told me about a friend who had some knitting that she kept in her living room and friends were invited to add to it when they visited. We decided to bring Mom’s scarf to the reception after her funeral to have people add to it. Later I brought it to her Wednesday morning knitting thinking that group members might want to contribute to the project. One of the aides who cared for my mother and had helped her with her knitting said that she would add a few rows as well. What a fitting way for them to remember my mom. When I returned to pick it up, each person who added to the scarf signed the note I had left with it.
The basket with the unfinished scarf sat in my car and then in my family room for quite a while. I just couldn’t bring myself to work on it. I started other projects, but I didn’t seem to be able to finish anything. Then it dawned on me that I needed to fulfill my promise to my mom and finish the scarf. The first day, I touched the part that my mom had completed and felt the connection. I finished the scarf last night and now it is ready for its intended recipient. My promise to my mom has been kept and now I can get on with my own knitting.
