Mother of Purl by Eig, Edith (best desktop ebook reader .TXT) 📗

Once they have the knack, keep a watchful eye, but don’t hover over them. Knitting is an amazing way to help children develop a creative independence, but you’ll need to give them their space in which to do so. Fix their big errors, but allow the little ones to slide, at least at first, and never rip out their work—unless they get to the stage where they are ambitious enough to want to rip out and reuse the yarn for another project.

Encourage boys by having them knit something for themselves, such as a wristband in an absorbent cotton. If you are inspired, you could even devise patterns for knee or elbow pads for them to wear while skateboarding. Just measure the circumference of their joints, calculate a gauge in a soft, chunky yarn, and show them how to knit the piece in a rib (to allow for the necessary elasticity).

KNITTING FOR CHARITY

Finally, consider spreading your love of knitting to those less fortunate than yourself. In recent years the number of volunteers who knit for hospitals, shelters for battered women and children and homeless people, and senior citizen homes has skyrocketed. Introducing knitting into these environments also brings companionship, creativity, and a sense of purpose—just like in a conventional knitting circle. I’ve heard stories of elderly people with Alzheimer’s who can’t remember their own names, or the faces of loved ones, but still remember how to knit. The needles and yarn conspire to bring back some crucial essence of who they once were—and what could be more of a blessing than that?

DAKOTA FANNING

A dedicated knitter since the age of seven, the lovely little movie star who packs quite a box–office punch, Dakota Fanning has become quite a voracious knitter. Dakota, who has a heart of gold, takes pride in knitting a scarf for each of her leading men, coming to me at my shop for advice. In her little voice, I hear “Edith, can you recommend a yarn that will hide my mistakes and something that will knit up fast?” To date, Dakota has quite a résumé of leading men sporting a Dakota original, among them Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro, and Denzel Washington. During her appearance on Oprah, I watched with pride as she handed the talk–show diva a scarf I had helped her knit in my shop.

THE CELEBRITY–KNITTED AFGHAN

Like the rest of the world, I was in a state of shock after 9/11. I wanted to do something but was unable to think of what. Finally I had an idea: create something unique and beautiful, and put it up for auction. I called every star who had ever walked into the store and asked them to knit a 6–by–6–inch afghan square. The response was so amazing that I had to make two afghans. Elizabeth Taylor, Debra Messing, Daryl Hannah, Sofia Coppola, Jennie Garth, Shelley Morrison, Bridget Fonda, Annette O’Toole, Justine Bateman, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Caroline Rhea, Camryn Manheim, Tyne Daly, Antoinette Spolar–Levine, Nora Dunn, C. Thomas Howell, and Christopher Gorham were among the dozens of women and men who contributed. Some of the knitting was less than perfect—one Academy Award–winning star had two dropped stitches—but it was knitted with love and passion.

Even if you don’t have celebrities to draw on, the patchwork blanket, made with dozens of small squares, is the perfect charity project. Find a women’s shelter or child services organization that can accept your work, and knit it in washable, resilient yarns. Even if you never meet the recipients of your work, you’ll know that they are grateful for it.

Chapter Seven

SIP & KNIT: PULL UP A CHAIR

“…and have a seat, a glass of wine, perhaps some cheese and a taste of sweets. On any given day of the week, there are tons of women gathered around the table in my shop, happy to spend the time just knitting and socializing, while others visit to peruse the aisles and baskets overflowing with yarns and shop for the perfect project. It’s like this all the time,

and I’m on my feet running in all directions, helping one lady pick out hand–dyed yarns for a poncho, sitting at the table sketching a pattern for a sweater, teaching new knitters, and guiding others on more advance projects. There are days when I don’t even have time to eat lunch or have a cup of coffee.”

Then midweek everything seems to change, at least for a few hours. On Wednesday evenings La Knitterie Parisienne is open until 8:30 p.m.—or so reads the sign on the door. I’m usually there until 10 p.m.—but I’m not alone. On Wednesday evening, the shop is what I’ve coined “Sip & Knit” night. My clients come in droves, some direct from work, others wave to their husbands as they pass each other in their driveway.

Sip & Knit has evolved to become the coveted hour—or rather hours—in the knitting circle. One might wonder why these clients are stopping at the bakery, the cheese store, or the liquor store or hovering over their ovens just before they go to the knitting shop. It’s because Wednesday evening at La Knitterie Parisienne is a social wine and cheese night, like Monday night football at the local bar, except much more refined. And, oh yeah, people also knit.

THE EVOLUTION OF SIP & KNIT

One of my clients is a wine connoisseur who frequently travels to Northern California wine country and decided to share her latest sampling with the group. She couldn’t decide which one to bring in, so she brought one of each. The winos among us were delighted! The following week, someone else was inspired to bring a selection of cheeses and a warm baguette. The weekly sampling soon became a weekly must, and my clients began looking forward to this unique version of Wednesday night knitting. With a selection of French music piping in and homemade pastries and desserts added to the mix, Sip & Knit was officially born. By