Thoughts While Knitting a Beanie

Beanies, Knitting and Grandmothers

When I was a small girl growing up in rural NSW, I lived around the corner from my Grandmother. She was a wonderful knitter, and often  I would sit beside her as she patiently taught me to knit one, purl one, as I tried to knit a scarf littered with holes. I haven't knitted in years. Too many years to count!

I was in town the other day, looking for ribbon and paper to wrap my soaps, when I saw the wool isle, filled with beautiful yarns and skeins of wool in so many wonderful colours and textures. Standing there, I was transported back to my Grandmother's verandah, sitting beside her while we knitted together, her with a pink cabled jumper for me, and me knitting my multicoloured scarf. 

It was at that moment that I decided to take up the challenge and knit a beanie. I knew that I had two boxes of wool and patterns at home tucked away in some forgotten space, and I was determined to resurrect them and give those balls of wool a life and a purpose! No longer to sit in the dark, but to be worn for all the world to see! 

I then spotted some beautiful Australian wool dyed in multi-colours...it was beautiful! And...I would get a free pattern book if I bought four skeins of wool! How could I resist? 

So, I am now knitting a green beanie...my practise beanie, before I begin to knit with my new multi-coloured wool...and as I knit and listen to the click of my needles and try to remember to count my stitches....I think of my Grandmother and a little girl sitting beside her on a verandah.