Lessons

A comment that Ashley made (and why haven't you read her blog yet? she's fabulous!) got me to thinking more about what we pass down to others. What sorts of things do we give to others that proves to at least someone that we were once alive and living here on earth.

Ashley was saying that if we lived closer we could share a happy time with tomato sandwiches(extra Hellmann's please) and me teaching her how to knit. Now you can learn to knit from a book or a video and do just fine but there's something special about learning how to knit from another person, even if that other person is a stranger in a yarn store giving lessons. (Quick detour - I found a brand new yarn store today with a sign in the window that they'd teach anyone wanting to learn the basics of knitting in a 2 hour lesson for 5€, lessons given any time the store is open. Now in two hours you can definitely learn to at least cast on and do the knit stitch and bind off. Smart idea to get in yarn buyers - basic lessons for cheap!) Learning how to knit from another is passing down knowledge in the most basic way possible. They show you and you imitate them and they correct your errors and soon you're doing exactly as your teacher has taught you.

My mother originally taught me how to knit and purl - nothing else. I don't know who taught her; I should ask her some time. And while I taught myself a lot from my well thumbed copy of Stitch 'n Bitch other tricks (plus some half successful attempts to finally learn Continental style) have been taught to me by my MIL. My MIL, an only Continental style of knitting sort of lady, is a fabulous knitter. I've seen lots of sweaters and shawls and table covers and so on that she knit years ago. When B was growing up my MIL knit for people. They'd bring her the yarn and say what they wanted and my MIL would knit it up for them. Baby stuff, sweaters, blankets, skirts, jackets, scarves, hats, mittens, socks...you name it, she knit it. She eventually used a knitting machine to get big stuff done faster. She knit so much that she won't do it any more and only picks up the needles when I need her to teach me something or when she has to fix an especially big screw up of mine.

I once asked my MIL who taught her to knit since I knew her own mother crocheted and didn't knit at all. She said she learned from her cousin, Gela. Gela learned from her mother, Tante Emmi. Tante Emmi (B's grandfather's sister) learned from her mother, Oma Charlotte.

I obviously never knew B's great-grandmother but some of what she knew has been passed on to me. Some day I may teach another one of the tricks (and Continental style once I finally get it down) that my MIL has taught to me and a little bit of Oma Charlotte and Tante Emmi and Cousin Gela and my MIL will be passed on. In a way it keeps their memory and who they were alive even if their names is eventually forgotten.

So if you know how to knit and you know someone who wants to learn, teach them. You'll be teaching them a craft they may love for a lifetime and a little bit of who you are will go forward.