KNITTING AND STITCHING

A year or two ago a number of ladies at church had expressed a desire to learn to knit, so my sister Jo Ann and the other Juanita in our small group agreed to be the instructors in this venture. Both are skilled at knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc., etc. (Jo Ann has done tatting, quilling, macrame, and other interesting projects over the years. I have a lovely quilled piece in a frame she made for me about 35 years ago.) I can both knit and crochet, so I wasn't planning to join the group, but Jo Ann insisted I could help ladies figure out a pattern, figure out where they might be doing something incorrectly, etc. So I joined them for a while. Then things came up and I wasn't going much any more. Well, about 8 weeks ago one of the ladies in the group, Penny, suggested it might be fun to do a group project. So it was agreed that everyone who felt comfortable with the skills they've learned or perfected would knit a 12" square, then the squares would be joined together to create an afghan which they would present to one of the older ladies in the church for her 79th birthday. Betty quilts, but she doesn't go out much at nights, and she wasn't interested in learning to knit, so she has never joined the group.

Jo Ann had a book that was perfect for the project -- it was a book of 52 knitted sampler squares for the express purpose of making an afghan. Jo Ann and Juanita both suggested I join them in the project. Each of us chose a square we felt comfortable doing -- some squares involved cabling, others involved some tricky stitches. Several girls feel more comfortable crocheting, so they were encouraged to find a pattern that coordinated with the knitted patterns. We had a lot of fun working on these. Two ladies ended up choosing the same pattern, so we had to put them in opposite ends of the afghan.

Several weeks ago half a dozen or so of us got together and determined where each square should be placed, then we began stitching squares together. After that was finished, Juanita G. took the still unfinished afghan home with her and corrected a few mistakes that were visible, and made sure all the squares were securely together. Then she gave it to Jo Ann who crocheted a lovely edge on it. The end result was quite lovely! I didn't get a final picture of the finished piece on its own, but I think you'll get the "picture"!

Determining the placement of the squares was like putting a puzzle together!!

I made the one with the zig-zag stitches running down the center - it's the one in the lower left, second one from the right. Jo Ann's daughter-in-law Jessica crocheted the one above it -- the one with a circle in the middle. I also made the one in the top left of the afghan (the one to the left of the ball of yarn) but I didn't get a good picture of it. It was called Shadowed Cable.

Beginning to stitch squares together. Left to right, Gloria, Patsy, and Carolyn.

Here Carolyn and Juanita G. work at stitching together while Hampton and Penny look on.

Two squares left to put together.

Two weeks ago we invited Betty to join us at our Thursday evening knitting to see some of the projects we've been working on. Carolyn had brought a couple coverlet quilts she's been working on for some time, knowing Betty would enjoy seeing them. Then we presented the afghan to Betty. Her birthday is this Tuesday, and it's her 79th, not 80th, so she definitely wasn't expecting anything. 
 

Betty talking about something.

After we presented the gift to her.

She admired the flower decorations Juanita G. had knitted for a topper for the package.

And she began to open the package.

And then she ooohed and aaahed over the afghan!

Carolyn held it up and pointed out various blocks.  It was the first time most of us had seen the finished product, so we were as excited with it as Betty was!

Jo Ann (in the center) explained who had made each block (I'm going to make a graph for Betty so she'll be able to know who made which ones.)

This shot shows the crocheted border.

Then Susan presented Betty with a birthday cupcake and candle. It was at this point that Betty's eyes welled with tears.

Carolyn demonstrated how the knitted flower would make a lovely boutonniere!!

And those are our most recent activities! We are well into spring -- I saw the first open redbud tree yesterday, and took a picture of dogwood beginning to open last week. Bradford Pears are beginning to finish their blooming and the white cherry blossoms have begun to turn pink, so they are on the wane as well.  Yards were mowed yesterday for the first time this season. We've had lots of good rains, so the water table is almost back to normal.

Dogwood blossoms beginning to open.

I'm not sure what this is -- perhaps a red maple?

The trees in the back are cherry trees in full bloom.  The one in the front has its florets open (I'm not sure what kind it is), the ones in the middle haven't begun to open yet.

This is a dogwood with its buds just beginning to open -- its in front of two cherry trees in full bloom.  These were taken at the Kings Charter Manor House where our offices are located.

Shalom, ya'll!