Friday, June 20, 2008

Friday Show and Tell - and Twin Update



This is #4 in my series called "I Used To . . . " It has been fun going down memory lane and realize how very creative I used to be. I hope you're enjoying it too.


When I was in 6th grade, the Hong Kong flu hit the country, and our town and school did not escape. I was fortunate and didn't get it for some reason. But there were many kids missing from school every day. Our teacher didn't want all the kids to get so behind in math and other subjects, so she slowed way down on academics for a couple of weeks and decided to teach us to knit. She somehow supplied us each with cotton yarn, with which we learned to make dish cloths. They were to be Christmas gifts for our moms. Then she had everyone bring in their yarn scraps (of which I had none, and no money to buy any - and I didn't want to spoil the surprise by asking for money from Mom!). Someone supplied me with some odds and ends and we learned to make little pin cushions - very much like this picture (isn't it amazing what you can find on Google?):



In the 8th grade, I had a great home ec. teacher who was an expert knitter - she made lovely Norwegian sweaters with intense, amazing patterns. I don't really remember what we knitted, but I learned to purl that year.

As the years went by, I didn't knit too often until college when I decided to make a sweater for my boyfriend. This guy was incredibly tall and skinny, and I'll never forget how the sweater turned out - the arms were so long they looked like they belonged to an orangutan. I learned that I knitted too loosely.


I didn't knit again until I was in my thirties. I made myself a cute sleeveless sweater. But I found this wonderful pattern for an outfit for Kristen. I have to say I am really proud of this outfit, and her girls have been able to wear it, too - but no pictures, surprisingly. This picture was taken on Kev's 2nd birthday.


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At some point I decided to teach myself to crochet. I can't remember which came first - but I think it was the shawl. I still have it and wore it to church the other day - they seem to be back in vogue. I made the little furry coat Kristen is wearing - but I bought the little crocheted hat at a craft show.


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I'll never forget when I started this afghan - I had to tear out the first several rows and do them over again - I got a terrible crick in my neck. Kevin had just received an ant farm for his birthday - he heard me complaining about the crick in my neck and he said, "Mommy has crickets and I have ants!" Priceless memory. (Don't you love the Alfred E. Neumann grin?)

I'm wearing the sleeveless sweater I mentioned above.

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I have not knitted or crocheted since. Maybe someday!


The twins are growing and changing every day. They are blowing bubbles, talking to each other, smiling and laughing. They're drooling gallons every day - could they be teething already??


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For more Friday Show and Tell stories, stop by Kelli's blog, There Is No Place Like Home.




Yikes!! Today I must complete the procedures manual - one week with the new guy and I'm out the door!

27 comments:

Deb said...

What a gorgeous shawl! I wish I still had some of the things that my mom knitted or crocheted for me as a child. One of these days I want to find the time to get back into doing both of them more myself too. :)

Precious twin photos - they are growing so much!

Diane@Diane's Place said...

I love that shawl! I keep intending to make myself a shawl, but I always end up making something for someone else. I've lost count of the baby afghans and full size afghans I've made, and I have yet to make one for myself.

I've got that ripple afghan pattern and have made one of them - but so far I've never been able to bring myself to make another! That single crochet takes forever, and it's so heavy!

Yup, I'll bet the girls are teething - already. Emmy's 13 months old and she has a mouthful of teeth, including jaw teeth.

On the homestretch now toward your retirement. Hope they throw you a party and give you some goodies. ;o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shawl - and the pictures of the twins are simply too sweet!

Gattina said...

I used to knit and crochet when I was 15 and then a little later around 30 but then I gave it up, I didn't have the patience anymore !
The twins are so cute !!

Anonymous said...

What an adorable little pin cushion!! I wish some of my home ec. teachers had taught us things like knitting. My grandmother used to crochet all the time -- I wish I had more of her handiwork. You did beautiful work! And the kids' pictures are so adorable!

groovyoldlady said...

I love your new profile pic!!!!

Ooooo. The shawl is awesome! I do not knit, but I learned to crochet my first year of marriage. I crocheted a pile of granny squares to make an baby afghan for Funsocksgirl when she was born, but I couldn't find anyone to show me how to join the squares, so I just put them away...for almost 20 years! Then I pulled them out and, using the genius of the internet, I connected them for my first grandchild.

I'd LOVE a weight ticker. I'm using Twitter right now for updates because I don't want my blog to go on and on about my weight. I've only dieted one day - I ate loads of food - and I'm 2 pounds lighter this morning. I'm sure it was just water weight!

Hootin Anni said...

Eight days as of today for your retirement?!!! Cool.

Dawn, I love the photos you share of the twins. They are gifts from heaven to be sure. What sweeties.

And your crocheted shawl is stunning. I love to crochet. It keeps stress away when I need to find something to do with my hands.

Happy Show n Tell Friday...have a great weekend. Stop by if you can find time!

Midlife Mom said...

8 more days! Yippee! Soon you will join the ranks of us retired people! You will love it once you adjust, which will take all of......two minutes!

That shawl is gorgeous! I can't imagine being able to do that. I can knit basic things and some crochet but nothing fancy. You should have seen the first mittens I made on four needles! They looked like cactus!

The twinies are adorable as usual! Love all their matching outfits and headbands. It must be like playing dolls. :o)

Susan said...

I did a lot of crafts when I was younger, too. But nothing like you. You were amazing!!
Susan

Susan said...

PS Please drop by the prayer blog if you didn't yesterday. Thanks!!
Susan

Simply Heart And Home said...

Dawn,

Thank you for sharing your memories! And those babies get more precious each day!

Blessings,

Gina

Kelli said...

You have made so many beautiful things over the years, Dawn! I *love* that shawl! I also love seeing pictures of those sweet twins!
~Kelli

Mary said...

Dawn,

I can knit or crochet but prefer crocheting as it goes faster. Knitting is a bit tedious for me. I'm a get-it-done kind of person. LOL

I love the shawl and have never made one, but this is wonderful. I'm glad you still have it and can wear it once again.

I made an afghan identical to that one in the photo. Same colors and everything. It was my very first one too. Does those colors date us? Probably. They were the "IN' thing back then.

The girlies are growing and they are so adorable. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful photos.

Blessings,
Mary

Love Bears All Things said...

The shawl is beautiful. I'm glad you're still using it. I made sweater vests, afghans and hats back then too. I crocheted, never knitted. I've made baby items for my grands. The last time I did anything was when I made afghans for my girls for Christmas. I really should find a project to do. I would like a pattern for the dish towels.
Thanks for sharing,
Mama Bear

Anonymous said...

great shawl,and great afghan,cute babies,'nough said!
Big time hugs and God's blessing your heading way.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Linda said...

Oh those gorgeous girls Dawn! I just love their little outfits. They are doing beautifully.
You did a great job on all of your projects. I love to knit. I think that's why I find it difficult to balance my time. So many things I really love to do. It's hard to squeeze them all into one day. I find knitting to be so soothing somehow - crocheting, not so much! I also did some tatting a few years ago and would like to get back to that. And then there are all those counted cross stitch projects I bought, and the needlepoint project.....and then there's the quilt. And reading and blogging. I really could use about three more hours in the afternoon!
Have a blessed weekend Dawn.

Nancy said...

You will not believe this but I made that very same afghan with the the very same colors! The colors were so popular then. I think mine is stored in the attic. I will have to try to find it.

How neat that your teacher took the time to teach you to knit. I never tried that but my daughter learned in college.

The twin pictures are great. They are growing so fast. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

I'm finally back from the beach and will try to catch up with your blog in a day or two! Have a great weekend!

nancy said...

What a very fun post today! The shawl is beautiful, and the little green outfit. What a lot of fun memories you shared. It is great watching the twins grow. I think it must be such a special thing for them to have each other as they do.
Nancy

Carole Burant said...

I always love reading your memories of days gone by:-) I remember learning how to knit in home ec classes but never really got the hang of it...a short scarf is about the only thing I finished! lol I just love the shawl you crocheted, as well as all the things you knitted.

The twins get more adorable as each day goes by...gotta love those bubbles! hehe They look so healthy and satisfied:-)

Dawn, you had asked me if I knew what started the fire in that house up the street from me...apparently it started in a garbage can in the garage but it hasn't been released yet what was in there to start a fire! There were three tanks of gas in the garage so that made it even worse.

Have a wonderful weekend! xoxo

Tammy said...

This was so much fun to read about, Dawn! Such beautiful workmanship...(or should I say, workwomanship?) :) You are so talented!
My paternal grandmother did things like this, and made an afghan a lot like the one in your photo! It's still at my mom's house.

Your grandbabies just get more adorable every time I see them!

Oh- and Groovy commented that she heard I was serious about our "drop some lbs, get in shape" club...so guess I need to truly join! ;)

Have a great weekend!
~Tammy

nancygrayce said...

I love the shawl too. I took knitting lessons once and after several lessons, the teacher told me not to come back. She said she had never seen anyone who couldn't learn to knit before me. Great!

The twins and the girls are gorgeous! I think they could very well be teething. Kids do everything early these days. The family resemblances I see looking at your old pictures and your children and grandchildren are so amazing.

Nadine said...

Lovely work.

I have to say those twins are growing so quickly. It's amazing.

Unknown said...

I haven't visited in awhile, so enjoyed the walk down memory lane, and the twins have grown so much, what little dolls..

Linds said...

I love reading your memories, Dawn, and I also think you should start up being creative again! The twins are growing so fast, and you will be making so many more memories along the way too. Enjoy the last few days at work!

Anonymous said...

Adorable grandbabies. :)

I just stopped by your daughter's blog and it looks like she has changed it? I sure hope she's OK.


Robin

Mimi said...

I do love your show and tells!!!
you had better go buy some thread...you will have to try the knitting and crocheting again when you are a retired lady of leisure!!!
by this time next week you will be there.....have a wonderful last week!!!
blessings,
Mimi

Unknown said...

I love your shawl. I would like to relearn to crochet...it's been years since I did it!
Your babies are adorable!