Can you believe it’s May already?!?! I can’t. This time of year, as we approach Mother’s Day, has me reminiscing about all I learned from my mom, most especially my love of yarn craft. This is an especially difficult holiday for me since my mom passed away in June of 1988 after a tough battle with cancer. Florence Graham was an extremely talented and fearless crafter. If she wanted to craft something, even if she’d never done it before, she just did it. This was way before YouTube. She’d go to the local shop, the Yarn Barn in Spring Valley, New York or the local quilt shop to work with the staff and just do it. I still have the hand quilted blanket she made me to take to college. In my dining room I have two framed crewel (embroidery with yarn) pictures she made. I have a sweater she made me in my hope chest, which was her hope chest before it was mine. All of these things are so precious to me. She not only taught me to love yarn crafts, she is who I learned them from. More than one of you has heard me say, “My mom told me only a machine can make a perfect item, mistake in a project prove it was done by a human.”
I never had the blessing of my own kiddos so over the years I’ve become “Miss Priscilla” to all me friends’ kiddos. Basically their aunt from another mother. If you ask those kiddos, they’ll tell you, Miss Priscilla is that pesky adult that sits them down when they are at odds with mom’s and tells they need to treasure them.
Speaking of those kiddos, two of them that I’m especially close to announced impending milestone events in April. Amanda and Jake are expecting their first child, a girl, in September. Amanda’s mom, Joy is my BBF. After one shopping trip for baby stuff, my husband texted Amanda and told her the Moms (Joy & I) were losing their minds. We are having the best time and are so excited about this little one’s pending arrival. I’ve started the Feza Baby Gradient Blanket in their Baby Hand Dyed yarn in shades of green. I’ve completed 3″ on size 3 needles. Only 57″ to go. Think I’ll have it done for the Baby Shower in July? The other couple, Alex and Rose are engaged. Alex’s mom is my longest Houston friend. We’ve been friends for 36 years. Alex and Rose are getting married in the Hill Country next April. I’ve known Alex since he was born! He and his sister Alyssa were my car pool buddies when they were little. I knit wedding shawl’s for the special people in my life, so after I finish the baby blanket I’ll need to start one for Rose.
Last month I told you guys my husband and I were finally headed off to Wimberly to stay at a wonderful bed and breakfast, the Blair House Inn. We had a great trip. This was our first trip away together after getting Lainey, our doggo. We are both retired, but once Lainey became part of our family we could no longer lounge around in bed in the mornings. As you animal lovers know, doggos need to be fed and walked early each day. Neither of us realized just how much we enjoyed sleeping in until we ended up missing the breakfast part of the trip more than once as we slept late. Very nice. As promised by the weather reports, we had a weekend of temps in the 80s and lots of sunshine.
All the reminiscing got me thinking about how I got backing into knitting after a 20-year hiatus. Beside yarn craft and jewelry making I’m an avid reader. Back in 2004, I read Debbie Macomber’s the Shop on Blossom Street. For those that don’t know the Blossom Street series, they are about a yarn shop, the women who take classes there, and become friends through the shop. In the first book the shop owner teaches these women to knit by having them make baby blanket for the Linus Project. I had not knitted for about 20 years before I read that book. It motivated me to pick up my needles and knit for the Linus Project which donates knitted blanket to hospitalized children. All together I knitted 15 blankets for them. Needless to say, I love knitting for charity. Speaking of Charity, make sure you check out the plans for the next charity event later in this newsletter. I was so motivated by our last event that I joined the Knitting Ministry at my Church, St. Mary’s in Cypress. This wonderful group makes prayer shawls for church members going through tough times. It’s yet another great opportunity to give back.
I’m still working on the Blue Jean Saturday Shawl using Queensland Uluru Rainbow. I am finding the lace portion of the shawl a little challenging, so I’ve started using a lifeline. So that means I’ve got three active projects that I trade out depending of my motivation. The prayer shawl, the Blue Jean Saturday Shawl and the Baby Blank. I am actually making progress on all of them.
Please keep Ukraine in your prayers and thank you all for spreading your knowledge and kindness with each other. I hope to see you soon.
Priscilla Graham
Executive Board President
[email protected]