Sunday, April 15, 2007

So You Want to Know What This Is?

Well, actually, I'm not sure what it's really called. It is a little carved wooden walnut.

That opens up to expose this:

Inside is a little silver thimble.

This little treasure came to me from my Step Great Grandmother. I was lucky enough to know her until I was in my early 20's. She was a strong, independent woman. She was educated and unafraid. She was a Missionary in Panama in the late 1910's. When her sister died young leaving two young children and a husband, she came home to Minnesota and eventually married her sister's widower. She raised her sister's children. They adopted a little orphan girl who came to their house to be a maid. When she passed away in the nursing home, one of the few things she left behind was a little tapestry bag with some yarn scraps, a few sets of knitting needles (old dpn's), an ivory crochet hook, (which sits on my desk, right next to my computer). Also in the bag was this little walnut with a thimble inside. Of all the memories I treasure of my Great Aunt Fanny, there is not one of her knitting or sewing. I remember her Easter meals with homemade icebox ice cream and hot fudge. I remember her baby grand piano in her parlor where she used to play the songs from The Sound of Music for us. I remember her porch swing and no television. We always had paper dolls and playbooks that occupied us for hours. I remember her gifting me with a copy of Bullfinch's Mythology and bookplates when I was in sixth grade. I read that book cover to cover. I could have taught that sixth grade unit on Greek Mythology all by myself. No knitting and no sewing, but obviously she did them both. This is the only material item I have left of her, but she gave me so many other gifts.

I've been quite busy this weekend - I finished one of the car socks - this is Lorna's Laces in Hawaii. I used a short row heel on this sock, but I don't like it and I won't be using that technique again. I just like my heel flaps.
Here is one finished Roza's sock in my Yarntini. I REALLY love this sock and I am already two inches into the second one.
I yearn for more of this yarn. There will be no exorbitant prices on ebay for me, but if I can stalk her etsy site for more, I will.

I started a little secret project on Friday, (can I just say, this is going to be gorgeous?) but I stalled out and am waiting to hear back from the designer.

Oh, and also? High School sanctioned Lacrosse started this weekend and our high school came out of the gates and defeated their #1 ranked rival!(This school's boy's Varsity is ranked #34 in the country!) Varsity, JV, Girls' Varsity and Girls' JV ALL defeated this school's teams. Go team! Our Freshman Sophomore team has their first game tomorrow night.

Comments:
All of the socks look fantastic! The short row heel looks like a mitered square, so of course I'm loving that aspect! :-)
 
You must knit like the wind! Gorgeous socks. I know what you mean about heel flaps - I love 'em.
 
You are lucky to have the thimble from your great grandmother. It's really good to have something besides memories to hold onto after they are gone.

And you are one fast sock knitter!
 
Oh, I love the story about your Step Great Grandmother. And again: beautiful socks. Especially the green one and not because it is green, but because of the pattern. Did you use an extra goldcoloured thread to get the vertical stripe effect?
 
What a treasure! Both the walnut and the memories. Don't you wish life was more simple - porch swings and paperdolls instead of motorized scooters and Playstation!?
 
What a wonderful keepsake! I've never seen anything like that before.
 
I love the thimble walnut. And it sounds like your Step Great Grandmother was a wonderful person.
 
That's a beautiful heirloom treasure! And your socks, droolworthy! (In a good way of course!)
 
That thimble and the walnut are lovely! It's great to have the tools of a loved one like that. I've got some of my grandma's earrings and I like to take them out sometimes and just remember her. I hope your things help you remember your step-great grandmother as well.

I love the socks! The LL ones look great and the short row heel makes a great contrast with the rest of the yarn.
 
What a wonderful keepsake. What a wonderful lady your Great Grandmother was.

How do you get so much knitting done? I like the heel flaps myself but I love the Hawaii yarn.

Glad your painters are gone and your house back in order - but jealous too. I need to paint around here.
 
I agree, the Yarntini sock is beautiful!
 
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