Franklin, my Mom and socks

If you haven't read Franklin lately or ever, you need to go over and read this post of his. It really made me think about our knitting, talents, passions. It also got me thinking about my Mom and Grandma (her Mom).

When we were young, my Mom sewed and knit and crocheted out of necessity . . . seven kids . . . need I say more. Then as we grew older she continued to work her crafts out of passion. She sewed beautifully and made all of our first communion and wedding dresses (5 daughters, 1 daughter-in-law). When I was planning on making my oldest daughter's first communion dress, she asked if she could. She said (and please wait a minute while I wipe my eyes, gulp, okay), she said that wanted to do it because "she wouldn't be around to make her wedding dress." It is beautiful.

My Mom was an artist. Now, as an adult, I wonder if she was ever frustrated with her "lot." I think not because she often said that Dad was her passion and we, her children, were the blessings of their love. But, she was brilliant. She was smart and artistic and funny. My Dad worked in machine repair at Chevy. He could fix anything but it was my Mom who would take apart the toaster, iron and any small appliance and fix it. Actually, when they first came out, my Mom got my Dad an electric screwdriver because she would install things but didn't have the hand strength to tighten the screws.

I cannot tell you the number of times that she replaced the tile and flooring in our kitchen/dining room.

And she knit and crochected and did hand-hooked rugs (shopping at goodwill for 100% wool garments to dye for her rugs).

But she knit when we were young because she had to. And I, being a normal child, was embarrassed over our hand-knit hats and mittens and socks. I remember being in 5th or 6th grade and begging her for knee socks (ours were always fold over socks). That Christmas she knit me knee socks and was so excited and I was appalled cause I wanted store-bought socks. I hope she never knew. The only thing to my credit was that I did wear them.

It wasn't until years later (and my first sock knitting fiasco) that I realized that the reason she didn't knit knee socks was because she had so many damn socks to do and, probably to add another three or four inches to each pair (and there were five girls) would take too much time and too much yarn (neither of which was in great supply).

I am so blessed because I can knit just for the joy of doing so. I have access to a couple of good LYS (although I could probably open one myself from my stash). I have needles and patterns and the ability to do anything I want. I can buy fabulous yarns. And I knit because I like it.

The one thing I don't make is socks!