Hello Friends and Family 🙂

We are wrapping up our casual Vlogmas series. Today’s video is something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile. My special guest is my sweet Mom, who talks about her family history knitting and how that was passed down to me. I am so thankful to have this creative outlet, especially during difficult seasons of life…

Knitting (and crochet) has always been so much more to me than just needles and yarn. I am so thankful my mom taught me and opened the door to a whole new world of color / fiber / textural therapy!

The photo I share in the video (and below) is special to me because it represents why I love knitting so much.

(Elena Nodel / Anadiomena’s patterns as mentioned in the video can be found here)

When I came home from spending a month in the hospital after giving birth to Bella, daily life felt beyond impossible. I was on dialysis; I was dying and barely even able to hold my miracle baby. I was devastated and bewildered; struggling even to walk around alone… and my mom was asking me what I would like to do for fun?!?! My initial response was anger and confusion… my life / body / spirit were falling apart and she wants me to “have fun”??!!

However, my wise and wonderful mother was right. And the only fun I could think of in that moment was to pick up my knitting needles again. So I knit with my baby in my arms, I knit and cried in dialysis, I knit when I was in so much pain… As Elizabeth Zimmerman said:

“Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises.”

How grateful I am that my Mama introduced me to knitting and crochet. It is so much more than just pretty yarn turning into pretty items. I love every part of the process: selecting the yarn, taking yarn photos, winding yarn into cakes, the joy of starting a new cast on, the prayers / love / care I knit into each stitch…. this has indeed become my favorite form of therapy!

And so much of my knitting has been for my beautiful girl, who is growing up so quickly. She has been surrounded (smothered!) by yarn her whole life and has become the fashionista that I often look to for style advice. She will request something specific (almost ALWAYS pink!) and I will try to make it for her. Through her, God shows me the beauty of each day and how to be grateful for every heartbeat and every breath. I can knit when I’m happy and things are going well, and I can knit when I am in the valley and I cannot see or feel any light. It has often given me a way to calm and distract my mind; even in times when I don’t have the words / strength / mindset to pray…

(And the ASMR of Chiaogoo stainless steel needles clacking is favorite sound, LOL! 🙂 )

Thank you for reading / watching / supporting – I know I have taken a side road with this Vlogmas series, but I am thankful to have recorded memories and history for Bella. I know she will treasure these family videos when she is my age. And I am grateful she will see how women in her family have passed down creative arts, from generation to generation, and they give us a way to have “fun” in the middle of our busy and complicated lives.

And belated Merry Christmas to all of you! We recorded this on Christmas morning and I planned to post that night, but got caught up and chose to enjoy the moment with my family. Which is another good lesson I am learning – so many things can wait if they have to, but you will never get those moments back with your family. Sometimes you just have to “pursue fun!”

Thank you again, God bless you! 🙂 And thank you to my extraordinary mother, for everything – LOVE YOU, Mama!

 

* SUBSCRIBE here if you want to be notified of future posts – thank you! *