Mom would have been 79 today, which is hard to believe.  I know she would make a comment about it being hard to believe if I could call her and wish her Happy Birthday.  And she would tell me how much she liked whatever gift I had gotten her and then we’d talk about what the kids were doing and how everyone was doing where she was.  The conversation would turn to the weather (she liked to talk about the weather and she LOVED lightening storms, she really enjoyed them!).  Of course, I haven’t gotten to call her for her birthday for 12 years.  But I still think of her on her birthday, every year.

So, instead I thought I would share a few of the things she knitted that I have.  She was a prolific knitter and I remember sitting with her and listening to the click, click, click of her needles as she turned yarn into afghans or sweaters or whatever it was she was creating. I don’t know much about knitting, although I am going to try to learn, and she did try to teach me.  All I ever produced was a few pointless squares of yarn.  I never had the patience back then to really learn to knit.

But, Mom did wonderful things.  She made this vest for me, and I wore it for quite some time, back when it was in style.  I think maybe it has what is called a cable stitch, altho I’m not sure.

I had actually thought about turning it into a pillow, but I don’t know if I will do that or not.  Who knows, maybe vests will come back and I will live in a part of the country where it is cool enough to wear them again.  It’s in great shape, and beautifully made.

I like the swoopy, wavy pattern in this afghan.  I couldn’t get a photo of the entire thing with my  lens since I couldn’t get far enough away.  It’s big, almost big enough to cover a Queen size bed.  Mom loved purple and the colors are still really bright.  It’s been washed and washed and washed thru the years.  I’m sure the yarn is some sort of acrylic, but I don’t really know exactly what.

It has a more open weave (is that the right terminology for knitting?!) than the vest, but it’s still plenty warm.  It’s one of those you can wrap up in and snuggle on a chilly night.

This last one was one of two ponchos my Mom made for my best friend and I.  They were made in our school colors, black and gold.  I don’t know what happened to mine, but a number of years ago my friend gave this one to me, as she had run across it in her stuff and thought I might like to have it.  I was so thrilled!  It’s a wonderful piece of my life, as it knits together my high school days, my Mom and my best friend!

Happy Birthday Mom.  And thanks for knitting for me and giving me a love of making things with my hands, even if I haven’t learned to knit yet.  Oh, and the kids are doing fine and the weather was pretty good today.  🙂