This year I knit the newest Christmas stocking for our family. With our son’s engagement to be married to a lovely woman named Ikuko, I set to work to add her personalized stocking to the mantle. These bright green stockings with each person’s name stitched in red were originally created by my mother, who was great with needlework. Each of us four kids had our own stocking which stretched to hold one of the best oranges found at Christmas. As each of us married and had children, she lovingly knit additional personalized stockings for our spouses and children. By the time our children married, she was no longer around to make more stockings. So it was left to me to try to duplicate her pattern for another generation of spouses and grandchildren. Without her original pattern, that turned out to be a challenge. I did the best I could, but could not exactly match the pattern and size she used, however, the result was reasonably satisfactory. Just recently I was delighted to find among her things a spiral ring notebook filled with knitting patterns – and yes the original stocking pattern!
I don’t have the patience to commit to many knitting projects, but have many happy memories that spring from knitting attempts. One Christmas my two sisters, my mother, and I all decided we would knit sweaters for the special men in our lives. My mother’s came out perfect. Sister Judy’s came out much too big, so she decided to put it through the washer and dryer for some delicate shrinking (Doesn’t work well with wool yarn!) Having learned from her mistake, when mine also came out too big, I simply gave it to Maris’s father. He was very touched, but I’m not sure even he found that he could wear it.
I know there are others who have used their knitting gifts to share their love and care as well. My evenings are spent snuggled in a beautiful prayer shawl that Ann Snyder knit for Maris following the death of his mother. She and Ellen Kreider have knit a number of lovely and warm winter hats for the Family Center, which I know are well used.
Our treasured hand knit Christmas stockings are certainly not State Fair exhibit worthy, but they are an annual reminder of how strong the bonds of love and care can be woven from a pair of knitting needles.
