I am an experienced knitter. I learned to knit from my Grandma, Rose Bourdages, of Montreal, Quebec. I was probably about 8 or 10 years old. She was from French Canada and didn't speak a lot of English, but it was enough to get the message across.
She only visited us in the Los Angeles area a few times. She liked to sit and knit while she talked with my Dad, her son, or kept us company while we watched TV. Being a kid who grew up near L.A. I didn't see much need for the heavy socks for my brother or the mittens for me. But I loved to watch her make them.
I'd watch as she'd try them on us, figuring out when to make the turn or start the thumb. She'd put the thumb stitches on a safety pin and keep on going.
I don't know whose idea it was, but I found myself with double pointed needles, size 4, in my little hands. She showed me the backward loop cast on and taught me to knit. I think it was a small scarf, but I don't really remember.
Grandma didn't live nearby us so we didn't see her much. She was only able to show us how she was special a few times. She made meat pies, and sugar pie (kind of like pecan pie, minus the nuts. Delicious!)
And she gave me the gift of knitting. For that, and many other things, I love her.
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