A love knot — My Year of 50

When both my kids were born, a dear friend sent us the loveliest little berry knitted hats. The hats were adorable. I enjoyed having my kids wear these cute and warm hats during their first winters in Richmond, Virginia. My Grandmama also knitted lovely baby blankets which wrapped my babies in warmth and love. I’m always amazed at the time and love it took to make these precious hats and blankets. It was a gift I hoped someday, I’d be able to make for my friends and families’ new little ones.

Learning to knit seemed overwhelming. A whole new vocabulary, tools and written language was needed to decipher the written patterns. I didn’t think just doing it on my own or with the help of YouTube I’d be able to accomplish my goal- make a cute baby hat.

I was introduced to a wonderful woman in our community who organizes crafters to knit or crochet baby items for families at the local VA hospital. She enthusiastically agreed to help me, and my mom learn to knit. She told us baby hats were the perfect place to learn the skills of knitting.

We started slowly before Christmas which prepared us for a burst of learning and growth in the new year. We learned the language, had the tools and skills to knit and purl our first baby hat. We had many mistakes in the first hat and we needed help to solve our problems. But the knitters in the community were all very happy and willing to help us fix our problems.

First baby hats

Learning continues

As we moved on to the next few hats we started being able to identify our mistakes when they first happened and how to solve the problem. YouTube videos were quite helpful for quick timely support. I learned how to pick up stitches, to knit on the round and to use double tipped needles.

As I was knitting I kept thinking about these verses:

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

I imagined God knitting our DNA and each cell together with his attention to the smallest details and his focus on making us his perfect creation.

As I was making each hat, I focused on how each stitch interlocked with the other. I paid attention to which needles I used and which kind of yarn would be best for each project. I prayed over each little head the hat was formed to fit.