My boys caught the knitting bug again at last month's knitting-at-the-street-party event. My eldest had an idea he might knit a jumper for a toy, but 32 stitches on the needle later and the jumper lost its appeal. I can understand. He'll come back to it one day.
My youngest has been knitting scarves for his toys ever since though. He's even progressed past garter stitch through stocking stitch and onto moss stitch. He wasn't so keen on all that backwards and forwards stuff though, so moss stitch didn't last too long.
Still, one of his toys has a mighty fine looking scarf with 6 rows of moss stitch in the middle!
My youngest has been knitting scarves for his toys ever since though. He's even progressed past garter stitch through stocking stitch and onto moss stitch. He wasn't so keen on all that backwards and forwards stuff though, so moss stitch didn't last too long.
Still, one of his toys has a mighty fine looking scarf with 6 rows of moss stitch in the middle!
The street party itself was full-on, but rewarding on so many levels. Firstly there was a non-stop stream of children who wanted to learn to knit. I still encounter raised eyebrows and patronising smiles from adults when I tell them that I love knitting, but kids have none of these learned judgments about craft, they just think it looks interesting and want to try it.
Secondly, I learnt I had way more patience than I ever previously believed. If before I thought I had a puddle's depth of patience, while teaching six year olds to knit I found out that the puddle has a false bottom and there's an entire well underneath. It was quite a revelation to me, but why does it take me being with other people's children to learn how to do better with my own? Whatever the reason, it made the event full-on fun and rewarding rather than frustrating.
I've even managed to access my new found patience since while helping the boys with their homework. Who knew it was even possible to get through a homework session with your seven year old without steam escaping through your ears?
So while I thought I was teaching kids to knit, really they were teaching me a more important lesson. And although I can't guarantee that my well of patience will never reduce to a puddle again, at least I know there's more to be had: believe it and it's there.
Secondly, I learnt I had way more patience than I ever previously believed. If before I thought I had a puddle's depth of patience, while teaching six year olds to knit I found out that the puddle has a false bottom and there's an entire well underneath. It was quite a revelation to me, but why does it take me being with other people's children to learn how to do better with my own? Whatever the reason, it made the event full-on fun and rewarding rather than frustrating.
I've even managed to access my new found patience since while helping the boys with their homework. Who knew it was even possible to get through a homework session with your seven year old without steam escaping through your ears?
So while I thought I was teaching kids to knit, really they were teaching me a more important lesson. And although I can't guarantee that my well of patience will never reduce to a puddle again, at least I know there's more to be had: believe it and it's there.
