. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . where ImagInatIon comes to play

Sunday 6 February 2011

knitting

Un..deux..trois.. She counted so as not to forget. Suddenly aware of my presence, she loosened her hands on the knitting. Viens icit, toé, y faut qu’j’t’apprennes à tricoter si tu veux te marier un bon jour.

Oui mémère, I replied to the woman I loved. Somewhere inside I believed in her vision of my life. And who would marry a girl who didn’t know how to knit her husband a good warm scarf and tuque against these prairie winters. Sewing, knitting, cooking, cleaning, and knowing how to please your man – wasn’t that what it was all about?

Sitting by mémère, I purled away, counting as she did, un.. deux.. trois.. quatre. But though I tried, I could not succeed in envisioning this future she had planned for me, made up of home-made jams and pies, of wash hung to dry in the summer sun, with little ones at my feet. 

Looking back I realize that I was helping grandma knit together the seams of her life, the only one she knew, the one she had to teach me.
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6 comments:

Anthony Duce said...

So very good, and true. I remember being with my grandmother as she did the same.

Marjolaine Hébert said...

How interesting, to hear that it was true for a young boy too..

Bonhomme Sept Heures said...

So True. Yes many young boys (As I) were taught to knit, sew, ironed shirts, etc... Ma Grand Mère and a few Bonnes Soeurs were more progressive toward Equality than most. I miss my Grand-Mère who at 375lbs (5'-1")would find time for us and would also hid her baked cookies in the Electric Dryer, which she received as a gift but NEVER used. Clothes was meant to dry outside. So that was Our COOKIE Jar !!! Your Story was meant for a little Girl but It brought a Smile on a Boy's Face..... :-)

Marjolaine Hébert said...

Très cool . . .
thanks for sharing this new POV with me, boys!

One Woman's Thoughts said...

Warm memories, thank you for sharing.
My German mother and grandmother used to crochet all the time. No patterns to read, they would look at something and be able to copy it or make their own design as they went along. I used to crochet too. But after they passed away it wasn't the same for me anymore.

Hilro said...

Neither of my grandmothers knit but both crocheted as did my mother. All gone now but I have their handiworks, tablecloths, doilies, dollclothes. I learned to knit from my honorary french mother when visiting in summer. Know I am making socks for my beloveds. Knitting seems so much more practical.