I saw the thread about the knitted leaf scarf and it made me realise that my mother doesn’t knit anymore. She was always a great knitter. Even an uneducated son like me could tell that her stuff was really good - very tight and perfectly even. She used to knit for her sons and then her grandkids but now nothing.
She has been really ill for many years now and everyone is kind of not into knitwear but, assuming she has no arthritic problems, I think getting her to do some “niche” stuff like that scarf could be great for her. And my Dad loves pottering around on the net so how about a few hints for me to drop to get these oldtimers going.
Too many to mention! Are you trying to get her re-interested in it? If so, I would say something like “Hey, a friend of mine showed me this _____ and I love it! I don’t suppose you could do something THAT amazing, could you? REALLY???”
She may not be a pattern knitter, either, which is something to consider. Some knitters (especially older ones) have particular patterns memorized and churn out batches of hats and mittens all from the same basic recipe.
Are there grandkids? Because there are a lot of fun baby/kid items to make, knitted toys, etc. Lots of neat purses and scarves for adult women.
If it were me, I’d get her a nice package of good yarn, some needles, and a book for Christmas and see if it rekindles her interest. Or ask her to teach you! It wouldn’t hurt to learn and she may enjoy teaching. Pick up the book “Knitting with Balls” (no kidding) and bring it over. Tell her you want to learn to knit.
How about picking up a nice knitting magazine? There are a lot of good ones out there- Interweave Knits has lovely items. Check your local big box bookstore and see what’s what.
I use all of the sites BoBettie listed, as well as Knitting Help (free how-to videos!) and Knitter’s Review (product reviews and a message board). I think what might get her jump started (it would me, anyway) is to get her a gift certificate for a local yarn shop or online store. I would go with a local yarn shop, if you can, because you could make a whole day out of it – you take her, and indulge her in picking out lovely, luxurious yarns and spending quality time with her son. It’s much more fun to choose yarn in person than online, because you can feel the different textures and see the nuances of color.
Also, if you go to your local yarn store, you might find some classes or knitting groups that she might be interested in. I’m in a knitting group at my church, and it’s really fun; I’ve gotten to know women I wouldn’t have otherwise.
You could also get her a really pretty knitting book – that might get her creative juices flowing. I like Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, One Skein, and AlterKnits, though the last might not be up her alley. Also, the Knitting on the Edge and Knitting Over the Edge books are gorgeous, but might be too specific for this situation.
One thing you might try to suss out beforehand, though: did she knit because she liked it, or because it was expected of her? If it was sort of another household chore, she may not appreciate having it thrust back into her hands, even though your intentions are thoughtful and good.
I use Knitty & Knitting Help a lot. Great, free patterns and a good community as well. I order from Knitpicks a lot too. It’s especially great if your mom isn’t able to get out of the house and buy yarn, and it’s inexpensive for the quality.
