Trip down memory lane, frogging, frogging, frogging and sorting!

[Needle Arts]

Oh my! What an afternoon. Took a trip down memory lane, some good, some not so good. Mom sold her home two years ago and at that time I took 13 apple boxes and a 33 gal garbage can of yarn home to my garage. She moved into an assisted living home and occasionally I would take her a box of yarn to go through but we also continued to buy more, and when I couldn't take her, one of her friends did. At 94, she passed away in April and I only had a day or two to close up her apartment. Not all the yarn got packed in one place (thank you helpers, but--my job now is a little more difficult). Had to put everything in a storage unit temporarily.

 

So--I lurk here, don't post often but thought I had seen some yarn another 'Viller was looking for. Went down to the garage and sorted through several of the above mentioned boxes. Wow---most of the yarn I'd given her to put in her gargage sales over the years she kept. Found several of my old WIP including a yellow/white varigated DazzleAir ripple afghan I started when I was expecting my daughter (she turned 30 in April). Now mom sorted her yarn by color and there are bits and pieces of yarn sticking out through the side of the boxes (I sort by weight/type). She also put STRONG SMELLING BARS OF SOAP -- Cashmere Bouquet for one -- in the bags to keep the moths away. I'm sure they are staying away! Only got through about five boxes but pulled out lots of baby yarn as I'm working on Project Linus blankets right now. Took time to go get some plastic tubs w/lids to re-sort. Pulled out a couple of WIP's and frogged, frogged and frogged.

 

Tears came a few times but I also remembered the fun shopping trips, the laughter, the going out to lunch to make a day of it and exchanging patterns, etc. I have been going up to the assisted living home since her passing on Wednesday afternoon's to crochet with her "club", my surrogate Mom's. I have a bunch of mismatched knitting needles, plastic crochet hooks/knitting needles that are slightly bent with age (like me). I know we packed some REALLY OLD pattern books. Her current inventory that we packed is all the newer, synthetic yarns. Lingered over an unfinished blue wool man's sweater with cables up the sleeves that she started my years ago before my father passed. Wasn't ready to frog that one yet. I was with her round the clock those last few weeks -- spent a lot of time talking to her and telling her what I was working on as we passed those long hours. Today, she felt closer than any day since she passed. Thank you Father for the many life lessons we shared together in the hours over the years. I was very blessed!

[karin4christ]

I'm so glad you have those wonderful memories of your mother.

[123mama]

 

sondra

[darski]

I am so glad that you have all this love around you that you can touch and experience it all again. The story of the blue sweater really touched my heart. having that can make it seem that you have a bit of both of them.

 

I confess to feeling something of my grandmother when I crochet so I understand that you are indeed blessed. He can be so loving in the little gifts He gives us.

 

BTW... It was a bit of a shock to see my name at the bottom of your post...

Darski/ aka Darlene

 

Will keep you in my prayers.

[RecycleCindy]

Such wonderful memories. Thank you for sharing them with us. We are blessed by the special moments in our lives and thank you for providing one for all of us.

[Elle]

Darlene, as I read your post, I too went for a trip down memory lane, thinking of all the times my mother and I sat and crocheted together, or when we would get together with my aunt and my grandmother and the four of us would sit for many hours around my aunt's kitchen table, chatting and crocheting and helping each other try to figure out new stitches or how to get through a difficult part of a pattern.

 

You were blessed to have your mother with you for so many years. I lost mine when she was only 57, however, I still feel like she's there with me, along with my grandmother, when I sit down with my hooks and yarn. Sometimes when I get to a difficult part of a pattern or try to figure out a new stitch, I smile to myself thinking about how it would have been if they were there with me, trying to help.

 

Our beloved Moms will always be with us, helping us to figure out those new stitches and getting us through those difficult patterns. Those memories are priceless, because as long as we have them, we can always leave the pressures of everyday life behind and go back and spend time with our loved ones who have gone before us.

 

Elle

[monkeybabies]

What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing it (as a tear runs down my cheek)

[HomekeepingGran]

Thank you, Darlene. My own mother is still alive, but doesn't have many years left due to a slow illness. We don't live in the same state and unfortunately, during our times together she watches me craft rather than do it herself, for she has forgotten much of what she knew about knitting and even sewing. You remind me of how precious our mothers are and how we should cherish them while we have them. Your post is very moving.

 

Could you use the unfinished blue sweater on the wall in a shadow box? Perhaps with some needles and a picture of your parents? Please don't frog it!

[Needle Arts]

Thank you for the shadow box idea. I kept the memorial I wrote when I did my dad's funeral service, some beautiful napkins that we had at the family dinner and a piece of sheet music that he loved. Always wanted to do a shadow box of those. Your post may be the push I need to put these treasures together.