Both of my Grandmother’s knit.  One was from Scotland, and the other was from Ireland.  They both knit and crocheted and were always busy with their hands.  I think that I inherited my love of the craft from them.

  Granny Baptie was from Scotland and I was her favorite.  Yes, I know that we are all favorites to our Grandmothers, but this doesn’t change my perception that I was her favorite.  She lived with us when I was a baby and would visit often as I grew up.

When I left home and went to University she would come to the Island from NewWestminister and stay with me and tell me stories of her mother and growing up in Scotland.  She had very vivid memories, even though she had left the “Old Country” in 1916.  She was joining her husband in Nanaimo, where he was working on the coal face.

She was so thrilled when I started knitting – her hands were not allowing her to knit or crochet and seeing me knit meant a great deal to her.  It was important to me as well – the first sweater that I tried to design was one for her.  As Granny got older, she was often cold and was so happy that I was going to knit for her. 

 “Could you knit me a shawl?”,

“Not yet, How about a sweater?”,

“Pink and Grey would be perfect!”.  I designed a simple cagdigan in soft pink and grey with a thistle pattern on it.  She loved it.  I have a very dark picture of her wearing it, holding her namesake Beth.

I told my Granny that I would try a shawl for her soon, but life interfered and I got busy with my new child and moving house – time moved along too swiftly.

My daughter is named Elizabeth after my Granny Baptie, and I have a picture of the four of us together.  Beth is about 18 months old.  She is now 25 years old.  My Granny died shortly after that picture and my Mother 4 years later.  I never got the time to knit Granny her shawl, not before she died and not before Beth grew up.  But knit it I eventually did, with memories and love in every stitch.

Happy Knitting

Lynette