My Knitting Wife

My wife is amazing!

As soon as she hears that someone is expecting a baby out come the knitting needles and wool. The house is scoured for suitable knitting patterns and If nothing suitable is found a trip to the local knitting shop is then planned.

I mentioned to her recently that a colleague at work and his partner were expecting a baby boy and how it would be nice if I could present him with one of her very nice 'home knitted' cardigans. Pale blue wool was duly purchased and knitting commenced. Many evenings were spent happily knitting away. Needles quietly clicking away. Very relaxing for me and a 'labour of love' for her, without doubt.

Baby cardigans do seem to be her speciality these days. Pink ones for the baby girls and blue ones for the baby boys, naturally. And of course now that it seems to be almost 'standard practice' for the parents to know the sex of their child, before he or she is born, she can make an early start on the knitting knowing the colour will be right. No more whites or yellows which will suit either. 'They're having a boy! Now where is that nice light blue wool I had left over?'

I wonder who the next recipient of one of her cardigans will be. The knitting can get very intensive with lots of babies in the offing!

She never charges for her creations (not even for the wool) and I have often thought that maybe she could use her knitting skills to make some sort of income. Perhaps she will, one day.

I often wonder if the parents, or parents to be, realise just how much time and effort has gone into their new cardigan. But a simple 'Thank you' is enough for her and to see the new born wearing it is all she asks. In this digital age I have recently been suggesting that a photo of th baby wearing the new cardigan could be emailed to her. I know she would appreciate that very much.

She realised recently, while knitting another cardigan for our beautiful granddaughter, Ella, that maybe it was going to be a little small for her as she seems to be getting 'big so quickly!' No big deal. 'I'll just undo it and knit it up again in the next size.' No suggestion of throwing it away and starting again with new wool. 'It will be fine. Nothing wrong with that wool. It will knit up perfectly.' And she was right, of course. The new garment is now approaching completion in the larger size and does look pretty good. We look forward to seeing Ella wearing it.

As a mere man I find it hard to understand how she can watch TV and knit from a pattern, which looks like hieroglyphics to me, with just the occasional' Oh dear! I've gone wrong on this row, I'll have to start it again.'. Or 'Now I've lost count. Your fault for talking to me!'. Amazing!

She hasn't always knitted just baby clothes. She used to knit me jumpers and cardigans too. They always looked good and I certainly appreciated receiving them. I remember she once knitted me an Aran jumper. It was in a cream colour and was very warm. So warm, in fact that if I wore it indoors I'd immediately break out in a sweat and have to remove it. It was to be used outdoors and only in sub-zero temperatures! I had that jumper for many years but eventually the moths got it! Shame! Mind you, I don't think we've had many winters cold enough for me to wear it without risk of melting! Global warming, no doubt.

Thinking about it she used to knit me bobble hats too! A bit unfashionable these days, I suppose, but I was always please to wear them when I was working out in the cold weather.

I seem to recall that it was often me who made the bobble! Something my mum taught me, no doubt. Two rings cut from cardboard and the wool wound through the hole in the middle many times until it was impossible to to get any more through it.... I could probably still remember how to make one now, if they weren't deemed to be too 'old fashioned'! But what were they for anyway? Must have been just for decoration as they didn't serve any useful purpose, as far as I know. Curious!

With Winter approaching maybe I should put in an order for a new wooly jumper. I havn't had one of those for many years and it just might be a cold Winter again this year..