Expressing Appreciation

A good friend's mom died recently.  Her mom was in some ways my mom, too.  I spent lots of time at their house growing up, even going with their family on vacation once.  I'm not sure that I knew this as a 14-year old, but I now understand that their house was a sanctuary of "normal" for me then. This Mom was a remarkable person who survived severe hardships in Eastern Europe before WWII, then built a successful business and raised a family in the US.  This Mom persevered after a drunk driver claimed one of her daughters when she was a teenager. This was not an easy life lived, but my recollection of her is as one of the strongest women I've ever known.

It seems natural to knitters to acknowledge a loved one's loss by making something that commemorates some aspect of the person's life.  My friend had described one of her last experiences with her Mom, which was a trip to a sheep farm.  I soon learned that the sheep farm specialized in raising Merinos and that they had an online shop. I was thrilled to order some roving, which I planned to spin and use the yarn to make a hat for my friend.

Roving from Apple Creek Merinos

One thing that I remember from my friend's house was the beautiful greenish-grey color of the living room.  It just seemed so peaceful, and I used that recollection as a guide for dyeing some of the roving.

Kettle dyeing with multiple colors, based on a lesson in Yarnitecture, by Jillian Moreno

yarn made from dyed brown roving

All that's left of the dyed white roving. We call the color Vida Verde.

My friend requested a slouchy hat, which was a new style for me to design. I opted to include a color work section, but also to highlight the beautiful appearance of the un-dyed wool.

This experience gave the me a chance to express my gratitude for the influence this family had on me when it mattered the most.