Mission Impossible ... Mission Complete

I first learned to knit in elementary school through a 4-H group that met once a week at Ginger Navarro’s house. Her mother taught us a new way to cast-on and introduced us to several beginner projects.
It’s funny how my memory connects an event from my past to knitting. I remember when we got the call that my Grandpa Smith had died at age 54 from kidney disease. I was sitting in the dining area of our apartment knitting a project from our 4-H group using light blue yarn. I believe I was 9 years old. So many years ago …
During my teens and early twenties I picked up my knitting needles again and even learned to crochet. It wasn’t until I found out I was going to be a grandma that the desire to knit again came to mind. One of my co-workers, Pam helped refresh my skills and get me started again.
Since then I have completed several dishcloths, scarves, an afghan and a baby blanket. The baby blanket brought the most tears and grief but I struggled through it. September 2004 I bought some chenille cotton yarn with the intention of making a reverse-bloom flower washcloth. The humorous side to this story is that the pattern was from a knitting book titled, “Weekend Knitting “ … I laugh just thinking about it.
After failing to even get the project started Pam took the pattern to a knit shop in Lake Oswego and they told her it was an intermediate pattern (aha!) She knit one so she could help me get started – but it never happened.
During our annual Sunriver Memorial Day weekend getaway Heather decided we were going to conquer this project. She dictated the instructions and I knit. We even met at Starbucks after we got home when it was time to start the flower center – with Loree observing.
Well, as projects go … when it was time to transfer it to double-pointed needles and only 10 rows to go … it went back to the bottom of my knitting bag. I didn’t think I could finish it on my own. Then ever so often over the next several months Loree would bring it up … “have you finished the round thingy yet?” Finally last Thursday when I was home sick I made a decision to finish it. I’m glad there were no hidden cameras recording my first use of double-pointed needles. It was quite the comedy … stitches dropping off one end, trying to keep track of the beginning of a row. But much to my amazement I finished it and it turned out like it was supposed to! Yeah!
It’s always so rewarding to accomplish something we didn’t know we were capable of, to be stretched to learn a new skill. But the biggest lesson I learned in finishing this is how far we can go with the help and encouragement of others.
Thank you Pam, Heather and Loree for helping me finish this difficult project.
I still chuckle … Weekend Project ?!?!?! Maybe the next one won’t be so hard.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.
Ecclesiastes 4:9