This week Sonya, our roving reporter, brings you Christine ‘s story. Her crescent shawl continues to be one of our top posts. She has mentored new members in spinning and weaving . She supports them strongly at the start and then gives them so many ideas and pushes them to fly and believe in themselves. She is confidence-inspiring with yarn arts because she is so passionate about them:
Christine is a most gifted and creative person you could ever come across. And laced with such kindness of heart. She willingly teaches newbies how to spin, weave, do complex knitting, or manoeuvre their way into a puzzling spinning wheel., spin chunky yarn, use an obscure sock loom etc etc. Can’t do something? Need the shelves of patterns sorted? Take you to the airport? Do a stint at the Royal Adelaide Show? Just ask dear Christine. Oh it’s too late! She’s already offered before being asked. Every club should have a Christine. Here is her story which she assured me there was nothing about her, to write.
I’ve knitted for as long as I can remember. My mother was pleased she could teach me because my two sisters just didn’t cotton on to knitting. But for all that there was a lot of skill in my family. One of my brothers and his son built their entire house. Another brother has renovated and redecorated his house. One of my sisters is brilliant at sewing, making curtains and such, and so clever with macramé. And the other sister is just so socially gifted.
I was sixteen when I knitted my first cardigan. When my children were young I remember knitting seven jumpers for them in seven months. My wrists were so sore that I threw out my needles and the rest of my wool, vowing never to knit again.
After that I don’t think I picked up my knitting needles for some years. Then a friend gave me a cross stitch tapestry, a white work project and a long stitch tapestry. That all got me going again. I decided I would make hardanger embroidery my specialty.
When my neighbour and friend Beryl showed me her spinning wheel and told me about the process of washing, carding, spinning and then knitting, I thought to myself –what fool would go through all of that?
I started coming along with Beryl to Seaford Spinners and Weavers because I decided I wanted to learn how to spin. However I had no intention of joining up. I learnt to spin on the wheel I borrowed from my sister who keeps it as an ornament and is not interested in using it. I took to spinning and loved it. I still find it relaxing and I feel kind of secure, behind a spinning wheel.
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The weather was beautiful on Monday and our ocean view was quite spectaular. it may have been April Fool’s Day but no fools were present. Just plenty of enthusiastic peopel with great colours and good ideas.