Legacy in Reverse: Teaching Our Mothers to Knit By Anna Our knitting foremothers are full of mother-daughter duos, namely Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen. Traditionally, we think of knitting or any kind of handwork, as something that is passed down from mother to daughter. But now in the 21st century, our craft skills sometimes skip generations, or, as in the case of me and my mother, and Kelli and her mother, the skill passes “backwards.” This past winter, both of our mothers, spurred on by the arrival of new grandchildren (I am due with my second son in May; Kelli’s sister just welcomed her second child, Athena Avery, last week), expressed an interest in learning how to knit. Debbie Stoller, author of the Stitch ‘n Bitch series, theorizes that knitting has skipped a generation because women in my mother’s cohort -- that important generation who fought for equal pay and equal opportunities for women -- felt that the act of handwork was simply a “part of women’s societal obligation to serve everyone around them.” I find it interesting that as my generation has “taken back” the craft and reclaimed it as an important part of our heritage, it is the birth of yet another generation that has inspired my mother to take up knitting needles. I learned to knit from my grandmother, who learned from her mother before her, but my mother, who is a talented potter and teacher who also weaves, felts, and spins, had never gone beyond a simple knit scarf. My mother, who is so competent at any handwork she attempts, took her needles in hand almost fearfully. It was fascinating to watch her muscle memory take over as she formed the knit stitch, repeating the movements that we’d both been taught by the same woman. Kelli learned to knit when she learned that she would be coming to work at Natural Stitches. Her mother comes from a family where a few women quilt and crochet, but she never expressed a sustained interest in doing any kind of fiber work. As Kelli’s knitting skills grew and her mother became the recipient of increasingly complex projects, Kelli’s mother decided that knitting might fulfill her need for a long-term, relaxing hobby that showed a tangible result. Both of our mothers chose the Baby Albert Coat from Sally Melville’s The Knit Stitch, which is fitting as Melville is not only yet another knitting foremother but also part of a mother-daughter knitting duo. Kelli’s mom chose the Berocco Pure Pima for her sweater, while my mother chose the Cascade 220 Superwash Handpaints. This project is especially good for a motivated beginner because it starts as a simple garter stitch piece, much like knitting a short scarf. Along the way, new knitters learn button-holes, picking up stitches, and simple shaping techniques. Our progress is slow, but I’ve discovered that this is a wonderful way for my mother and me to bond. Every week, she comes to my house with her mistakes for me to fix. It’s kind of amazing that I can teach the woman who taught me so much, as we take this knitting journey together. The Baby Albert is not just for children! Here, we see two customers modeling the Einstein Coat from Sally Melville’s The Knit Stitch. We’re thrilled that after such a long delay, The Knit Stitch is back in stock. Lee’s coat is knit in Alpaca with a Twist Highlander, and Lee has used our new Jul Buttons as fasteners. Mitzi’s coat is knit in Manos, which is currently on sale for 20% off. Lee's Einstein Click to see detail Mitzi's Einstein

What's New We have several new Spring colors of Universal Cotton Supreme, plus a new book Summer Supreme. From the authors of 60 Quick Knits featuring Cascade 220, we have 60 Quick Baby Knits featuring Cascade 220 Superwash. Also for children, The Great American Kids' Afghan is here at last! The Winter Issue of Knitter's Magazine is here, along with the Spring 2011 Spin-Off. New fiber! From Abstract Fibers, we have their same amazing colorways in Polworth and Targhee. We also have a new line from Yarn Hollow, hand-dyed by Rita Petteys, in Polworth, Merino Bamboo, "Panda Top" (merino, bamboo, and nylon), and Corriedale X Top. Do you read our blog? Here, you can keep up with our Wool Peddler KAL, see inventory as it arrives, and check in with the Bunny Nuggets. You can also find us on Ravelry, Facebook, and Twitter. The March and April Class Calendars are up! Check them out online.

Yarn Review: Berocco Linsey By Monica I've always been partial to linen: the fresh, crisp feel; the rustic, traditional look; the drape of the fabric. Berroco's new cotton and linen blend yarn, Linsey, was no exception. Knitting and crocheting up at a worsted gauge, Linsey was a joy to work with. As opposed to other linens I've encountered, the cotton content gives Linsey a soft hand, making it easy to use. And with Berroco’s color range, you will have lovely, bright shades to choose from (both saturated solids and variegateds) that will add beauty to any spring project you may have in mind. I myself can't wait to use the Linsey to make an airy, lightweight summer wrap. At $8 per 114-yard skein, you really can't go wrong with this gorgeous 64% cotton/36% linen blend. Come see our beautiful sample sweater hanging in the window!

Show Us Your Madelinetosh, Part 2 In our last newsletter, I said that we had so many beautiful customer projects made from madelinetosh yarns that I couldn’t possibly show them all in one issue. Here are some more beautiful accessories. Links go to free patterns! Susan’s Tummelum, knit with one skein of DK in Graphite: Wexford’s Iris Beret in…Iris DK: Jenn’s Woodland Scarf in one skein of sock in the Jade colorway: Sasha’s Watchcap in DK in Thunderstorm: And there’s still more! Next time, we’ll look at socks.

From the entire staff of Natural Stitches, we wish you happy knits, creative crochets and splendid spinnings. And, as always, if there's anything we can do to help, just let us know!

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