Thursday, January 12, 2017

Throw back... is it Thursday?

In the spirit of "Throw Back Thursday" (or is it Tuesday? I can't keep up with the kids these days) I'm putting up a baby sweater that I knit probably close to 10 years ago.


When I was in grad school, there was a woman whose job it was to deal with the administrative side of grad students.  Along with reviewing our grant applications she also made sure that we were following the rules when it came to what was technically needed to complete our degrees.

That and she was genuinely a nice person.  So when she decided that she was starting a family of her own, I couldn't resist.  Gender unknown, and doing this all on her own, this woman set out to be a Mom.

There are things I vaguely remember from grad school (sleepless nights, committee meetings, and other things), but what I remember most are the people who made a difference.

Marija - Graduate Student Administrator - and way back with her unborn child, were two people that were important to me.  She was a kind, unbelievably intelligent, and caring person with a baby on the way.  I was a disillusioned grad student with few prospects on the horizon.

But this person that I held in high regard was having a baby.  And she was going to be a great Mom.  And therefore I needed to knit.


When I originally knit this baby sweater, said little one was still in untero.  When I left grad school Mom was just coming back to work (having also gone back to school in the middle for a few years).  And even if it was 5 years ago, I still every so often think about her and the now child whom she is caring for.

Dearest little one, you will probably never meet me, but know that your Mom is a really good person.  I know that your Mom was and probably still is a hardworking, caring, loving person.  If you look back through you baby pictures and come across this sweater, know that it was knit by someone who really believes that you are in the best of hands and that your Mom is pretty cool.  If you are a teenager when you find this, please bookmark it and come back in your twenties.  It might not seem important now, but it sure was at the time.

I made this sweater for you, just because you were the child of someone that I cared for.

Knitters, I can't find the pattern, but I'm pretty sure it was out of a page-a-day calendar.  Originally it was knit all in one colour, but with baby expected in the fall, there was no way that I couldn't change up the leaves.  The yarn was Cascade 220 (I only know because I found the left overs very recently).  Don't ask me what colours, I'm not good with tags!


Dear child (for infant and toddler you are no longer) I really do wish you the best.  And if you find this picture, remind me to your mother.  She is awesome.