Knitting Lives Together with Penny Pockets-Yarn Along

For Ginny’s Yarn Along this week-I want to share a special friend with you.

My children were just babes in arm when she entered into our lives. She lead the children’s story hour at our local library. “Come a little closer hun,” were the first words she said to me as I sat with my baby of just 3 months in my lap. Justine, 68 years old- for the next 23 years, Justine has drawn us close: teaching, sharing, and loving us.

Justine introduced our family to sheep. She and her husband had a “ragtag” flock of sheep, and every year at lambing season, Justine would invite the kids and I up to her tattered farmhouse to embrace a lamb and to hold a cup of hot chocolate by her woodstove.

As soon as the children were old enough, she put knitting needles and wool yarn, spun from her own sheep, in their hands. Once a week, I took my my girls over to her house to spend a few hours knitting and exploring. My girls learned to make penny pockets and dolls with yarn, while Justine knit our lives together. With every knit and purl, Justine became entwined in our hearts.

Last week, Justine turned 91 years old. My daughter and I went to visit with her. When we walked into her living room, a half knit baby blanket lay where she had been sitting. After all these years, Justine still knits lives together as she makes blankets for the preemie babies born in the local hospital.

Penny Pockets-A First Knitting Project for Children

• Worsted Weight Yarn
• Knitting Needles size US 7
• Tapestry Needle
• Small Button

Cast on 20 stitches. Knit each row until it measures 5 or 6 inches. Fold in thirds, sewing up the sides to create a pouch.  Allow a flap to fold over the top of of the pouch. Sew a button to the pouch and attach a small loop out of yarn to the flap to secure to the button. Fill with pennies or treasures!

Justine used the book Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick, when teaching my children to knit. It has wonderful illustrations and a series of knitting projects for children of all ages.