Giving thanks and sharing the love

One of my favorite projects ever was the Liberty throw I made for my sister-in-law's grandparents. So I was pretty excited when someone from WEBS contacted me to see if they could include the project in one of their Valley Yarns on Ravelry posts (of course!). I kept a look out but never saw it and thought maybe they changed their minds about including mine. Lo & behold when trying to find something to do with all this Stockbridge I have in my stash, I came across this - mine's lucky #3!

Seems an appropriate season for me to give you the back story.

My first trip to Poland was in Fall 2008 just after my brother got married. The three of us went together to visit extended family that wasn't able to get to the states for the ceremony. We stayed a week in the city on our own in the grandparents' apartment and then a week in the country with them at their summer cottage. They were lovely. Especially Babcia (that's Polish for grandmother). She cooked around the clock for us and walked with us for hours in the forest each day teaching us which mushrooms were good.

I fell in love with Poland and with Babcia. When I got home I kept remembering all the good food I ate and how much fun I had mushrooming. For weeks I'd see mushrooms on the forest floor whenever I closed my eyes - really! I knew I needed to go back and I wanted to be able to bring something special with me for my hosts. Knitting was a given and I had wanted to make Liberty every since I bought Mason-Dixon Knitting so I had the pattern set. I decided on red and white to match the cottage decor and as a nod to Poland's colors. All systems go!

My first steek (don't fear the steek!), my first two-handed, stranded colorwork (so fun!) and my first thing so big I needed to soak it in the bathtub. The only real problem I had was packing everything in a single, carry-on bag (another success!) when we visited again the following year. After months of excitedly waiting to present it to them, I couldn't have been happier about how it was received

 

It's Thanksgiving Eve here and I'm once again reminded of my thankfulness for family. But more than that, I'm thankful for the extensible nature of family and the underlying love and graciousness that make people with whom I share no genetic ties feel as though I do. I'm also thankful for each (both?) of you; a very happy Thanksgiving to you, one and all!!