I am happily pursuing my hobby --- knitting! Thanks to a wonderful instructor whom I will cherish forever, a weekly knitting circle of friendly, interesting people from all walks of life, fantastic yarn stores, lots of knitting books from the library and knitting magazines and catalogues to read and ponder, plus a super-size bag full of treasured skeins, needles, and gadgets, too!
As a knitter and experienced Internet surfer, I need to know and share with you the best online resources to supply dependable information about goodies both to knit and to knit with, as well as stimulating, creative possibilities and projects to work toward. The buttons above lead you to the ever-expanding, valuable knitting links -- "the best of the web" -- for knitters of all levels to explore. Of course, please e-mail me your comments and suggestions for other sites.
Before you go, did you know ... ? "Working with yarn provides stress relief," says Herbert Benson, MD, a professor at Harvard Medical School and author of The Relaxation Response. "Like meditation or prayer, knitting allows for the passive release of stray thoughts." But while studies have found that meditation can sometimes induce stress and depression, knitting doesn't have that effect. In fact, it tops many doctors' calming-activity lists. "The rhythmic and repetitive quality of the stitching, along with the needles clicking resembles a calming mantra," Dr. Benson explains. "The mind can wander while still focusing on one task."
So ... "Relax, dream, connect, enjoy, indulge, create -- knit."
I lovingly dedicate these knitting pages to the memory of my maternal French Canadian grandmother, Alphonsine Marie Brouillard Moseley, who knitted, crocheted, and crafted until shortly before her death at the age of 98. She always -- and in every way possible -- gave me unconditional love, respect, and acceptance. One of the most memorable events in my life was during my first year of teaching in Hartford, Connecticut in a low income Spanish-speaking neighborhood. Because of her nimble fingers, kindness, generosity, and overall love of children, I was able to provide a unique, colorfully-designed pair of mittens to every one of my students each year. However, her greatest and most everlasting gift was speaking and singing French to me as a young child which enabled me to excel in new language learning and lead me to where I am today.
"He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist." -- St. Francis of Assisi
