Evan Sarah Epstein

My second grade teacher taught my class to knit. A pretty remarkable feat now that I think of it – a class of about 40 inner-city kids, many of whom had various behavior issues – sitting still for half an hour every day to knit. And she taught all of us. With needles and yarn that she bought out of her own pocket. Talk about a good woman. But she wasn’t just a good woman; she was a smart woman, because knitting proved to be a very useful tool for the classroom. Not only did it somehow silence a class of really rambunctious kids, but also we learned so many skills in those slices of time: patience, fine motor skills, artistry, and the self worth that comes from knowing you can accomplish something – to name a few.

My mother-in-law is a phenomenal spinner/ knitter and has made a few really beautiful pieces for me in the years since we’ve met. I’ve always watched with awe as she almost effortlessly puts together simply lovely sweaters, scarves, mittens, socks, hats, and accessories. So, the last time she was in town, I asked her to teach me. And she said yes ☺

So… fast forward 20 or so years and I’ve decided to try to knit again. Throughout the years I would get a bug up my ass and attempt to start knitting again, but all that came of it were a series of unfinished scarves. Now that I have a teacher who expects results I have the accountability I need to keep at it as I fumble along.

What’s interesting is whenever I mentioned my new hobby to a girlfriend she would say something along the lines of: “Oh, I used to knit when I was a little girl – all I know is the basic stitch, but I would love to learn more and knit on a regular basis.” And now, I not only have my mother-on-law for some accountability, but I have a handful of girlfriends to whom I will be accountable as well, because we’ve started a stitch and bitch. Three of us got together this past weekend and painstakingly looked through how-to books and the depths of our brains to remember how to get a start. It took a bit, but by the end of the afternoon, we all had something to show for it. I’m really excited about this group!

I have no idea where my second grade teacher is now – hopefully she’s still a teacher, because she was a damn fine one. She’s burned in my brain as a young 30-something teacher, when in reality; she’s now in her 50s. I sometimes wonder with all the children that go through teacher’s classrooms if any of them remember me as I do them. Probably not, but for what it’s worth, I am still trying to master the knit and purl – thanks to Miss O’Conner.

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