Knitter, migrant, curious traveller who likes to meet people
Lucy, like many of us, has not always been a crafter. Her mother is a keen knitter but it was her Nan who taught Lucy how to knit. Lucy is now a confident knitter of socks, jumpers, shawls using many different techniques. She is also one of the admins on the Facebook page.
We met at Young and Frisky in Gungahlin. Lucy told me this is her usual Friday night haunt, a place to finish the week with her husband, and start the weekend; a moment for the two of them with none of offspring in tow.
Lucy takes one of her current works in progress (WIP) out of her bag. Lucy had made the Nectar blanket before but this one was multicoloured. The Obsession Yarn used in this one was an Advent Project. (For those not in the know, an Advent is a collection of yarn, which comes in small lots, one for each day of December, in different colours, which can be made in anything). Lucy explained this is something she, her mother and sister, both still in the UK, do each year. Each has the same Advent project; a common goal to chat about over modern communications and when they see each other in person. Lucy was on day 6, her mother had nearly finished and her sister was half way through. The tone in Lucy’s voice told me this was the usual way; “My mother is retired” she said by way of explanation with a laugh.
She told me about her other WIPs. She was sewing up a baby blanket and the third was under wraps as it would be an entry to the Canberra Show and she did not want to let on what she was making.
Lucy stopped knitting as a teenager as ‘noone wants to be a knitting teenager’. She tried again when she had three young children but it proved too time consuming and difficult, but got back into it on a return visit to the UK in the last 10 years. Her mum gave her a kit that made a teddy bear which she finished and gave to her youngest son. When she looks at the bear now she can see how far her knitting has progressed over the last 8 years; it has become more confident and experienced.
Lucy was quick to point out that she would not have come this far if it had not been for the Facebook Group. She tried a local knit and natter group but it was not for her, so she sought out another. The Canberra Knitters and Crocheters Group started on Meetup. She went along to one meeting and found her people. We talked about the benefits both knitting and the group bring. Lucy described the way knitting helped her to think about other things and not focus on what is going on in her life: it adds an extra layer. It gives her a space to be able to zone out, it takes her mind somewhere else. The group has brought friendship, support and new skills. Lucy’s oldest son is autistic and as an adult moved into a group home. The knitting helped with the transition during this time. When Lucy broke her elbow and could not drive for weeks, another group member would pick her up and take her places as needed and helped out when her daughter had her wisdom teeth out. “I was looking for a community and found one” she says.
The best thing she ever made was a 2 ply shawl as a gift for her best friend for her wedding day in 2019. The shawl was worn during the evening as it cooled down; “It is very fine and allowed the dress to show through”. “ I am going to tear up now”, Lucy said and told me about the groom, who died in 2020. She told her friend to wrap herself in the shawl as it was made with “so much love”. If Lucy could not be there, with her friend, they would both feel connected when the shawl was worn.
The object that Lucy treasurers is a framed photo of her dad. I see a smiling man in an Australian hat. She explains that she wanted to buy him a new one but he liked this one as it was moulded to his head. The same year she broke her elbow, her father became unwell and passed away. Lucy returns to the UK every few years. On one of the return trips her father gave her this picture of himself. “I thought he was just being vain, and he was vain, but now I know he wanted to include me in the plans for the funeral.” Lucy explained. This was the photo used for the service and she felt more included in the proceedings even though she was on the other side of the world.
As a migrant myself, I understand about a connection to stuff. There are things I have carted from home to home over the years that I am not ready to part with. Lucy told me she was not really into stuff and as she got older, even less so, but she does have a large collection of shot glasses collected from around the world; Chicago and Los Angeles, (where she met her Australian husband), Wellington NZ and all around Australia. These treasures used to be kept in a glass cabinet to be gazed at, but were now used on occasions such as New Year’s Eve.
I asked if she had passed on her skills to her children. Crafts are often passed down through the generations. Two of her kids know how but as teenagers are not keen to spend their time on such pursuits. They do not see or need the connections it makes, the wellbeing it gives. It will be there when they need it.
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