by Louisa Hopewell, Handwork Teacher
Now is a better time than any to pick up knitting.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, knitting can bring relief.
That feeling that we have no control can be eased with the meditative rhythm of needles and the comforting feel of yarn in your hands. I see this magic firsthand when my students gather for handwork class.
There is a lot to learn from knitting besides basic skills like knit and purl. Students at the Waldorf school could tell you that there will almost always be moments of frustration brought on by their handwork classes. Feeling helpless and confused with a new challenging stitch; or bored when knitting the cuff of a sock, before the excitement of starting the heel; or the lack of motivation in the middle of a scarf when it hasn’t seemed to get any longer for quite some time; or impatience when there are too many students waiting in line ahead of you for help with a dropped stitch. I can’t help but relate these feelings to what we adults are feeling right now.
It can become too much to bear for many of us.
But through these feelings of despair can come great joy.
As the handwork teacher, I see this transformation almost every day as students work through their struggles. I see them find a rhythm and get into a groove with their work. Eventually, their project doesn’t feel so hard any more. And then eventually, there is satisfaction when the project is complete.
We all feel a great deal of pride when a student realizes that the hat they have been working on actually fits their head! Our class cheers when each student has finished their first-grade scarf.
If being a handwork teacher has taught me anything it’s that hard work and community and kindness can carry us through adversity. I feel so grateful to be part of this community as we move into this difficult time.
Students’ current handwork projects are being put on hold as we move into this phase of home work. However, the knitting continues! I have cast on and handed out a new simpler project, knitting a Roll Poly, for each student. If you have needles and yarn at home I encourage parents to do the same. I have used size 4-6 needles for my older students and size 8-10 for the younger ones. Most yarns will work for this project. Many of you will recognize these knitted creations from our EC classrooms. Children can use them to make many things including scarves, makeshift building rope, leashes for pets, imaginary snakes, rivers, roads, and many more. Cast on 8-10 stitches and you are ready to go with a simple knit stitch. And if you need any help at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If you would like detailed instructions on how to knit a roly poly, visit our tutorial here.
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