Never Without Our Mittens

“My Mother, Ruby, the second oldest of six, was born in 1922 and grew up during the ‘dole’ days about 20 kms outside St. John’s.  She was just 7 when their father died, leaving the family nearly destitute.  At the ripe old age of 9, her brother Albert went to work as did their mother.  Ruby left grade 2 to care for her 4 young siblings, between the ages of 6 months and 5 years.  She often told the story how one Christmas they all got new mitts.  But, early in the New Year, their mother needed Mom’s and Uncle Albert’s mitts so she could trade them for flour at the local store.  I often wonder if it was this circumstance in her life that played a part in her ensuring that all 9 of us, our spouses and our children each got a new pair of mitts each and every Christmas.  Mother once tried to show me how to knit these mitts on 4 needles, beginning with 2 stitches at the bottom and adding on as she knit her way to the wristband.  We both soon realized knitting was not going to work for me.  So, I began to hook mittens.  Mother used acrylic yarn where I choose to work with bright colors of Briggs & Little wool yarn.  Mother knit mostly diamonds and ‘crazy’ mitts from left over pieces, where I like to add scenes from life around us.”