I Survived Teaching Knitting to Girl Scouts

"Knitting bags" ready for Girl Scout Lessons

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In through the door.

Up over the back.

Peek thru the window

Out jumps Jack.

Mothers should not be allowed to get sick. There should be a magic pill they give you after you deliver your first child that fends off any illness for life (or at least until all the kids are out of the house). I've been battling a bad cold for the past few days so between feeling like my head might explode and my throat must be on fire, I've also heard the fabulous sounds of knitting needles clinking and stitches being counted.

I "taught" my Girl Scout troop to knit on Monday. Really, I taught them a catchy poem (see above), gave them a bag with needles, yarn and instructions, and then, after watching a video on a big screen about Continental Knitting, set them free.

Each Bag Contained a Pair of Bamboo Needles and Yarn- I cast on 24 stitches and did two rows to get them started.

Which meant my mother and I helped, ripped off, cast on again and started over, and tried to teach them to knit a dishcloth. Thank goodness my mother was able to come as 16 girls quickly outnumber you. She is a former Girl Scout leader (mine) so she understands.

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By the end of the day, about 1/2 the girls seemed to be "getting" it and the other 1/2 were struggling. Only one cried in frustration. Next week, we'll try again at my house instead of at the library at school so it will be just a few of the girls who really want to learn. In two more weeks, my mother is bringing in reinforcements for me. A few of her girlfriends who knit are coming to help me for our final class. Thank you Mom!

Above all though, my own daughter "caught the knitting bug" she's been working on her project a little every night and once again in the morning before school. She's getting it. She counts her stitches each row. Sometimes there is an additional one thrown in and we get rid of it the next time and her stitches are a little tight, but in reality, she's light years ahead of me when I learned two years ago and decades younger so I'm thinking that she'll surpass my skills sooner rather than later!

M's project thus far. Looking good.

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I told M yesterday that if she's the only one who picks up knitting as a hobby from all of this work it will be worth it. I'm not sure I would have had the patience to just teach her alone. Somehow the pressure of the group made me more comfortable.

Her mother, grandmother and bestemor will be so proud of her finished project that we might have to frame it. This morning, as we were heading out the door to school, I tried to rush her up and her response to me was priceless: " just a minute mom, I've just got two more stitches to do."

Guess this cold I have really isn't so bad. At least my ears are clear and I can hear those wonderful words flow out of her mouth.