Dale of Norway wool yarn. Knit on tiny needles. Tiny. Miles and miles of knitting around and around.
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This was a shaped Nordic Ski sweater pattern that I got out of a magazine in 2002 or 2003. Before I started this sweater, I had knit maybe a few scarfs or something super easy when I was about 12? But I saw this pattern (in the magazine it was green), and just had to have it.
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I ordered the yarn and needles on line and signed up for a beginner knitting course through the local adult ed catalog. Seriously. The poor teacher! But she taught me about going up 1 needle size for color work so it doesn't pull in and how to carry the colors along my fingers. Of course, my sweater was no where finished when the course ended. Besides the fact that I was pregnant with my son (who will be 13 in June), so I missed a few classes toward the end.
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During the class I was also knitting him a lovely baby blanket that he dearly loved for years...and later asked me to make him one bed sized since he eventually outgrew it. Ummm, No! Anyway, my sister came over a few days before he was born and helped me finish the knit border around the edge. The sweater did not get finished.
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Actually, the sweater got packed away and every once in a great while I would take it out and knit around and around on those knit rows. Finally, last February it was just a matter of finishing the 2nd sleeve and joining it altogether. So, I did.
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And after 11 years, it was finished. Quick! I had my sister take a photo of me wearing it out on her deck! Don't you love her pine tree cut outs on her railing?
Funny to see me with dark hair. I do like dying my hair darker, but the gray streaks started showing through more often. So, I had to go back to my natural lighter color. Oh well! Now my sister and I have the same color of hair and everyone knows for sure we are related. She was here in Austria visiting me a few weeks ago. We had a great visit! That's her on the left, me on the right. We are the bookends of the family (the oldest and youngest) with 5 siblings between us!
One thing I really love...when a community pulls together for a cause. In Canada I lived in a small, rural area where most everyone chipped in for various causes and all knew each other. Whether to help the local school kids, fix feral cats, help someone with medical bills...whatever...donations were/are always generous. Hand knit items, home baked goods, flower arrangements, cords of wood, snow plowing, lobster, gift certificates...you name it.
I won this adorable hand-knit baby set in a community fund-raiser raffle. So I brought it to Austria full well knowing that babies are born all the time and it would make a nice gift for someone.
In January, I gave it to a classmate of mine for her newborn niece. My classmate, her brother and his wife are all from a very warm climate, living in Austria...far from family, their own language and culture. They are all learning German but it is a process. The gift was well received.
So, community supporting community...around the world.
My son is in the equivalent of 6th grade in the USA. He goes to a gymnasium, which means he is being schooled for the university route in Austria. 4th grade is a big deal over here because those report cards basically decide if you are university material, plus additional testing...and personal interviews. Stress. At the age of 10. At an older age you can try retesting again to get into a better school, BUT I really think those students are at a disadvantage by then and it is even harder at that point.
The system is that you can only apply to 1 school at a time. And yes, there is official government paperwork to keep track of it all. If your child does not get into the 1st choice of school, then it is a scramble to see what the availability is at other schools. And after that...well then, your neighborhood school is required to accept students from the neighborhood or the town officials assign a school based on remaining availability. This is basically my understanding of the whole process.
So, my son got into his 1st choice gymnasium and started last year This is year 2. They have a full schedule including lots of Math, German, Biology, Physics, Geometry, etc. It is normal for him to study 12 hours for a Math test. And English? I can have a full conversation with any of his classmates (age 12) and they hold their own...as a 2nd language. Next year they started French.
Hard core, right? No time for the Arts? Wrong! He still has several hours of gym EVERY week (thankfully). A big outdoor recess every day, plus a smaller pause. The German class is going to a children's production at the theater in a week or so. He has 3D Art where they make things with clay, wood, or sew.
And they still have drawing, painting Art. I am thankful for all of this because it gives his mind a break from stressfull studies and allows him to relax...and create.
His Art teacher told me that he gets very caught up on smaller details...I would say it is almost a form of meditation for him. He does not have to be the best artist to please the teacher. So no stress! She is looking for involvement and creativity.
Above is a photo of his water color, with details in fine line marker, that he brought back to school today. It is a group project because 2 other classmates will be adding their segments to the picture. Homework in Art!
I am a strong believer of keeping Arts in schools. I read more and more about schools cutting the Arts and I just do not agree! Art is just as important as any other subject. Keeping Art on the schedule does not hold my son's class back in any other subject. I would say they are all doing well. So fight to keep Art in schools!
The Art teacher gave them the picture below for inspiration.
