Knit it Forward: Morgane

At the beginning of the year, a facebook chain began to circulate amongst the group referred to as "the knits". The chain was along the line of pay it forward: the first five people to comment on your post get something handmade by the poster by the end of 2012. In turn, they must make five things for the first five to comment on theirs, and so your five projects grow exponentially until the world is covered with handmade things.

I normally ignore these posts because while I love getting handmade things, I'm not the biggest fan of parting with my handmade things, especially to 5 totally random facebook friends. I mean seriously- I have a few "friends" I've never actually met, a few "friends" who I haven't spoken to since high school, a few "friends" that I really should have unfriended but their drama is just soooo interesting...etc. The point is, I didn't want my hard work and nice yarn to go to those "friends" (I'm very selfish with my knitting- and if you judge, I understand). I especially didn't want to make things for people who would take my gift, abuse it, neglect it, and then not pay it forward. But since you can't choose who happens to see your facebook status as any given time, I held my breath and clicked "share".

My first comment was from Ben, one of my bff's and the guy who got me through college math. He already has a few hats that I made which he loves and washes gently. In short, he's knit-worthy.

My second was from Meghann, another of my bff's, who is a fellow knitter and hat enthusiast. I would knit for Meghann any day!

My third was Bam Bam's Mom, who tried to check in for other people in her family in addition to herself, telling me exactly what she thinks I should make everyone. No, I will not cover your family in knitwear, YOU checked in, YOU may get one thing and then pay it forward. I'll be sure to send a note when I finish reminding her that it's her turn. If she's getting a fair-isle cardigan that her mother didn't finish, then she can certainly pass that on.

My fourth was Jen, a friend from high school and while not someone I regularly hang out with, she and I facebook chat about arts and crafts quite often. She's totally knit-worthy.

And then people stopped commenting. I was a little disappointed- there were really only 4 people who wanted me to make them something? but then- wait- my blackberry just dinged. My fifth commenter was....Morgane, my old babysitter from when I lived in France. And I couldn't think of a person I'd rather knit for.

My earliest memory of knitting was Morgane's mother, a knitter, asking if I could keep a secret. I couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 and I assured her that I could- and she showed me this basket full of thin red yarn and a gorgeous red 1x1 ribbed scarf. I know that's exactly what it was, because it was burned in to my brain as the most awesome thing I had ever seen besides flowers, beads and snails on my Fisher Price wheelbarrow. I probably blew Morgane's birthday surprise because I'm terrible at keeping secrets, and I can't imagine I would have been much better at it nearly 20 years ago. But I remember that red scarf.

And so when Morgane popped up as my number five, I knew exactly what I had to make for her. A red scarf with a Paige twist. I dug out the special hank of Kraemer Sterling and Silk that I'd been saving for the perfect project and began making a favorite pattern of mine- a lace pattern called the Zetor scarf. I made one a couple years ago in orange and wear it as often as I can and I couldn't think of something more appropriate to give to Morgane. I loved it from the first stitch and couldn't put it down. I finished it in a little over a week but didn't want to post pictures until she got it in the mail- I wasn't going to ruin the surprise this time. She wrote to tell me that she got it yesterday so I can finally share it here.

So here is Morgane's scarf, my first installment of Knitting it Forward.

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Hey Meghann- you're up next.