Having grown up in New Hampshire in learned to knit from both my grandmother at an early age, and later continued learning with my mother-in-law. Back then, we used scratchy materials and made baby outfits for our friends and relatives. As time went on, we honed our skills and learned to appreciate the finer of the fibers out there that the industry was providing us. Cashmere, silk, the addition of beads and fine alpacas and beautiful soft materials started making it such a pleasure to knit and crochet. Groups of knitters and crocheters began popping up everywhere, making it a wonderful way to make and keep friends, in addition, to help each other learn the finer points of the skills.

Once I moved to Arizona, I had the wonderful opportunity to both work at the Red Rock Knit Shop for nearly 10 years, as well as having enjoyed teaching knitting and crochet to a great group of women at Yavapai College for a few years. Many of these women remain my friends today and we still get together to exchange ideas and coffee – maybe even a glass of wine or two. It’s a wonderful way to make and keep friends, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to both have made friends and share skills and have fun at the same time.