This note of appreciation came from Sandra Millward, a customer at Kirk-Bear Canyon Library:
Hi! My journey back to knitting at age 73… never too young!
As a young girl raised in a family of five girls and two boys, I never enjoyed knitting. My mother, who was raised in England, was an amazing knitter. She would try to teach all her daughters how to knit. I often escaped knitting lessons and volunteered to do any other chores or cooking activities in the house.
One of our family’s favorite and treasured knit items is our Santa Christmas stocking. Mom knit each of us our own stocking with our names on them. As we became adults, got married, and had children, Mom knit a stocking for each of her sons- and daughters-in-law, as well as for each of her grandchildren.
Mom passed in 2015. After her passing, both my daughter and daughter-in-law each had one more child. My daughter was fortunate—her mother-in-law knit a family stocking for her new little one. I asked her mother-in-law if she might be willing to knit one more Santa Christmas stocking. Her response was, “Sorry,” and then she added with a smile, “After finishing that one, I promised myself— ‘One and done!’”
That Christmas, we took my stocking, covered my name with tape, and wrote my granddaughter’s name on it. When she heard the response, “No, one and done,” our little sweetie looked very sad. I reached over, gave her a hug, and said, “Grandma will knit you one for next year!” A smile returned to her sweet little face.
I had 12 months to learn to knit and complete a Santa Christmas stocking. In January 2024, we headed to Tucson, AZ from Michigan. I immediately researched knitting lessons and found some offered at Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. Off to class I went, where I met our current teacher, Ann Hunt.
In class, I started off knitting washcloths and a knitted hat. During the week, I began working on my stocking. I pulled it apart so many times and restarted it over and over again. I asked many questions and received so much help from Ann Hunt.
Months later, the stocking was complete. It had stretched and ended up rather big—but it was done. Not totally happy with it, I started knitting another one, this time trying to avoid pulling it apart and redoing it.
I successfully completed the new Santa stocking in the fall of 2024, just in time for Christmas! I put our daughter’s surname on the stretched, oversized original Santa stocking. She plans to stuff it and hang it on her front door to welcome family, friends, and guests at Christmas!
Upon returning to Tucson in 2025, I once again attended knitting classes at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. I’m pleased to say I have successfully completed five more Santa Christmas stockings!
If you're interested in learning to knit or crochet, I highly recommend contacting the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library to check out the classes they offer. Thank you to Ann Hunt, knitters and all the library staff members for offering their time and skills to everyone! “
