I finished these beautiful gloves this morning, even weaving in the ends and filling the small gaps between the fingers. The pattern for these gloves is the Three Quarter Length Ribbed Gloves in the Vogue Knitting Mittens & Gloves On the Go Series. The yarn has a story. In late August 2006, I had to take my dog, Jake to be put to sleep. It was a very sad day. As I often do, I visited my yarn store later that day to find a special yarn to knit with to console me. I knew these gloves would remind me of Jake. The yarn is a silk blend in the same wonderful rust color that was in Jake’s coat. I started the gloves and worked my way through both my grief and the gloves up to the start of the fingers. Then as with so many of my projects, they got put aside to work on something else. I picked them up about a month ago and now they are ready to be worn this fall.

Jake was a very special Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. My son and I brought him home on President’s Day of his Senior year in High School. Jake immediately became part of the family. He was with us all the time. When my son went off to college, Jake was there. He greeted me first thing every morning and was there waiting when I got home at the end of the day. His company was priceless. As with so many Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Jake developed heart desease at a young age. The last two years of his life were full of doctor visits and medication, but Jake didn’t mind. He thought going to the animal hospital was an adventure. Both he and I made many, many friends at the animal hospital. The staff adored him.

I, like so many knitters, knit projects for different reasons. Sometimes, it’s to celebrate, sometimes its to console ourselves, sometimes it just to create something beautiful and useful. Many of my finished knitting projects have a special memory. The yarn brought on vacation at a yarn shop that was a stop along the way. The blanket made to preserve memories of a special time in someone’s life. The sweater that makes you feel special, safe, and warm, every time you wear it. I even have socks that give my confidence when I wear them. I save those for the times I have to make a presentation in front of a large group.

One time, I had a wonderful experience at the airport security counter. I always wear my hand knit socks when I fly. I was going through security and when I went through the detector, the guard said to me “Those are great socks! Did you make them?” I smiled and said “YES”.

So what special stories are held in your knitting. Is it in the yarn, in the project that you chose, or in the uses of your finished knitting project?