bear with us

Here was the scene on Sunday, for the Knitting Happy Hour to benefit The Mother Bear Project. Go look at the link before I share the riveting action you expect when ten friends in shoreline New England get together in the winter.


Essentially, knitters making bears that are sent to orphaned children in Africa& India, where AIDS in adults has created an epidemic of homeless little ones. You can see, it doesn't solve the huge problem but it gives them something to hug. Can that be bad?

Given that I'm not the teddy bear type, some of my friends doubted my seriousness about wanting them to knit teddy bears. No one doubted that I wanted a happy hour, however. Some whining, some wine-ing, we got down to business.


Two people learned to knit. Two learned to purl. I learned that some people view purl as the Evil Sister Stitch, something to be endured until the Good Sister Knit stitch row comes up again. Who knew?

The thing is, the pattern is hardly more than a scarf, see here's a partially finished bear:
Its knit in one piece, and folded over on top of the head. You can't make it wrong. It can be all garter stitch or any combo of stitches. When you put the stuffing in, uneven tension problems are eased over & cuddly. A perfect beginner project.

Thats what I like about knitting, there's so many right ways to do it. Or, if you're a half-empty glass type, there aren't too many ways to do it wrong. You know what else I learned? Some people need rules ! And one of my friends doesn't believe in knots.

Final score: zero bears finished. Ten started. Lots of loud talk & laughter, driving my all male household scuttling to a local pizza place. Knocked February on its ass. Next knitting happy hour, in March.