When we moved to the DC area 5 years ago I didn't know anyone other than my in-laws and my husband. Moving somewhere new without knowing anyone is scary (if you've never done it, it's a bit like being tossed into the deep end of a pool without a floaty and sub par swimming skills). I started teaching almost immediately at my LYS and that helped me learn to navigate the Metro (a piece of cake after riding the subway in New York and the T in Boston for so many years), meet other knitters, have a place to go hang out to knit and get me out of the house and away from my comfort zone.
I was teaching cabled mittens one evening when one of my students and I learned we lived a few blocks away from each other on Capitol Hill. I liked Kim right from the start - no-nonsense, both adventurous and ambitious in her knitting, honest, funny, smart, interesting and one of those people you know instantly that you'll end up being friends with. Kim rocked her cabled mittens, drove me home that night and we've been friends ever since.
I've written before about our harrowing birth story with our son. During that amazingly difficult time, I could count the number of people who stuck by us through it all on one hand. These few people helped with whatever we needed without question - picking my mom up from the airport, driving us back and forth since I couldn't drive for weeks after my emergency c-section, dropping off food, visiting me, holding my hand, walking at a snail's pace with me around the block while I tried to heal, listened, checked in… I'll never be able to adequately thank these friends of mine who waded through that river of pain with me and helped me climb to the other side. One of these people was Kim.
It's hard to believe Kim and I have been friends for 5 years. We've knit at each other's house countless times, made the biggest batch of strawberry jam imaginable, a smaller batch of blueberry jam once we learned our lesson, hung out, and taken many, many mom walks. Once my son finally came home, Kim broke the news that she was pregnant with her first child, daughter Ellie. Ellie is the spitting imagine of her gorgeous mama and I designed the Eleanor Jean Mitts after her. Recently, Kim and her husband Andrew welcomed son Owen to their family.
Even though Kim and her beautiful family still live on the Hill and we moved across the Potomac to Virginia, we see each other when we can. I miss our mom walks and I miss being able to drop everything, ride my scooter to her house and knit late into the evening while both of our husbands were away for work. I know once our kids are a little older and we have a little more freedom, we'll pick up right where we left off.
My new design, Owen's Blanket, is named after Kim's son. Knit in my absolute favorite color in 800 yards of Colour Adventures Sweet Aran 100% superwash merino yarn, it's knit on US 8s and is an ideal project for first time lace knitters. Kim is very fit and active, so I shot it outdoors in honor of her and her sweet son.
Owen, you've got a great mama. I'm lucky to have her as a friend.
Download the Owen's Blanket pattern here.