This week, my sister Susan gave me a tablecoth knit by our grandmother, Hulda Tokola.  I was ecstatic and I nearly cried right there in the restaurant.  I have always wanted to have a piece of my grandmother's knitting, but never quite worked up the nerve to ask either of my aunts to bequeath something to me (figuring they must have some of these pieces).   Susan has had this tablecloth for years and years — my Dad gave it to her — and I have always admired it.  Susan believes in passing things along rather than storing them in back closets forever — which is both sensible and generous — and yet I was so very surprised and touched when she presented me with the tablecloth.  Simply, she knew how much it would mean to me.

My grandmother died before I was born.  I never knew her, but I had heard stories of her knitting skill (she could knit a child's stocking in a single evening, according to my Dad).  She had knit all the family's socks and underwear in Finland and, when they emigrated to the United States in the 1930s, she had brought the loom on which she had woven their linens.  Though the loom was never unpacked, she did continue to knit.  I believe this tablecloth was knit here in the US.  It is exquisite! Perfectly executed.  Precision lace knitting at its finest.

Susan used to display the tablecloth on a dark wood cabinet in her living room.  I am still working how how best to display it at our house — where there are cats and grandchildren.  Prominently, but prudently.  I am rather tempted to wear it as a shawl!

Holding my grandmother's knitting brings me close to her.  I have always known that I inherited my passion and aptitude for knitting from her.  I have also inherited sisu from her — and from all my Finnish  grandparents!  Sisu is the Finnish characteristic of stick-to-it-iveness.  Perseverence.  Stubbornness.  It is a great asset for a knitter!  And it serves me well in other areas.  Such as in the needlepoint cushion cover for the bench of my dressing table set (inherited from George's grandmother!).  I am determined to complete it and I work at it a little bit each evening (usually 2 strands of wool which takes maybe up to half an hour).  I actually enjoy it, but there are 144 stitches per square inch.  So, you can see where sisu kicks in!  I will go along feeling like I am making good progress.

Then, I turn it over and look at it from the back.

At least with knitting, one does not have to constantly look at what one has not done yet….!