in through the front door
running round the back
peeking in the window
and off comes Jack!
This little poem is a new favorite in our house after I found a link to this blog about teaching children to knit. We are working together on a little square which will eventually be a beanbag or other small toy that can be seamed up from a simple square.
There is real joy for me in starting to pass on this beloved activity, and already Lyddie's attention to the task has increased over the week. At the first sitting, she only wanted to sit for a couple stitches before running off to play, but this afternoon we completed three rows together. The quiet click of the needles is soothing and I love the feel of her little hands slipped into mine as we both hold the needles together.
Lyddie is left-handed which leads me to wonder whether I should be teaching her to knit the opposite way from me. I went ahead with teaching her using hand-over-hand and so far she has done well knitting traditionally. It doesn't seem like knitting itself is such a refined motor skill that it matters which hand does which task. Is this a touchy subject, like forcing lefties to write or eat using their right hand (which I wouldn't dream of doing!)? Thoughts?
You can see little Millie peeking over my shoulder; she wants to get it on the excitement, so I pulled her onto my lap and put her little hands in mine to work a row together. Her favorite part of the process is yelling "JACK!" with an ear-to-ear grin when we reach the end of the poem.
That is so sweet and nothing really does come close to teaching the children how to knit. Three of mine I've thought so far as they showed the most interest in learning, two of those are left handed so I will check with them tomorrow how they do it, as I showed them from me being right handed, but right now this minute I can't recall how they do so let me check and get back to you. They have gone on to knit their favourite teddies a scarf and they loved doing it and I'm sure Addelaide will love it also.
ReplyDeleteI'm left handed and I knit, crochet and use scissors with my right hand yet I eat, write and iron with my left. Crazy huh? She would have shown signs of frustration if it felt awkward to her, I think. They tried to force me to change (I'm a grandma) but my Mother went to the school and told them to leave me alone! LOL! She was ambidextrous and could write beautifully in either hand. What a great Mom you are and how patient. So precious, the picture of you teaching her and her doing so well!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new little one too!