For weeks, I’ve been unsuccessfully looking for black knee socks for the twins to wear with their school uniforms. For some reason, I cannot find black, and I’ve searched from Target to Nordstrom and everywhere in between, including online. The closest I can find is navy blue, which certainly won’t fly with their school’s strictly enforced uniform code. What’s with the run on black knee socks for girls? I didn’t think they were that popular. Either that, or they’re not popular at all and aren’t being made.
So one day I’m on the phone complaining about it to my older sister in Michigan, and she goes, “Oh, I’ll make them some!”
Make them? Who makes socks anymore? I’m pretty sure not even Caroline Ingalls made socks. But if anyone can make socks, it’s my sister. Unlike me, she can make anything. Unlike me, she got the craft gene, apparently. So that’s what she did. Like, in a day.
Here they are:
Unfortunately, they’re handwash only. That’s going to be a problem for me. Luckily, this pair was just a prototype, which explains why each girl is wearing only one. She said she’ll find some cotton yarn and make some that can be machine washed. Whew!
But why couldn’t I have done that? Probably because I hate knitting, crocheting, needlepointing, all that stuff. My mom and grandma tried to show me a few times when I was about 1o, but I would rather read my Nancy Drew books or play with my horse models. I still would rather do those things than knit or crochet. I have no patience for it, so it’s a good thing there are people like my sister in this world who can hand make cool stuff—and hand make it for my girls and me.
She just made a pair of Uggs-like slippers for my other sister. They’re really cool.
A couple years ago, I told her that I would love to have a little throw blanket made out of pieces of a bunch of old T-shirts of ours that I can’t bear to throw away. So for my birthday this year, she made me not a throw, but a huge, HUGE quilt. Here it is:
This picture shows just a few squares, but there are actually 40 squares each made from a T-shirt that has some meaning to us but that we would never wear, like some from college, family construction companies, Disneyland trips, and a dorky “Italian by Marriage” shirt. (Who’s the wiseguy that got that for me anyway?) Of course, my favorite one that she put right in the center is my Marcia Brady “I hate high school! I hate it! I hate it!” shirt:
Isn’t that the grooviest? I keep telling her she could make a lot of money making these “memory blankets” for people. She’s also made me a felted purse, slippers, a cellphone case, even matching sundresses for the girls and me. And because Little Miss will only wear skirts and dresses that “spin,” she crocheted knitted this skirt for her:
While she was here visiting me, she sewed Little Miss a super girly, super frilly purple “spinny” dress that I couldn’t peel off of Little Miss for months. Some of these things she just whips out of her head. Sheesh! She totally took all the craft gene! Once in a great while, I’ll sew on a button, and I have been seen with the hot-glue gun (not to attach a button, but I have thought of that), but that’s my limit.
Clearly, the craft gene skipped me, but Twin B seems to have gotten some of it. My mom taught her to sew last summer, and she made a robe and a pair of pajama pants. She also likes to knit and crochet, but if she needs help with a stitch, she knows not to ask me. I feel a little bad about that.
But not bad enough to take up knitting or crocheting. I hate knitting! I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!
OK, those knitted socks and that crocheted skirt are just amazing! If the crafty gene had to skip you, at least the sister who hogged it all is willing to make stuff for you!
—Sonya
I can’t help but comment that I never saw that adorable skirt my oldest sister crocheted for Little Miss! Could it be because she didn’t make one for my daughter??? Hint! Hint! She loves pink and purple! I’m just kidding since I know you’ll be reading this! I actually bought material in June for our crafty older sister to make a pretty spinny dress, and I have still not gottten enough on the ball to even send it to her! Loser!! Oh well, hopefully I can get it to her before next summer.
Hey, I never saw that skirt either. Your sister not only took all of our family’s genes but must have taken them from several families. She’s so good.
Awww, I’m so touched to have made your blog!! Very cool!!! Maybe I’ll get some orders! ha ha just kidding. I must “correct” you tho’, the skirt is “knitted” not crocheted….just saying- for all those other crafty moms reading this, they may notice these things…..
Oops! I’ll fix it. See how crafty I am not? What do I know about stitches?
Oh Wendy – and you say your oldest Sis is the only one who is crafty!! Look at you! It takes alot of artistic talent to be a creative writer!! I love this mom blog! Keep up the good work – I will be following this. I know my mom and dad would have gotten a kick out of something like this. They loved coming to see you and your family. Hopefully someday, I too can come out west to see you, Laurie and your mom and dad. It’s been wayyyy too long.
Wow, is that you, Ellen? It’s great to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by and for the compliments! I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to a lot of what I write about, as you have twins yourself! I’m sure you’ve already been through a lot of what I will be going through as they make that journey from middle school to high school to college. Yikes! That would be great if you are able to get out here. We would all love to see you! It was nice to hear from you! –Wendy
I might have a job for your older crafty sister – I have saved almost all of my charity event t-shirts and each and every race t-shirt in hopes of someday making a quilt from each series – for prosperity. When I’m tired and chilly and sitting listlessly on the couch.
She’d be your girl! That would be awesome!