Recently I actually feel especially proud of myself.

I had knitted a couple of pieces for a fundraising event and donated them myself, even when I wasn’t a part of the event. When I found out about it, I went straight to knitting until I had a couple of things for them. The organisers were mostly elderly women and they were simply lovely- they were surprised I added to their wares with my work and very grateful.

For me, it was one of those great deeds that you feel especially proud of, even if they seem small.

One thing that I truly enjoy doing is meeting up with knitting and crochet groups in order to learn new patterns and chat. It’s a wonderful atmosphere, the older the women are, the better company they tend to be.

I think you know why.

Our values match.

Earlier in one of my initial posts, I was told at a lovely group of older women I attend events with that I should just accept myself and the life I wanted to live. Now matter how outcasted I may be (an outcast to the outcasts/liberal left myself!).

I find that these groups of older women still carry old-fashioned family-oriented values that I can relate with and even if our values are not exactly the same, they are surprisingly more accepting than most people my age are. You know what they call us? The ‘Me’ generation. It’s all about us and our time, our materialistic desires and the ‘rush of life’. The generation that doesn’t stop to smell the roses, so to say.

I actually agree with them, unsurprisingly.

To me, their generation, women in their 70s and above (sometimes they can be as young as in the 50s or 60s), are the distinguished generation, pre-feminist (or rejected the second wave feminist ideal when it started) and family-oriented. Among the distinguished generation have I found the best support network in how I’ve chosen to live my life and my values. Even if I go from group to group, I meet so many different women, some just as small encounters where I don’t even remember their names now, I can almost always have great conversations. About politics, modern matters, traditional values, our stories, interests and of course- the actual knitting/crocheting! I learn so much more beyond just the craft.

I have taught others to knit and it’s one of the achievements I feel quite proud of. With especially women, I believe handmade items are just much more precious than the same items made with machines. Of course, that is cheaper and time efficient, however I believe that handmade clothes and crafts have a sentimental, personal value to them straight from the maker and to the receiver.

I plan to make everything for my future family, I already do for my current one. I make scarves, beanies, blankets, shawls, socks and I am learning more and more, going up in difficulty so that I would be able to make jumpers and full-fledged clothes and toys by the time I’m having my own children. I want to be confident in making those things by the time I become pregnant, since I want every child of mine to have handmade clothes and toys from their mother. The same also goes for my home, I want to make items for my home through knitting, sewing, stitching, quilting and crocheting. From frames to tablecloths to cosies to covers to runners.

That was the initial reason I started joining these groups, to learn the crafts, though I ultimately learned and gained so much more than that.

I would say my social life outside of my best friend are these women. I can only be ever so grateful for the courage and support they offer. In turn, they seem to feel hopeful that someone as young as I am still believe in their values, aside from continuing to keep their crafts alive and thriving.

That is why making those couple of things for their stall was an easy given for me.

It’s the least I can do to give back to these wonderful women who have changed my life.