The Art of Knitting

As published in the (Kerrville TX) Community Journal, Oct 22, 2008 - Phil Houseal

Iris Miller has discovered the cure for arthritis, insomnia, and dyslexia, along with the secret to personal success.

Knitting.

The 76-year-old Midwestener has been knitting since she was 6, taught under duress by her grandmother.

"My mother was bound and determined that I was going to learn all the womanly crafts that her mother had shown her," Iris said. "But she couldn't get knitting across to me because I am left handed. So my grandmother took over and taught me."

Her English grandmother taught her the womanly arts well, because Iris learned to not only knit, but also to spin, crochet, weave, and dye natural fibers ("You'll never be hot in wool, because it breathes."). She ended up designing and making her own clothes.

In spite of her mother's insistence on learning to be a homemaker, the no-nonsense Omaha native never married and went on to a career as a librarian. She moved to Texas 13 years ago to escape the cold Nebraska winters ("I am real cold-blooded; I wasn't going to stay up there and freeze.").

But she never abandoned the skills passed down from her grandmother. Even as she teaches knitting at Club Ed, she espouses the benefits of knowing the ancient cloth arts.

"It should be called Stress Management 101, because it's very relaxing," she said, noting that knitting is the perfect way to pass the time while waiting in a doctor's office, or while traveling.

As a young girl, Iris was dyslexic, but knitting helped her distinguish between right and left. As a senior citizen, Iris notes that knitting helps keep her hands limber and her mind sharp. Knitting is also Iris's cure for insomnia.

"If you can't sleep, get up and knit for half hour, " she offered. "You will sleep the night through."

Best of all, the end result of all that therapeutic handiwork is a gift you create for someone else.

"I make things people can use," said Iris, showing me a picture of a sweater she was knitting for a friend who has cancer. "She is real hot-blooded so I made it a lacy one."

I started to tell her that I never learned to knit, but Iris firmly interrupted me.

"My mother never allowed me to use those words 'I can't,'" she said with a scowl. "You would be surprised at what I can do."

I wanted to tell her nothing she could say or do would surprise me. But I did want to know if everyone could learn to knit?

"Sure," she insisted. And I believed her. "People who want to knit, knit all the time."

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If you want to learn to knit, Iris Miller teaches beginning knitting classes for Club Ed. To learn more about this and hundreds of other lifelong learning classes, call 830-895-4386, or visit www.clubed.net.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District.

Visit our blog at http://clubedcomments.blogspot.com/