Happy Mother's Day!

When I was growing up, my mom and my grandmother almost always had some kind of needle and thread in their hands... 

I can't remember exactly when my grandmother gave me the best sweater ever, but I know I wore it in fourth grade.  It was as soft as its camel color, with wide bell sleeves and pretty tortoiseshell buttons down the front.

At the edge of the sleeves and around the bottom of the sweater was a lovely checkered border of rich dark browns and black followed by...fringe!

The best part, though, the part that made it the best sweater ever, was not the softness or the swing or even the fringe.  The best part was the raccoons.

I loved raccoons when I was little, the way kids usually love cats or dogs.  I had raccoon stuffed animals, raccoon figurines, raccoon stationary, raccoon t-shirts, and the best raccoon sweater ever.

The sweater still lives in my closet, and now that I know how much joy it brings to give someone a hand-knitted item, every time I see it I am thankful for mom and Mamama and humbled by their love.  And by their patience with my raccoon phase.  Happy Mother's Day!