Woman stitches love of knitting into everyday life
She rarely goes anywhere without it.
No, it’s not a credit card; it’s her knitting.
Marilyn Felix first learned the craft when she was in the first grade in England, where she was born and raised. Since then, it has become a lifelong interest.
“In those days in England, they used to teach knitting because they thought it was a pretty good eye and hand coordination thing,” she said. “I think it’s sad that children these days don’t learn these things.”
She eventually became an art teacher, which she retired from recently. But she wasn’t through teaching. When Anne and Wiley Chitwood opened their shop on Main Street, she talked about needing instructors, said Felix, who jumped at the opportunity. Recently, she began to instruct various courses in knitting at least once a week, from beginning classes to more advanced.
Earlier this month, Felix taught a course on entrelac knitting, an old technique of interlacing at the shop, where several women gathered to learn the technique.
“It’s a lifelong dream of mine to teach people who have absolutely no idea how to knit,” she said. “I don’t know why that’s so satisfying, but that’s the ultimate teacher in me.”
Traditionally, in England, children learned from their grandmother, but her grandparents had passed away.
While in school, “we learned basic stitches,” she said. “Knitting is actually very simple at its simplest level — the knit stitch and the pearl stitch. You learn how to cast on and to find off.”
In between, knitters learn to put two stitches together or add a stitch. It’s actually not that complicated at first, but it can get complicated with entrelac stitches.
Doing intricate stitches “is a good mental exercise,” Felix said. “I always enjoyed learning new knitting techniques.”
At first, she knitted small pieces, such as scarves and hats then gradually worked up to more difficult pieces, including socks and gloves.
About 20 years ago, she knitted a mohair vest for a friend. Last September, Felix saw her friend, who said she still wears it.
“If it’s properly washed and cared for, they can last a long time,” she said.
Felix also knitted items for her daughters and sweaters for friends and family.
“I rarely knit a sweater for myself, but I have numerous hats, scarves and socks that I’ve knitted for myself,” she said.
Over the years, she was inspired by “nice magazines” to knit similar items at about one-tenth of the cost.
“It’s really satisfying to do that,” Felix said. “Knitting comes in and out of fashion.”
Knitting is more fashionable today because it is practical to have something to do, she said.
People can knit an exquisite piece “often for a ball of yarn for $13,” she said.
When she isn’t knitting for family and friends, she also participates in several projects, knitting items to give to those who are less fortunate or for those serving in the Armed Forces.
She also is a member of the Flying Fingers group, which meets from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the first Saturday of the month at the Florence Senior/Community Center at 100 Railroad St. in Florence.
Source: canoncitydailyrecord.com
