Grandma Knits Communities Together
When I was in college, my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer. My grandma has always knitted as a hobby, and after Grandpa’s diagnosis, she started knitting constantly to help relieve stress. After a year of near-constant knitting, she had mountains of scarves, hats, socks, mittens, small blankets, and other items piled around the house.
My mom and her siblings convinced Grandma to start selling items to help raise funds for Grandpa’s treatments. It was decided that everyone would take a pile of stuff and sell to coworkers, friends, and neighbors, and then pass the money back to Grandma. I took a pile of stuff to college and posted pictures and prices on social media, along with the story about my grandpa.
A few of my close friends shared the post, and within a week, I had people from all over campus messaging me looking to buy gifts for themselves or their significant others. I sold out of everything within a month and still had people messaging to ask when I would get more stuff from my grandma.
Everyone was super friendly and sympathetic about my grandpa, so even though it was a stressful time trying to balance family needs, the messages from buyers, and my school work, it was a huge morale boost that helped me get through the year.
My grandpa survived his treatments and is still with us today. My grandma has continued to knit, though at a slower pace than she used to, and two or three times a year, we all still get a pile of stuff to sell wherever we are.