At Beauty Night, we build build self esteem and change lives for women and youth living in poverty. Some of the stories that don’t always get shared are how lives are changed though the relationships we make through our beauty night community. Here is a beautiful story from volunteer, Mira Thomas about knitting, friendship and learning skills through Beauty Night.
I met Mama Elsie a few months ago when I came to First United with Beauty Night Society on one of our outreach nights. I noticed her that day quietly knitting at the corner of a church pew, expertly twisting her needles and moving the thread out of the way as she created a beautiful winter coat for a baby. I was intrigued… how was she managing to do that so fast? As an amateur, when I knit, I usually need intense levels of concentration just to make sure I get each stitch right. Most people can’t even talk to me once I start my work. But here she was, an expert at the trade, effortlessly stitching together beautiful pieces of clothing and talking to people without losing a beat, and I wanted to learn all her secrets. So I approached her and started to chat with her; in fact her work was even more impeccable up close.
At the end of our conversation I finally got up the courage to tell her that I had recently started teaching myself to knit. I told her how I was working on a scarf for my sister, attempting to have it done in time for Christmas. I explained to her my struggles with it; how I kept undoing parts of the scarf to correct the numerous mistakes I had made. She told me not to give up, and that she too would often undo lengths of a scarf she was working on, and start again if there was a mistake. She assured me it was part of the process.
“You’ll get better as you keep working on it!” she said.
It was December, about two weeks before Christmas when I finally finished my scarf. I found myself at First United once again helping out with our wonderful Beauty Night volunteers. Mama Elsie was sitting in her usual spot in the corner observing all the fun, busy with a new project in her hands; this time sewing slippers together. Naturally, I went over to admire them. She had done a fantastic job! She told me people put in orders for the slippers and once she’s done she would sell it to them. I told her how I finally finished my scarf! “Oh that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. I laughed, and told her I was surprised I managed to finish it before Christmas. She reached into her carrier and pulled out a plastic bag, handing it to me. I peeked inside the bag to find two neat piles of pink and white knitted squares.
“Wow, these are beautiful.” I said.
“I have these squares but I’m going to be too busy to put them together. You can take em’ home and make a baby blanket out of them.”
“Oh me? No, no I couldn’t. I have no idea how to even begin making one.”
She waved her hands n’ shook her head, “No, no it’s easy! You just have to sew them together straight down the lines. You could do it! You can make a blanket!”
I looked at her, trying to read her face. Was she joking? … Why did she believe in me so much? All I had done was complete a scarf! That hardly made me qualified. I stared down at the squares in the bag, (30 white and 30 pink) perfectly stacked in two columns.
“Alright Mama Elsie” I promised, “I’ll do what I can.”
And with that I was the proud new owner of two stacks of squares, beautifully knitted, but unattached.
Over the next few weeks, I consulted anyone and everyone who knew anything about knitting, crocheting or sewing. I visited the local crafts store and the kind ladies there helped me get all set up with the right needles. I poured over countless videos online trying to decide the best way to put this blanket together. I borrowed a tapestry needle from one of my aunts and started lining up the squares; carefully stitching them together. Any free time I had during the day would be allotted to crocheting borders or attaching squares. At long last, I had completed the blanket. I spread it out on the bed and took a look at it. Not too bad for a first try. I couldn’t wait to give it back to Mama Elsie.
The next night at First United, I looked around for Mama Elsie hoping I’d see her. She was nowhere to be found. Soon the volunteers got to work, talking to the ladies, sharing stories and laughing about many things. I had just finished with a participant when I looked up and saw Mama Elsie sitting asleep in one of the chairs in the corner. I brought the blanket with me and crouched down beside her chair.
“Mama Elsie?” I asked, “Do you remember this?”
I opened out the completed blanket and placed it across her lap. Suddenly I felt shy and a bit nervous. What if she had forgotten? Or what if she thought it wasn’t that great, or maybe, she thought it was hideous and didn’t want it at all!
As she felt the blanket, her face lit up and she exclaimed, “Oh wow! Look at how beautiful this is!” She ran her fingers along the stitches inspecting the ridges. “You did a great job! It looks wonderful!”
I was beaming. I couldn’t believe she said it was good!
“Well, it’s for you” I said, “Thank you so much for letting me put these squares together. I enjoyed working on it!”
She paused and looked down at the blanket.
“You know, I have a friend who just had a baby girl, and I haven’t had time to make anything for her yet. I could give her this blanket.”
I smiled. “I think that would be a great idea.”
As I wrapped up the blanket and placed it gently inside the bag for her, I thought about how a small, tiny, baby would soon find comfort and warmth in a few squares brought together by an expert and a beginner.
