My Grandmother Val.

The earliest memory I have of my Grandmother Val was learning to knit with her.

My sister and I would spend hours together as young children with her learning the art of knitting. Casting on, and carefully counting stitches- our tiny hands fumbling with the large needles and more often dropping more stitches than not. She would patiently sit with us, while we slowly learnt the techniques that she had spent her life mastering.  

While our pieces were holey, and often unraveled, these were perfect in her eyes. 

In 1979, Val started the local knitting shop- ‘The Knitting Basket’ in rural Victoria, Australia. 

The Knitting Basket was more than a shop. While it supplied knitting equipment and yarns, it was a hub where women from all over town would come to dream, catch up on the local gossip, gather new supplies, and exchange their latest knitted creations. Creating an inclusive sense of community and belonging was important to my Grandmother. 

Now in her 80’s, my Grandmother still knits. Never for herself, always for others. For the last 30 years she has knitted small squares from remnant yarns. She patchwork the squares together into larger mosaic like blankets. Along with tiny knitted booties and hats, these are given to the hospital for newborn babies and to local charities. 

My Grandmother’s only limit was her imagination. I am forever inspired by her passion and zest for creating and dreaming. 

Anna, 

Lovaan Founder