ONE AVID KNITTER!

Sharing her admiration for her multi-talented mom

- Marina Martchenkova, Calgary

My mom, Dina Shchegoleva, has been knitting, crocheting and sewing since she was five years old. Knitting and crocheting have been her haven for almost 80 years now, in joy and in sorrow. Knitting helped her adjust to a new life in a new country. Making beautiful pieces gives her a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Most importantly, it keeps her mind sharp and her hands moving. Did I mention that Mom creates all these stunning masterpieces without needing glasses?

My mother was born in 1936 in a small rural village in northern Russia; she was the second oldest of four children and the only girl in the family. My grandfather, an accountant, could make anything—small row boats, wooden houses, shoes and clothes, and fish and animal traps; he was a hunter and fisherman.

My grandmother was illiterate, worked in the Soviet collective farm and could do any type of housework. Grandma knitted a lot for her family and taught my mom how to knit. My mom remembers that her little fingers were so sore that she could not hold the needles and that her older brother teased her. That same year, in 1941, Soviet Russia was swept by World War II and life became very tough in the war-torn country—knitting and sewing were essential life-saving skills.