Through thick and thin yarn, Ms. Sarah Holt has always been able to lean on her love of knitting.
For Holt, knitting is a relaxing creative outlet that allows her to keep her hands busy, and she enjoys every ounce of the process.
“The feeling of starting a project is really exciting, and so is the feeling of finishing it,” Holt said. “I love making my own wardrobe of sweaters, and I feel really proud of them when they’re done.”
As a teenager, Holt looked up to her grandmother’s craftsmanship and was inspired to start knitting by her influence.
“She knew how to knit, but wasn’t a big knitter,” Holt said. “She made quilts and things like that. I taught myself how to knit at 15 years old and was terrible at it, but I just kept doing it, and I got good at it eventually.”
There are a lot of different components Holt has to consider when starting a new project, and the length of the process is different for each piece she makes.
“For a sweater, it typically takes me about a month, but for smaller projects, I can bang out pretty quick,” Holt said. “It also really depends on the weight of the yarn, like if I’m using thinner yarn or thicker yarn.”
It can be frustrating to have to go back and fix mistakes that were made in the process, but Holt has gained patience from each of the trials and errors she has experienced.
“I’m a really patient person, so I think that’s something about me that makes this a good hobby,” Holt said. “I will take the time to go back and fix things to make them right, it’s just a process.”
Holt is always knitting different projects, and each time she makes something it becomes her new favorite.
“I’m really excited about the one I’m working on now. It’s a colorwork sweater. Once I block it it’ll look better, but I’m super excited about finishing it,” Holt said.
The knitted creations that Holt makes hold special meaning, especially to her husband of nine years, Mr. Christopher McMahon, a 9th-grade English teacher.
“She knitted me a sweater two years ago that is based upon the sweater that the dude wears in The Big Lebowski,” McMahon said. “She tracked down the pattern and created that piece. It’s wonderful and warm as all get out, but was not an easy piece to build.”
The intricacy of Holt’s work doesn’t go unnoticed, as Mrs. Jennifer Rodgers admires each woven detail through her perspective as an art teacher.
“Her knitting is out of this world. It is truly a work of art, and her craftsmanship is fantastic,” Rodgers said.
From her extensive experience as a knitter, Holt has grown to accept and learn from each of the ups and downs she runs into.
“Your first project, I always say, is not going to be something you’re probably going to wear or use,” Holt said. “It’s not a thing you’re going to be great at instantly, and that’s okay.”
