A Tale of Six Hats

    This is likely to be a shorter post than most, but I think it is important since it has taken up a good deal of my time since I recovered from my broken wrist in January (see "A Witch, a Spectre, a Skull, and a Snap" for that story), and it incorporates one of the most popular Victorian activities for ladies - knitting.

    In preparation for writing this post, I looked for customs regarding gift-giving in the Victorian era.  Sadly, most of the information I could find dealt with presents exchanged at the holidays.  I did, however, stumble upon a delightful book of etiquette which contained instructions regarding the giving of presents:

OR THE MANNERS, CONDUCT AND DRESS OF THE MOST REFINED SOCIETY;

INCLUDING

Forms for Letters, Invitations, Etc., Etc. Also, Valuable Suggestions on Home Culture and Training.

COMPILED FROM THE LATEST RELIABLE AUTHORITIES, BY JOHN H. YOUNG, A.M.

    The first entry I found on the subject of making presents ran as follows:

"GUESTS MAKING PRESENTS.

If a guest wishes to make a present to any member of the family she is visiting, it should be to the hostess, or if to any of the children, to the youngest in preference, though it is usually better to give it to the mother. Upon returning home, when the guest writes to the hostess, she expresses her thanks for the hospitality, and requests to be remembered to the family."

 

That was not precisely what I had in mind, but then I found this gem:

"RECEIVING AND MAKING PRESENTS.

Emerson says: 'Our tokens of love are for the most part barbarous, cold and lifeless, because they do not represent our life. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Therefore let the farmer give his corn; the miner his gem; the sailor coral or shells; the painter his picture, and the poet his poem.' To persons of refined nature, whatever the friend creates takes added value as part of themselves—part of their lives, as it were, having gone into it. People of the highest rank, abroad, will often accept, with gratitude, a bit of embroidery done by a friend, a poem inscribed to them by an author; a painting executed by some artist; who would not care for the most expensive bauble that was offered them. Mere costliness does not constitute the soul of a present; it is the kind feeling that it manifests which gives it its value. People who possess noble natures do not make gifts where they feel neither affection nor respect, but their gifts are bestowed out of the fullness of kind hearts."

 

        This was the perfect sentiment.  Which brings me to the story of the six hats. 

    I have not written about COVID in any of my posts, since it has dominated the news in every corner of the world for a year now, but to tell this story, this devastating virus must, alas, be mentioned.  

    A dear friend of ours returned to the Madison area last year after a number of years living away from the area.  We met for dinner in late summer - outside and carefully distanced - to renew our friendship.  She mentioned in passing that she had suffered from COVID twice.  This was serious business, since our friend has multiple health issues which put her at significant risk; however, as winter approached and we all went back into isolation, we believed that she couldn't possibly fall ill again.  We were wrong.  

    Our friend developed respiratory symptoms in mid-November which steadily worsened.  On the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, we called to check on her, and it was clear that her condition was very serious indeed.  We instructed her to call an ambulance, which she did, and she was taken to UW Hospital that very night.  

    Like families and friends everywhere whose loved ones are hospitalized with the virus, we were unable to visit her, and we could only keep in contact with her through her cell phone or Facebook Messenger and pray for a safe recovery.  One day she didn't answer our calls or messages at all, and we feared the worst.  

    I have always had great respect for Hygeia,  the Greek goddess of health and healing, so I asked Her to intervene on behalf of our friend and promised that I would give something back in return when our friend recovered.  Eleven long days later, our friend was released from hospital.   My wrist was still in a cast at that point, but I knew what I wanted to do to express my thanks to Hygeia and my gratitude to the medical team that had saved our friend's life.  I needed to make something, rather than buy something, to give to the medical team, so as soon as I could manage it, I started knitting hats.  

    I knew I couldn't possibly knit hats for everyone on the COVID team who had cared for my friend - there were more than she could count - but I hoped that six of them would suffice.  I usually spin yarn rather than knitting it, and I am not a fast knitter, but I was determined not to return to my spinning wheel until I had finished knitting the hats.  I set to work with my needles in mid-January, and the hats were completed and delivered to the hospital this past Friday with a note of thanks. 

    Apparently, the COVID team at UW Hospital is well-supplied with candy from the hospital gift shop as a thank-you gift from family members and friends of other patients, so I hope the hats I've knit for them are a welcome change.  Each hat was knit with a different pattern.  Funky, folksy hats are a "thing" here, and I hope the team members who "adopt" them will enjoy them.   The wool yarn from which they were knit comes from the Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, just a bit down the road, so I was able to support a local business in my gift making.  And my knitting skills have certainly improved, though I must say that I'm delighted to be back to spinning yarn again after such a long break.

    There are still a few cold days remaining in the season for the hats to be worn, and they'll certainly come in handy this fall.  I hope the UW COVID team members who wear them will know how much they are appreciated for their tireless work, and may these hats make their days a little brighter.  

    May Hygeia bless all of them.