Long-Time Guild Member Ann Dumanis turns 90!
Guild member Ann Dumanis celebrated her 90th birthday on July 16. Ann marked the day with two of her favorite activities: a visit to a casino and knitting.
Knitting is an important part of Ann’s life now and has been from an early age. Her mother taught the 8-year old Ann to knit and Ann has been knitting ever since. Like many of us, her knitting productivity waxed and waned as childcare, work and home life demanded her time. When Ann and her husband retired and moved here from the Boston area to be near their daughter, finding a community with a knitting group was a requirement. They settled in Rancho Bernardo and Ann joined what was then the only local knitting group, the San Diego Knitting Guild, which met in nearby Poway. Some time later, Ann began taking knitting classes at Foothills (Adult Education Center) where she gathered together more friends who knit. She also joined our Guild, expanding her knitting world.
Ann relishes the camaraderie of knitters, particularly in our Guild, noting that “everyone is friendly and nice.” She attends monthly meetings and especially delights in the spirit and fashion show at the Holiday Luncheon. Winning a number of opportunity drawings has been a happy bonus. Ann’s enjoyed Guild retreats at Montecito and Temecula, many informative workshops, and remembers fondly trips to Trendsetter Yarns. After a move to central San Diego over 10 years ago, she added Knit@Nite meetings to her knitting diet.
Over 80 plus years Ann has challenged herself by knitting shawls and scarves, cardigans and pullovers for adults and children, socks and afghans. She is proud of the diversity of knitting projects, something that becomes apparent when she mentions her late twin sister who knit only afghans (to Ann’s dismay and amazement). After a sock-knitting rampage many years ago, Ann no longer knits socks—“too tedious to go round and round”—but onlyhand-knit socks live in her sock drawer. She wears a a hand-knit pair to bed in the appropriate weather. Ann’s made countless baby gifts for her daughter’s coworkers. Her favorite baby project is the “Six Hour Baby Sweater with a little bonnet to match.” Ravelry names the pattern the “Five Hour Baby Sweater” but Ann doesn’t watch the clock as it’s a “simple and fun, fast and cute knit.”
Ann knits most days. Every week she meets with a small group of knitting friends, aka Queen Ann’s Court, for knitting, chatting and lunch. Even in these unusual times the Court meets with Ann via Zoom. On Ann’s needles now are felted slippers to replace the very worn pair she wears when she is home. Under “house arrest” during the pandemic, those slippers are getting a great deal of wear! Ann is hoping to soon master brioche technique for a scarf. And she’ll soon be starting a favorite item, a triangular shawl preferably with lace or beads to keep her engaged, “the harder, the better.”
What words of wisdom does nonagenarian Ann have for other knitters? “Just keep at it. Ask for advice. The nice part of being in a group is that people will help.” It’s wise advice for knitting well and living well. We wish Ann many more years of knitting. Happy Birthday Ann!!
— Sheila Kirschenbaum
