Stories of Czech grandmothers who knit socks for pleasure and for others
The brand Socks from Grandma was founded by Elpida to support the elderly. Donated yarn goes to more than 200 grandmothers who knit warm socks out of it. By buying them, people support not only the knitters themselves, but also other activities for the elderly at the Elpida Centre. And because every grandmother who knits socks is different, every pair of socks is original - both in terms of colour and knitting style. And the stories of the women who were brought to knitting by different people and different situations are different too. And these are the ones Elpida presents in the new campaign.
So are you knitting again?
One of the knitters is Lída Kocová from the village of Svojkovice, whose socks are a great success every year. "For more than 20 years I worked here in the school canteen as a head cook, and then when I turned 50, I had to work in the school canteen.I wanted to have a little more pension, because there was no money in the canteen, so I went to work here in the factory. I was always knitting, even as a girl. My sister used to embroider and my mother used to knit, so I learned from her," says Lída. "I started with a shawl, as many times as I can remember. For example, my mum would cast on 20 stitches and soon I'd either only have five or I'd have 30, I just couldn't keep it up. But I enjoyed it, so I learned. When I accumulate some sweaters, I wash them, and then my husband and I steam them in the garden. I do have the machine, so I can wind the yarn, but there has to be someone to help me pair it. So he's really helping me. And when the neighbors come by, they call over the fence, "Are you steaming again?"
They've knitted the whole family, now they're knitting for the others.
For many women, the project is a way to spend meaningful time and not be alone when they have lost a partner. "That's what I love about the project - that it connects older women from all over the country. Most of them have been knitting all their lives, have knitted for their whole family, and so they welcomed the opportunity to send socks to someone else, to earn a little extra toretirement and help other seniors," says Broňa Hilliová, head of cultural projects, who founded the Sock from Grandma brand. The community of knitters is already quite large and knitters often meet at the Smooth Piecing courses organised by Elpida.
First earnings for retirement
Dáša Melicharová, a knitter from Prague, knitted her first sweater in 1952 for her brother. "I knitted a sweater for my brother for Christmas, it was my first sweater, and then it started. We lived normally in the village where I lived so beautifully until 2015 when my husband died. When I was widowed, I couldn't stay on the house alone and I moved to Prague. Here I was closer to Elpida, I just sat on the metro and was sweaty," she says. "I knitted thirty pairs of socks in a month. And it was my first retirement income. I was so happy, and our daughter was absolutely jubilant that I had earned a crown. It was nice," adds Dáša, emphasizing another dimension of the project.
But the proceeds from the sale go not only to the knitters themselves, but also to support the operation of the Elpida Educational and Cultural Centre. the donor and the recipient, along with a practical gift, will get a warm feeling that they have supported a good cause.
Elpida is gradually publishing the stories of other grandmothers HERE. Elpida filmed them for the campaign, on which it has collaborated with the TRIAD agency for the second year.
How does the project work?
The knitting itself is preceded by the collection and recycling of unwanted wool, which is then sent to the knitters in bales. The knitters knit original warm socks, which are sent to Elpida where they are labelled. Each pair has the author's name on it, and then everyone can see her story on the website.
Where to order the socks?
Simply online at www.ponozkyodbabičky.cz.
Media contact Jiří Hrabě ~ jiri.hrabe@elpida.cz ~ +420 777 620 281
Elpida means hope in Greek. But it is also the name of an organization that helps seniors become a confident and respected part of society. In the spirit of the motto Old's Cool, Elpida is changing the way people look at old age - it runs the Elpida Educational and Cultural Centre for seniors fromPrague and the Senior Crisis Line, founded the brand Socks from Grandma, publishes the magazine VITAL, and organises the intergenerational Old's Cool festival. In short, she is trying to make Czech seniors lead a full & happy life.