The Part of the Story Twain Didn't Tell

Do you remember the story that Mark Twain told about Tom Sawya? Yes, I know it's spelled Sawyer, but it's pronounced Sawya - I've got that on good authority. It's the one where Tom Sawya has to whitewash the fence, but he convinces his friends to do it for him because it's so much fun. He even charges them for the privilege, and before long his friends are all out there painting the fence while he lounged around.

What Twain didn't tell you, is that while Tom Sawya was lounging around, he was knitting.

I bet you didn't know that.

So you see, he wasn't just being lazy. He was doing something productive. And then after the fence was done, he taught the other fellas how to knit.

I bet you didn't know that either.

So before long these fellas would gather and knit together. Fishing was the best excuse. You could sit on the riverbank of the Mississippi and stick your pole in the ground while you sat back waiting for a bite and knit. Sometimes they'd have sword fights and javelin throws with the needles, but for the most part they used them for knitting.

Huck Finn thought the whole thing was stupid, (except for the sword fights and javelin throws) but then everyone has friends like that. That is until Tom Sawya gave him a scarf one winter. Huck was so shocked that someone would give him anything and he pledged to be Tom's best buddy forever.

Becky Thatcher was impressed that Tom Sawya could knit. It warmed her heart and gave her an excuse to hang around him while he taught her how to knit. Before long they were happily knitting side by side. Tom even told her once "as soon as I saw ya, I knowed you was the one for me."

The other fellas found out that girls liked boys who knit too, and before long the boys and girls were exchanging knitted love tokens.

The adults just shook their heads and said "those crazy kids - what will they think of next", but they didn't bother stopping them since it kept them out of trouble for the most part except for the time that Jack Harper got harpooned by a knitting needle but that was because he was making a play for Alfred Johnson's girl, so everyone understood.

Of course you all know that Tom Sawya and Becky Thatcher got hitched, and the Sawyas happily knit for the rest of their lives.

In memory of Tom Sawya's knitting career, we present to you Sawya, a worsted weight (4) yarn. It's 60% pima cotton, 25% alpaca and 15% silk and we have it in 11 brilliant colors.

75% Off Sale

Mirasol Sawya

Regular Price: $7.50

Sale Price: $1.88

We sold out last week. The earlier in the week you come in, the better selection you have. Once it's gone, it's gone!

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who loves knitting stories)