ALBANY, Minn. — Jody Abraham still has the hat her grandma crocheted for her as a child.
She remembers “how special it felt” to wear the pink stocking cap with the matching scarf.
Now, the Albany Elementary School kindergarten teacher has borrowed a page from her grandma’s playbook — for her students.
“It’s two of my favorite things,” the veteran teacher says, “knitting and kindergarteners.”
Inspired by a TikTok video from a teacher in another state, just before Christmas break last December, Jody invited each of her students to draw a picture of a cap in whatever colors they would like.
“At the time they didn't know it was a pattern,” she says. “They were just drawing a hat.”
Jody took those patterns and knitted brightly colored stocking caps that match what her 18 students had drawn.
The task took six weeks.
“I maybe didn't do my dishes or my laundry,” Jody says with a laugh.
During that time, Jody’s principal took some snapshots of her knitting in the stands during her son’s varsity basketball game.
Yet, Jody never considered the work a burden.
“As I knit, each student, I like to think about them and wonder: Who are you going to be someday? And what are you going to do? And right now, these are the amazing qualities you bring to our class.”
By President’s Day, Jody had finished.
“When I gave them to the kids, their eyes sparkled and they were so excited,” Jody says.
Kindergartener Harrison Lomheim treasures the custom cap made by his teacher.
“There’s a husky dog on it,” he explains, “for our school.” Albany teams play under the Huskies mascot.
Harrison’s mom, Gina Lomheim, says her son has been wearing the cap wherever he goes, even to bed.
“He tells everybody that his teacher made this hat for him,” Gina says.
Jody likes to think of the hats as hugs for her students’ heads.
“It says, 'I care about you.' It says, 'My teacher thinks I'm pretty great. She took what I drew and brought it to life,'” Jody says.
Meantime, her students are drawing their own conclusions.
“Maybe it's because she likes — loves us,” kindergartener Lizzy Schmitz says.
Jody’s grandma passed away in 2016, but her granddaughter is certain she would be pleased.
“She’s the one who taught me to knit,” Jody says. “I think she’d be very touched to know it’s partly because of her that I love to do this.”
Boyd Huppert is always looking for great stories to share in the Land of 10,000 Stories! Send us your suggestions by filling out this form.
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