Knitting Savant had a definitive beginning, a “birth” at a visioning retreat my friend, Patsy Terrell, led. She understood the power of dreaming “big” and had fairly insisted that I be part of the group that weekend. It had been a rough year for my coaching and consulting business and I was looking for inspiration to move things in a new direction. I struggled over those days to crystallize that direction and Patsy, pushing me forward with questions, said what was necessary, “When I hear people talking about you, I don’t hear about your consulting work I hear them talk about your knitting and teaching”. It was exactly the right thing. Knitting Savant broke through – suddenly and without warning – and before we left the table, she had researched the domain names available. By the end of the day we had secured “knittingsavant.com” and within weeks, with Patsy’s help and her server, we had our first website up and running.
Our Patsy – our friend – passed peacefully in her sleep June 7th. She was 55 and packed more experience into her 5 and a half decades than anyone else I know. She leaves behind a powerful legacy and an indelible mark on all who knew her.
She was brave, an early adopter of ideas and concepts of all kinds. She was the first person I knew who used social media and was an early and committed blogger. She encouraged me, supported me, called me on my crap, and just did all kinds of good in the world, both seen and unseen. In the weeks since her passing, it’s clear she changed
Patsy sat in our living room last year and told us she was considering running for the 102nd district of the Kansas House of Representatives. My mouth said, “Wow.” My brain said, “You’re crazy!” In retrospect, I think my reaction was a protective one. Politics can be brutal but run she did and she won. Patsy and I met in 1986 when we both worked in public radio and it has been a joy to see every experience she’s had over the decades come together to make her an amazing freshman legislator. She served the citizens in her district well and maintained her integrity in the process. We were all looking forward to seeing where this new adventure would take her and are heartbroken that we won’t be able to experience that next step with her.
Patsy was a good person – a true person – and a better friend than some of us deserved. She leaves love and justice in her wake.
As you peruse this website, know that Patsy’s help and influence are in every nook and cranny. She wasn’t a knitter, but she was everything this knitter needed to grow into new adventures. Thank you, Patsy. We’ll try and do you proud.