Connie was also an accomplished knitter and made many sweaters and throw blankets ("afghans") for family and friends. She carried her knitting along wherever she thought her hands might have a few minutes unoccupied and made great progress when our family traveled, which was only and ever by car: Dad behind the wheel and she next to him with her project in her lap. Always aiming for efficiency, she used circular needles and mastered a technique of wrapping the yarn around her finger so she never had to stop between stitches. If she discovered a mistake she couldn't fix, she would rip out the whole thing and start over. She was a perfectionist and her knitting always looked like it was done by a pro. 

Connie started painting and taking art classes in her '70s. She studied oil painting under Doris Haskell but soon moved to oil pastel and, despite her increasing arthritis, pursued her passion for landscapes under the tutelage of Jean Hirons for whom she had great respect. All the paintings shown in the gallery are from 2007-2019.  She never titled any of her work and rarely had anything framed. Most of the art on her walls was by other artists; she left her own sitting propped against the closest vertical surface like a stack of books waiting to be shelved.

Connie was a joiner. In addition to her report cards, we found lists she wrote on an old notepad:
Freshman Year: President of Class, Captain of Basketball Team, Orchestra, Freshman Math Club, Forensics League, Freshman Chorus. Participated in: Gym Exhibition, Forensics Competitions, Christmas and Easter Assembly Programs.
Sophomore Year: Student Congress, Sophomore Chorus, Orchestra, Forensics League and again participated in the Assembly Programs. Won: Essay Contest (Easter Seals), Forensics League (Shakespeare).

She was a meticulous and talented seamstress. On more than one occasion she sewed matching dresses for all five "Garrett Girls" (two from the late 1950s are pictured above).  Here is a list she wrote of her sewing class output:

1 dress (clover)
1 blouse (ruffles)
2 blouses (gathered)
1 playsuit (shorts and top)
1 shirt & peplum
1 aqua suit
1 navy blue pleated skirt
1 jerkin