Don't Fight The Feeling

I was having a conversation with myself last night. It was very brief. I had stopped working on a scarf because I just wasn't feeling it. You know how that goes, you cast on and you start knitting and you don't get that great feeling of working towards something and getting excited seeing it develop before your eyes and wanting to see it when it's done.

I wasn't getting any of that. So I pulled it off the needles and rewound it to the skein and started working on a bag.

Did you notice I didn't say I started working on a hat?
I noticed it and that's when the conversation with myself started.

"I guess the hat phase is over?" I asked myself, because I didn't know.
"Oh no!" The reply was quick. "You're enjoying making the hats. You really are."
"Wow, OK then. I just wanted to know."
"No, there are two more hats in the stable. You just finished one today. You were working on it at Pleasant Home. But that bag is just so cute, you have to make it."
"So, just so I'm sure; I'm going to make the bag and then go back to making hats."
"Yes, you may divert to something else - and don't forget you committed to making a la de da afghan, but hats are your thing."
"Hmmmph, if you say so."

I cannot account for enjoying the hat making so much. I've now done more than a dozen hats and I am not yet bored with the process and when I try to talk myself into being bored, myself isn't having it. What is this?

I certainly don't want to talk myself out of fun, but I cannot account for this new area of focus. But i will not fight it - what would be the point? It's a heady feeling and that's one of the things we love about the craft. We get that heady feeling of fun and accomplishment blended with mind clearing and relaxation. Why ruin the moment by thinking too much? Isn't that what I said Chantal was doing? I'm her teacher - I should lead by example.

It looks like I'll be taking tomorrow off so I look forward to seeing you all on Monday for the new Top Ten list. I'm headed over to an estate/yard sale because the listing mentioned crafts. (This is April's fault - she has me looking at listings ever since we went to that one estate sale - my friends are such enablers - I love them for it!)


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Get Together

I have no idea where I am on the train except I should be somewhere on the right. There were about 30 of us starting out in Chicago and we picked up about ten or more folks on the way to St. Louis.

This started out as a joke on the Illini Knitters Ravelry group. Someone said we should take over a train to St. Louis for WWKIP and the next thing you know, here we are on the train with knitting needles and a whole bunch of snacks. I am sitting behind this very gracious couple. They found themselves in our train car. He's from England, she's from Scotland and she's a knitter! She didn't bring her yarn or needles (I know, but she really is a true knitter) and they were a lot of fun. We gave them one of our prizes and she gave my seat mate, Mary Ann, the book she was reading.

On the way down, we started a scarf KAL. Everyone cast on 24 stitches and spent 5-10 meetings knitting on everyone's scarf. Here's the thing, we didn't have enough time to make a long enough scarf and we planned on doing it on the way back but a bunch of us liked the little short scarf we had and I didn't want to pass mine along any further. I am going to make a neck warmer out of mine. We also gave a way a ton of prizes, looked at each other's projects and yakked all the way. The five hours went by like nothing. We got word we would be about an hour late so we changed our reservations from 8:30p to 7:30p and decided to skip going to the Arch because we wouldn't have the time we need.
So of course we got in about ten minutes late. Ah well.
I started a hat the night before and by the time we rolled into the city, it was practically done - I still have to do the photos of it and I am more than happy to show it to you once they are done! I also have a lot more pics to show - some I took (I don't think I took any of these) and some by my group mates - we all agreed to share. There's so much more to share!

And A Little Child Shall Lead Them

StitchCraft got a note from Reiley to make some squares for her 'Pay It Forward' Project at school. She is making blankets to give to abused/ill children. The project was a bit more successful than even she imagined. I sent her eight - and I wasn't nearly as generous as a ton of other folks.
You can read about it here.

If you have a chance, give Reiley a shout out of wanting to do something for someone else and for being able to galvanize a nation behind her efforts. If we are going to tell the next generations they should be involved we need to be in front to show them where to go and then be at their backs when they take the lead.

Reiley has done an amazing thing - her mom, grandmother, aunt and even her teacher are sharing the work in getting these blankets done. This school project is a lesson for all of us.

Congrats, Reiley on being a compassionate, caring young woman. We are all very proud of you.

The Second Annual Sit and Knit

The moment you become a knitter, you become a more generous person. There really is very little choice in the matter. There are many reasons to knit, but the end result is something gets made. Almost every time you knit something is being made. In the end you will have something. And then something has to be done with the something you've made.

I suppose you could actually keep all 583 scarves you make, but space will become an issue. So when you knit (or crochet) somewhere during the knitting of scarf number 168 you say to yourself: "What am I going to do with all this stuff?"

That's when you create the 'knit list.' That is the group of people to whom you will give something you've created. Now mind you, they never asked to be placed on this list and it hardly matters if they don't because they will be receiving an item from you because you don't have room for any more in your own house which means others have to take the inventory.

And though most of them will graciously accept your treasure and some will actually request items (those are the ones who will have a special place in our wills) eventually, you will run out of people on the knit list. (No, Beverly, I really cannot use that computer cozy!)

Unfortunately, there are people in the world who can use your bounty. It is wonderful to have someone to knit for. It is a gift that catches us by surprise. It started out as (and continues to be) fun, but there is a mission out there and it never ends. The fortunate part is that there are so many of us who have felt the need and will pull out the needles to answer the call.

The Second Annual Sit and Knit will take place April 25 from 9am to 4pm again at Pleasant Home in Oak Park. Last year 30 knitters got together and made baby hats and squares which were donated to area hospitals. This year, we will make squares to be turned into lap blankets to be given to Compassionate Care Hospice - a new facility in Morton Grove. We were asked by Chaplain Elisse if we would consider donating items and I can't think of a better way to provide comfort to those who are there in this new facility.

The event is absolutely free - we'll even provide the yarn and patterns but you are free to bring your own. There will be door prizes and we are allowing groups to have display tables so we can see what other knitting groups are doing. You can find more information here and on President Obama's service website, usaservice.org. We hope to double the number of knitters who participate and spend a few hours in each other's company feeling the good time vibe and that special gabfest knitters have with each other.

If you can't make it to the event, please pray for a great turnout so we can help the hospice provide care for their clients and families. Hope to see as many of you out there as can make it!

Ah, The Synergy

So, we do an Epiphany Concert every year. (Epiphany, for those who don't know and even for those who do because it's the same whether you know it or not - commemorates the day the Magi came to see the Christ child. Epiphany is also the name of the nurse on General Hospital, but I'm relatively certain we don't celebrate that.) For the past seven years, we have trekked over to United Lutheran because someone there is the founder of the concert. Well, she had enough of that so this year our church (First United Methodist) was the host and yours truly was the coordinator. (That's not really important, but I thought I'd tell you.)

Before the concert, each choir (there are five choirs from area churches who sing) are assigned a room and for the past few years I've knit waiting for the concert to start and this year was no exception. I gave great thought to taking my knitting into the sanctuary and knit while the other choirs sang (we were the last choir to sing so I could have knit for close to an hour before I had to put it down.) Alas, I left my knitting in the parlor thinking it would be best if I didn't enjoy myself so much while my choir mates were sitting attentively.

Anyhow, these two women came late and they sat in the pew in front of me and what did one of them proceed to do? Take out some knitting! It looked like she was knitting a blanket and it was all in garter stitch. It was a nice grey worsted weight and she was double stranding with some size 13 needles. (Scary that I know that!!) Another choir member made a point of pointing out that someone else was knitting. I wanted to go get mine and join her - then I wanted to take hers from her and knit it myself (It was only the garter stitch, after all!)

I did neither. I went up and sang with my choir. When I was coming down from the choir loft, there was someone waiting for me. Someone from my online knitting group whom I had never met. Another knitter! And she had her knitting with her (albeit in the car.) My knitting was still in the parlor. I went to gather them all together so we could slip off into the parlor for some stitch bonding, but I couldn't herd them all in. - darn it! (No pun intended.)

So that part didn't pan out, but it was really neat to have knitters in the midst.

I am convinced that the axis on which the world turns is actually a knitting needle!

The Last Lecture

I just finished bawling like a baby. I just finished ready 'The Last Lecture' by Randy Pausch.
It's so simple and makes so much sense. And the reason it's a popular book is because we know it makes sense and yet we don't do what he says.

The tips on how to live your life are so breathtakingly simple and we don't give ourselves permission to follow them when we instinctively know what they are. I've always said for every new technology we create that brings us one step forward; it also comes with two steps back. We've created ourselves into too busy lives that leave little room for communication even though it supposed to give us greater contact.

I loved this book and right after I finished it and dried my tears, I got an email from someone I think is truly one of the most gentle, kindest souls I've ever met and I told myself to tell her that and I shook my head saying to myself I could never be that vulnerable. Then before I did this post, I made myself answer her email and tell her just that.

I'm going to take note of those tips and see how I can use them in whatever time I have left. Now that I am of a 'certain age' I know there are far less years ahead of me than there are behind and if I am aware of that, then I should be aware that I can make them wonderful for myself, my family and my community.

At the very least, I should give it a shot.

A Prayer Shawl Gathering

Our group, StitchCraft, was invited to attend a Prayer Shawl gathering in Naperville. It was hosted by the Prayer Shawl ministry of Grace United Methodist Church. There were maybe 30 -40 women who attended for a day of prayer, sharing stories, patterns, books, etc. There was even a little bit of knitting.

It wasn't what I expected, I thought we would have a few hours of knitting and taking together but this was a complete program and it was a fun and interesting time sharing something we all had in common and seeing the different ways we did things.

I brought my camera with me and didn't have time to take a single picture. They did have a photographer there so I am certain I can find some pictures if I really put my mind to it.

What I discovered about our group is that we are somewhat unique and expansive. What I found out about other groups is that they have way more people in their knitting group than we do. It all works because it's all for a greater cause to serve and for the lesser but important cause, to spend time building a fellowship of women. It's amazing how much you give when you give as much as you can.

I look forward to the next one. And I should tell you to mark your calendar: the 2009 Sit & Knit will be April 25 from 10am to 2:00pm.

I finished You Know Better by Tina McElroy Ansa (I give it 2.5 of 4 bookmarks) and I've begun a new read: Evelina by Frances Burney. Eclectic, I know.

As The World Turns

This has been an emotional week - heck, it's been an emotional few days.

The phone rang around midnight a few nights ago and it was the Life Alert people. My mother-in-law's alert button had gone off and when they tried to speak with her; there was no answer. So Joe got up (he had to be at work at 5) to go see what was going on.

Long story short - she fell, fractured her femur and had to have surgery. She's 94.

A friend of mine was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer a few months back and we were thrilled to find out it wasn't pancreatic cancer at all. That victory was short lived because it was stomach cancer and it claimed her life Friday evening. She was in her early 60's.

My nephew's wife had her baby. A healthy baby boy - Jason Ellis.

It's the baby that brings it all in perspective. The cycle of life is such that we start out young and helpless; learn to be self sufficient and independent (if we're lucky) and then come back around to the end older, wiser and with no regrets.

The discussions will begin on what to do about my mother-in-law. She has lived on her own for thrity years at least and up until now has done just fine. But she is at the point where she doesn't want to leave the house much and her hearing aids aren't aiding much..and now the fall. She will resist assimiliation - and she should. But she cannot be alone any longer. She will give a good battle; but it cannot be one she is allowed to win. The independence and self-sufficiency have gone.

Kathleen was a woman of great dignity, faith and privacy. I was glad to be welcomed into her fold and even then I was not in the deep circle. Close enough that she would call upon me to sing when she needed a first soprano and I had the good sense to know when I was being honored. We spoke a few months back and we talked about the last time we sang together at the Chicago Temple United Methodist Church. She wanted me to sing at the service of another friend and I was stuck in DC by bad weather and could not. It is a shadow of a regret.

And baby Jason who is his own little miracle. His folks had been trying for a second baby for some time and turned to a fertility specialized and here he is. He arrived a few days after his due date and had to be induced. I still say he was late because he is a male and would not ask for directions. But here is his - a representation that there are always beginnings in all things.

The dog hurt his leg again - he's an English Setter and eleven years old. He still thinks he's a puppy and thus will not take it easy. Because he has hurt his joints, the arthritis will begin to set in. His full cycle is starting. He is a wonderful dog and we have to start talking about what we are willing to do for him and his quality of life. Though that might not be a discussion to have for a few years yet.

And did I mention the Cubs are going to the playoffs for the second year in a row? Being a Cubs fan is proof of faith...or at least of suffering. No regrets there.

The emotions turn - as does the world. Will the wonders ever cease?

The Purple Afghan

I finished this afghan last month. It took a few weeks to knit and I was having a problem because there had to be a crochet slip stitch done along the 'cross section' of the afghan and it took me a little while to figure it out. But I did figure it out and now Billie (my maid of honor) owns the afghan because she loves the purple. So, while it was probably headed towards the sale - it is in a happy home.
It was made with...oh, you know, Caron by the Pound in lavender, orchid and dark violet. Double strands of each. The pattern is from Classic Quick Knit Throws. It is the autumn one and I have to say though it was relatively quick, it wasn't easy. I think they rate it as intermediate level and I would have to agree.

Alas, I did not finish my afghan in time to medal for Ravelympics. I would have received two more medals had I finished, but it just wasn't to be. I picked up some new clients instead and I've had to put down all things knitting and....work!

In fact, I must leave here and go back to my desk for a few hours of work before I can turn in. Hopefully, I will be in bed by 2!