Inside my knitting bag

Doing a quick glance into my knitting bag has become quite the tell tale reflection of my life . . A synopsis, however extensive or simple, of how I've handled life ... Or it's handled me. And peering into this past week would reveal minimal . . Not much happening, and truthfully, not much knitting either. In fact there were several days when I didn't even pick up my knitting! I bought a knitting App ... Does that count?

I'm still working on my "Turn the Square" hat ... In fact, I'm ready to start the decreases at the top which are achieved by using a K2tog immediately followed by a SSK .. And then knit to the next Pivot point. However, it seems to be leaving a hole/space at the decrease juncture and I'm just not I'm real happy about that. Guess I need to work several more rows to actually see rather than panicking just yet! I also was looking for a missing knitting needle this weekend and came across my traveling scarf from this past fall... AND have pulled it out to work on.... AND That has felt good! Just sitting and holding the needles... Feeling the balance between fingers and yarn, observing the way my shoulders seem to relax when the rhythm of the needles commences . . Quite an interesting phenomenon actually ... The restoration... The symbolism of "coming home" ..the peace in "returning" to the familiar....

And perhaps that's also been part of journey this week.... Amidst all the busyness that threatens each day, finding the balance and Peace that Christ longs to share with me. the older i get, the more I come realize that I really do crave order and balance.... a consistent, rhythmic flow to my life ... Steady and progressive gains rather than turbulent and rocky results ... no need for added drama... Just simple times of praise .. Rejoicing in the little things that are sprinkled along my way rather than always finding the negative twist on things.

Confessing out loud that just sitting and "being" feels so very good. No agenda, no movie to watch, nothing to knit that has a deadline attached ... Just finding joy in the moment, and I believe that it is in those unscheduled times this week that I have been able to taste and see that the Lord is good! Just like the peace that comes when you return home and sleep in YOUR old bed from childhood ... Or the contentment you experience when you take a bite of an old time favorite dish .. The melding of those flavors with the memories that are recalled ... In so many ways my faith is just as sensory! I believe God created us for contentment and not chaos,and when I stop and recount His blessings it's just like returning home to the familiar ... To know the rhythm of His needles with the yarn of my life.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.
Ps. 34:8


She called him "You are the God who sees me."
That's because she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Gen. 16:13-14

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
Col 3:15

One skein wonders

If I asked for true confessions right now how many of you could/would raise a hand to being guilty of buying single skeins of yarn? You know the ones:  they are those textural skeins that scream your name when you first walk by.  They are those beautiful colors of the rainbow that pull you in to follow .. that inspire you knit frantically until you reach the end.  They are those EXPENSIVE "dreams" that finally are marked down and are justifiably affordable. We all have them in our stash . . The colors and textures that gripped our heart the moment our fingers first made contact .. There was something about the way the vibrant color conjured up the perfect scarf, or the friend's face that came to mind when you first spied the decadent textures -the softness that reminded you of sinking into a a pool of whipped cream, or perhaps the power of that "clearance" sale was more than your rational self could walk away from . . It still amazes me how quickly that ball of string can get all knotted up around my heart!

So... Here we are now with a beautiful assortment of single skeins.... Sitting so admirably, albeit so very lonely.... Just waiting for THAT pattern to reveal it's potential ... And who better to help than Judith Durant, author of many versions of One Skein Wonders!

She has spennt numerous years collecting patterns from local yarn shops that highlight a certain yarn, perhaps based on weight, or determined by cost, based on collections and assortments that any true knitter has .. We call it our STASH in order to substantiate such mentality. With any one of these books you can begin to make some serious headway into actually turning your collection into keepsakes . .

 Those single skeins . . Never intended to overtake the stash, but ... over time, they did! Much akin to those "little" sins in my heart . . There is no magic number of sins I have to accumulate before I head to confession, no jackpot for reaching the "grand total" . . . It was a single sin that broke His heart. It was a single act of disobedience. Just one bad attitutde, an individual choice to do it my way rather than His . . And when you add them all up my mind is confronted with the "Stash" of excuses I've also conjured up in order to justify my selfishness... My lack of faith ... My continual disobedience. HOWEVER, God has a single mentality as well. He determined from the beginning of time that His one and only Son would be my Savior. He decided that One death on a cross would pay the penalty for each of us... ONE! One resurrection to ensure One eternity. A single life-consuming act of grace and mercy so that my life would forever be dominated by continual acts of love and trust ... That's all He asks.

Jesus said in John 14:6 -

"I the THE way, THE truth and THE life.  No man comes to the Father, except through Me."

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.   Prov 3:5-6

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  Duet 33:27

You will seek me and find me, when you seek Me with all your heart.  Jer 29:13

His single compelling act of love and sacrifice truly is the ONE Skein Wonder that binds His heart to mine .. with an unslipping knot ... that will never let me go!

Because I said so . . .

Do you remember those conversations between you and your mom or dad . . Questions and answers, answers that weren't exactly what you were looking for, so MORE questions . And probably some eye rolls and whining mixed in, and ultimately you received "The" answer you dreaded . . "Because I Said So"! and that was that! there's no good comeback or any amount of logic that can even hold a candle to "that" argument!

And yet, in knitting there are a few of those absolutes... Indisputable facts that no amount of reasoning or logic can change or re-define. For instance, WOOL. When's the last time you saw a sheep with a coat of fluff that was TOO tight. Especially during the summer months. It rains, the sheep just stand there and get soaking wet and then God sends the sun to warm things up and dry things out and yet their coats remain the same size. NOW, take that same wool that you have since purchased and spent HOURS knitting the most gorgeous sweater .. And SOMEone manages to chunk it in the washer AND then dry it for you.... It is Never going to be the same (unless you lose 50 lbs. AND drop 7 dress sizes).

And aNOTHer thing about wool - you know all those hideous balls of acrylic yarn you bought years and years ago to "learn" with? All those nasty ugly colors that were on sale (for good reason!) and that you snatched up so you could start building your stash AND knit every single one of your friends a scarf from . . And after all this time, they are still sitting alongside a few beautiful skeins of wool that you purchased simply because the colors were lush and decadent...and now that you've found the perfect pattern for the wool you start casting on, and have settled into the perfect pattern and find as you pull from the center of the skein that your yarn is coming out in sections . . Individual strands, if you were, that tell the tale . . MOTHS have found a warm and wooly new home ... And they have good taste (no pun intended) in their lodging choices... Even THEY don't want to be caught dead in that ugly acrylic!

to think ... those sweet little lambs ....  who KNEW they had such capability to shrinkwrap so succinctly! ???  and yet if you stop and consider the image of Christ as the Spotless Lamb ... it's gives you a whole new concept of Wool and it's Redemptive Qualities.  From the beginning of Sin's appearance and the resulting obvious requirements for sacrifices in order that atonement and restoration be granted, the Lamb has played an important role in Man's salvation.  Mosaic law records the necessity of a spotless male lamb to be offered as payment for sin. And throughout history God required such sacrifices - firstfruits of one's offering - to serve as payment, and as an acceptable sin offering. These rituals and laws were obeyed from the first days in the Garden with Adam and Eve until the very 1st Easter when God sent His one and ONLY Son to be THAT sacrificial Lamb .... that very first Easter when the darkness that engulfed the earth, due to Sin's stain, was obliterated by the Blood that was shed on Calvary's Cross.  The very sting of death that brought renewal and whispered promises of hope and new life for those who believe in God's promise of love everlasting and redemption that holds for eternity! 

and that is a promise i can cling to ... Because He Said So!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Ready for spring?

Based on the vast amounts of yellow dust that seemed to permeate every square inch of life this past weekend, I'd say that Spring is most definitely here! The perpetual yellow haze that arose from the hood of my car, from the steps on my front porch and even from the dog's footprints that were tracked down my hallway from one of her many visits outside..... A pharmaceutical salesmen's jackpot for sure! But all this yellow makes me a bit giddy because I know it's just a matter of time before all of life changes - vivid hues and shades of color will soon begin to pop up and bring new life and energy to paths worn down by winter's ways. Pretty pastels are tucked just below the surface in the buds and blossoms just waiting for their cue to explode into a most grand and glorious fireworks show for everyone to enjoy!

But best of all, Spring signals the celebration of Easter... time for giggles and candy, new shoes and hats to match, Easter frocks and little boys with cute plaid shorts and bow ties to match!  I love watching Easter egg hunts and hearing the clacking of those plastic eggs filled with jelly beans.  Chocolate bunnies and Cadberry eggs, those squishy little Peeks that leave a ring around your lips so there's no way to 'hide the evidence'.  Why not include one or two of these sweet little bunnies in your little one's basket this season as well?  Or better yet, surely there's a friend or two in your life that would love the smile that these are bound to bring when you set a sweet little bunny and a jelly bean filled egg beside them with a note that simply says .... Just Because!   Grab some stash yarn and follow this great picture tutorial on how to make these sweet little bunnies.  Time to blow off some of the pollen and spread some Spring!

Easter's new beginnings are based on the promises of Hope that Christ has given each of us .... His love continues to echo through generations and civilizations, cultures and time spans that are open to receive the gift that His Love so graciously and selflessly sacrificed for each of us, so that we could spend an eternity with Him.  A gift ....  that is waiting to be opened.  And it's with an open heart that we receive His eternal gift.  A heart that is willing to be receptive to His offering, a life that applies the lessons He continues to teach, the grace that He continues to pour forth, the forgiveness that His very death demonstrated . . it's very easy to see my own life as an Easter Basket filled with all the Treats and Treasures that emanate from a relationship with Christ.

Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
will never enter it.
Mark 10:15

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
Isa. 26:3

Friday Funnies!

A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway. Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting!

Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window, turned on his bullhorn and yelled, 
"PULL OVER!"


"NO!" the blonde yelled back, "IT'S A SCARF!"


Sorry to digress, but this just made me smile when i read it ... perhaps it was a bit too close to home, though i will say, in my own defense, that i've never been pulled over (much less stopped) because i was knitting and driving . . . 


there HAVE been flashing lites in the rearview mirror of my own life this week .... unexpected opportunities to slow down and review life as it was happening for the day .... friends that needed help, air conditioning that went out (due to cut wires and not mechanical issues, but that took days - - very hot days AND nites - - to discover!), kitchen sinks that overflowed and flooded the kitchen because someone forgot to shut the water off  (but MAN, the kitchen floor sure is clean now! and the dishwasher look pretty good too), every day there just simply seemed to be SOMEthing out of the ordinary ......  which caused me to look at things in a bit of a different way . .


how many MORE things have i missed these past 50 years because i've been so busy, locked in to the 'ordinary' that i had planned rather than anticipating the EXTRAordinary things that God longs to show me!  and i'm wondering how much i've missed because of an apatheic attitude ... or grumbling at the changes that I didn't schedule . .   for someone how talks the big talk, i realize i've grown rather regimented in my routine .... my comfort zone is much thinner than it used to be . . . oh dear, i'm turning into ______________ 

BUT . . check THIS out:

*Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be THANKFUL, and so worship God acceptable with reverence and awe, "for our 'God is a consuming fire.' "    Heb. 12:28-29

*And do not grumble, as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel.  I Cor. 10:10  [guess that pretty much clears THAT up!]

*A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries up the bones.  Prov. 17:22

Think i'll take advantage of this season of blue lights flashing in my weekly rearview mirror, and start counting my blessings rather than my blunders!  Remember that old hymn?

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost.

Count your many blessings, name them one by one

And it will surprize you what the Lord has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one . . .

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small

Do not be discouraged, God is over all

Count your many blessings, Angels will attend

Health and comfort give you to your journey's end.

If i use Phil. 4:8 as my sieve for straining all thoughts through, then this should be the proper adjustment i need . .

Fix your thoughts on what is true,

and honorable,

and right,

and pure,

and lovely,

and admirable.

Think about things that are excellent

and worthy of praise.

Happy Birthday Tori!  She clearly fits ALL those BOLDed words above!

The Sweet Treats of Friendship

Lessons from Spring Break:

1)  it's not always the BIG things that count in order to label something a 'SUCCESS' .

2)  the quiet ... the solitude ... is NOT a bad place.

3) all those little "life lessons" you are taught along the way WILL come into play when you least expect them!

4)  sometimes the sweetest friend is the one that will simply sit and hold your hand while you cry, wipe those tears as they fall and just let you "be" without trying to FIX it ... or make it better!  and sometimes that really IS enough!  [remember the phrase:  they don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care!]

5)  the "perfect" day isn't always Scheduled or happens according to plan .... but the Sweet Peace that comes when you know that you've done things just as God wants you to do them ..... 

Living Life Interrupted these past few days has afforded me some time to think back on the past week as i look ahead to see what possibly is still out there waiting ..... and the knitting in between these 2 time spans has been the sweetest ever ... i am just LOVING these little bitty baby things!  And to find this yarn, (which i'm afraid may be about to be discontinued because everywhere i've gone lately it's been on sale for ridiculous markdowns) has been so fun to work with ..... it's the ADD in me perhaps, but i just have to keep knitting because it's always a surprize what's coming next!

Patterns are posted in the Au Pair Project Tab up top for these little mitts . . knit flat AND with no thumbs . .   easy peasy!!!  and the Hat is also knit flat and seamed up the back with you're finished .... won't take more than a couple of hours to get them whole set done!  and yes, i know it's finally 80 degrees outside, but i'm thinking i'll just have a bunch of these projects in a stock pile and ready to share .....  and there's just something about these little things that makes my heart happy!!!  if i could just find a 9" circular needle in a size 5 & 6 ....... so i could just knit and knit and knit in the round ......  baby sized circles!

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.  Isa. 30:15

Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.  . . The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.   Exo. 14: 12-14

The Lord is gracious and righteous;  our God is full of compassion.  The Lord protects the simplehearted; when i was in great need,  He saved me.  Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.  Ps. 116:5-7

All week i've seen the Sweet Treats of a Friendship with the Lord . . He continues to meet me right where i am ... perhaps it's not exactly where He'd hoped i'd be by now .... but His compassion and mercy is new each day and He walks along side me .... in Him i find rest . . just by 'being' . . .  the Simplicity of Solitude . . the sweet retreat that is like no other . .

I will be Still .. and KNOW that You are God!

Friday's Poem to Ponder

Robert Watches Elizabeth Knitting
by Jo Shapcott

Knitting is a bore but Elizabeth
nods and smiles and clicks to herself
as if it were more than just useful.

She goes happily about the task,
moving in and out of it without haste,
perfecting tension, cabling, ribs.

She looks forward to the sewing up
but not too much, knowing how to mesh
the pleasure of the final thing, all sensuality and wholeness, with the independent life of every stitch.

Where does it come from, this compulsion to call her a whole list of things other than what she is?
The string-winder, the long fingered, the sitting clock, the fur maker and on and on and on.

From shanks by sharp shears to Shape Shoulders she is what she is, my shank shifter,
the one who weaves and stitches up wool.

The needles click in a rhythm I can't get at:
part and whole, part and whole;
two heartbeats, a breath, two heartbeats.
Her lips silently move to mark the four or five last stitches in the line.

Elizabeth's pattern is cut small and pasted in her diary:
a book of days,
a book of stitches;
lunch dates and meetings,
Right Border and Neckband, Left Front.
There is no picture, only the long strings of phonemes - purls and plains made unpronounceable by the feminine science of the knitting pattern.
She bows her head to translate the printed page into this odd manipulation of sticks and string.

I can't get my mind around knitting.

It starts to have everything when you come down to it - rhythm, colour and slow but perceptible change.

The meaning is all in the gaps:

a pattern of holes marked out by woolly colour,

a jumper made of space, division and relations.

Strange to see these youngish hands,
with no puffiness and no obvious veins,
repeat the banal and tiny motions
over days over weeks over months.
I ask too much and am too hasty;
this knitting is an exercise in trust.

[From Her Book: Poems 1988-1998 (Faber and Faber, 2000)]

i LOVE the last line:  knitting is an exercise in trust!  That is the perfect summation of my Spring Break 2011.  Learning to trust God for His plan, His timing, His way ... not in the dreams and hopes that i had once envisioned for this week .... but learning to simply sit in obedience and yield to His rhythms and ability to make meaning of "all the gaps". 

I read this morning some very poignant statements that will echo through my day:

* Trust is not a natural response,
      especially for those who have been deeply wounded.

*Don't let your need to understand distract you from His Presence. 
    He will equip you to get through the day victoriously, as you live in deep dependence on Him.

His Promises, so succently penned by David in Ps 84:10 - 12

Better is one day in Your courts, than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor,
no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.

Day Four . . and nothing's complete yet!

All the grandiose knitting plans for Spring Break '11 are still just sticks and string dreams .... nothing really completed yet ... lots of plans still lingering, still wrapped around my needles, but not bound off yet.  However, i'm a firm believer in that "YET" word ... because it's still 3 more days until that Monday morning school bell rings at 7:50 A.M.


So, to sum up the knitting side of things for the week:

1)  i STARTED on a new hat using taupe and inserting a black stripe every 3 rows ... and i'm liking my 'jogless join' technique i've learned from the pattern.

2)  i have managed to write a little knitting pattern for a baby 'mit' ... but haven't sewn the side seam ... so, yet another 'almost' done project ....

i LOVE this yarn!  Bernat "Jaquard"
that does ALL the work for you!

3) using the same yarn as the mit, i was feeling very sassy so i just found a hat pattern and started knitting for a baby hat .... and because i was so intrigued with the yarn i failed to do the 'reality' check .... i.e., i didn't check gauge for probably 4" worth of knitting but OOOOO, it looked so pretty!!!  it won't HOWEVER, fit around a baby's head!   guess this is where i realize that i should have worked harder on those 'word problems' in math!  Basically, my gauge is 5 stitches per inch ... and i cast on 64 stitches which translates into a circumference of alMOST 13" ... but wait! an average baby head is 15" so .....  can you say rip it out!  good thing i like this yarn and that it holds my interest!!!

4)  i have an 'order' for a scarf ... bright bold colors .... but the more i've talked with her the more i realize it needs to be a 'safe' kind of bold ... so i'm opting for a K2, P2 ribbed knit scarf in color blocks ... solid pink blocks alternating with variegated blocks ....  BUT i think i'm going to vary the blocks  . . 8 rows each, then 6 rows each, then 4 rows each, and then 2 rows each . . and then back out again!

and it WILL be finished and ready for delivery on Monday!  F I N I S H E D!!!

i need to have SOMEthing to show for my Spring Break ... because i clearly won't be sporting a savage tan !!!  and i don't want my attitude to reflect the frustration of unfinished projects ... or unfulfilled dreams .....  in fact, that's been on my heart much of today ... dwelling on how i 'thought' spring break would be ... versus the reality of how it really is .... asking God "why?" .... being tired from working in the yard .. and working so hard to make things go "my" way, i find it easy to slip into that whiney mood and 'bless my poor, pitiful heart' mindset ... until i stop long enough to hear Him singing to me, yet again ...

and today this is the verse He hummed to me .... ALL day long ....

Whatever is true,

whatever is noble,

whatever is right,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

 whatever is admirable--

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--

think about such things.

Phil. 4:8

Spring Break Day 3

it's the halfway point .... trying to not panic at what's NOT done, but rather find contentment in the simple little things that HAVE been checked off my 'hopes'

list of things to accomplish this week. 

Lunch with friends - nicely done!

Cleaning - never done! 

Outside work - getting done!

Knitting projects - always doing/done!

One of the "fun-ner" things i've done this week is to ramble through a knitting site called All Free Knitting.  It is yet another source for FREE patterns and inspiration .... it allows you to create your own "pattern box" to store patterns you find as you browse through the many categories and options ... and i LOVE being able to have things arranged and in order when i go to look for them ....  remember all those copies you made when you first learned to knit?  all those grandious plans for knitting mittens and socks and sweaters and purses and hats for ALL your friends ... all the scarves you just KNEW you were going to whip out .. and give as gifts and make for yourself . . and then you realized the Paper Monster that you had created, trying to FIND that pattern you printed ....  trying to keep UP with the paper that was now stuck in a knitting bag somewhere . . trying to remember what yarn you needed, if you had the right needles, etc. etc. etc.

This site is a great way to stay organized ... can be downloaded on your phone and thus always ready to supply you with reminders when you're out shopping and find "that" yarn on sale!  and i simply love the fact that i don't have to rely on my own memory any more . .

reliance . . THAT's a word worth pondering this Spring Break.  Realizing that God longs to give me an Abundant Life ... and perhaps it's ME that actually is the reason that i don't know the 'abundance' that He longs to share .... when i find myself so busy being "in charge" of my day and not seeking God's plan or choice for things ....  my "independence" actually muddy's the water of His blessings .... "Abundant life is not necessarily health and wealth; it is living in continual reliance on Him.  Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold, relax and be on the lookout for what He is doing.  This mindset will free me to enjoy Christ and to find what He has planned for me to do.  This is far better than trying to make things go according to my own plan."

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Proverbs 17:22  A Cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.



Spring Break TWOSday ....

Day TWO of Spring Break and i've come to realize that i have TWO extremely old knees ... all of yesterday's painting and 'building' took its toil on my old lady knees!  Which translates into TWO forms of therapy:

*Early morning knitting

*Shopping for TWO cushions for the freshly painted porch swing.

Successful Day TWO 

So, while i was sitting on my TWO new cushions i worked on a few swatches this afternoon .... working on the Kitchener Stitch that is needed to make the 'Eternity Ring' posted yesterday. . .   and i found this You Tube Video with great details for helping as well.  Maybe it's just me, but i LOVE putting my hands on something and watching it all fall into place, especially when i don't really understand HOW it works .. i just KNOW that it does!



working through things that don't make sense .... seems like a recurring theme for me actually . . or perhaps that's a rather 'simple' definition of Faith!  Hebrews 11describes Faith as "being sure of what we HOPE for, and certain of what we do NOT see!"  But ... what about things we hear?

Do you remember those times when you heard a simple 'whisper' and suddenly everything was okay ... whether that whisper came from a loved one from across the room, or a best friend over the phone .... whether it was a still, small voice that spoke softly into your ear ... or just the faint memory of something shared in times past that flooded your heart at just "THAT" moment .... that reoccurring melody that replays and reminds you of a time for inspiration ... or hope ... or safety .... or refuge . . .

that sensory SOUND that seems to be a gentle reminder of security ... remember hearing your mom sing those lullabies ....  what about the songs that your Heavenly Father sings .... ever thought about THAT?  He DOES sing over you!  He LONGS to rejoice over you!  Look at Zephaniah 3:9 . . .

The Lord your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Sitting and swinging on the porch this morning, with coffee in hand and the quiet of the early chill still lingering for a while, i found myself wondering what that TUNE would sound like .... i know verse upon verse of Praise Choruses that i can sing to Him ... but i've never really stopped and pondered on His tune to me . . . which led me ask ...  why DON'T i know ... perhaps i am not as 'quiet' as He'd like for me to be ....  i'm so busy making 'noise' in order to fill the silence that sometimes frightens me ... that i have simply drowned out His melody ... the very Symphony that He has composed ......

TWOSday .....  just me and Him . . i think i need to spend more time downloading HIS tunes .... finding rest and refuge in those gentle rhythms and melodies . . wonder if He likes my alto-ish harmonies? (or maybe that's why He arranged for me to play the piano!)   :)

Spring Break Day 1

Time to spend the week catching up ... slowing down .... cleaning up .. throwing out .... it's a vicious cycle of hurry up ... and wait!   Trying to accomplish everything that i've put off for months ... and yet trying to slow down and relax and recoup just a bit too!

it's also Time to post a New Scarf option for March!  Click on the String of Purls tab at the top to see the new Eternity Ring .... i LOVE cables and this simple cable looks WAY more complicated than it actually is!  It's a great pattern to memorize and mesmerize all that see it!  Of course, the fact that is it now 80 Degrees outside makes for a bit of a challenge when wearing it coiled around my neck ... but i will SO be ready for the next blizzard NEXT year!!!

In the meantime Day 1 of Spring Break has gotten off to a Great Start!

* Porch Rocker Painted!
* Porch Swing Painted!
* Shutters made .. AND painted!  (might need another coat just for posterity!)
* Mailbox painted a new fresh color as well!
* Everything cleaned and put back in place with 10 minutes to spare before the rain started!

also got some clothes washed, the downstairs vacuumed AND some dusting done!  NOW, time for knitting!

With all that was accomplished this first day i also found myself working on some great truths that were shared at church last nite out of Philippians 2:

IF you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,
IF any comfort from His love,
IF any fellowship with the Spirit,
IF any tenderness and compassion,

THEN make My joy complete by being like-minded,
               having the same love,
                        being one in spirit and purpose!

Do Nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Pondering all day about finding that contentment in Christ ALONE ... not in doing FOR Him ... but simply IN HIM!  Finding peace IN Him .... Finding Encouragement IN Him .... Finding Love IN Him .... not in a bible study or choir practice, Sunday School class or Small Group Prayer Walk.  Simply In Him.  Brian shared last nite, and it has continued to resonant with me today ....  Not focusing on God's Blessings or His "organization" that i call the Church ... but rather focusing solely on HIM!  I can't "do" to others those things that i've not shared with Him .....  He is love .... and if i haven't learned it from Him, then how can i share it with anyone else!  He is Patience and Forgiveness ... if i've not experienced those from Him and with Him how in the world can i even attempt to share them with anyone else!

The "IF's and THEN's" from Philippians 2 makes a perfect compliment to the never ending cable scarf .... no beginning .. no ending ... just like God's love for me!

Spring Break

ANY day spent knitting . . . is a GOOD day!

It's the perfect sentiment for the beginning of Spring Break ... which starts in approximately 9 Hours and 15 minutes from NOW!  Many of my friends have lofty plans for leisurely hours walking (freezing) on the beach this week .... some have headed off for one last ski trip in the mountains .... me?  i'm thinking i'll proably paint the downstairs bathroom ...

BUT . . regardless of my vacation destination, i will be able to knit!  Hopefully this week will afford me some time to reorganize things a bit (a LOT)  since they've managed to scatter during showchoir season .... hopefully!  But if not, i still can sit and knit!  I'm also thinking i might try and begin the landscaping options outside if the weather permits and i feel like it . . . But if not, i'll certainly sit outside on my freshly painted porch and KNIT .... and the garage (atleast on my side) has become quite a catch-all so i probably should attempt to sort through and throw out some of those 'treasures' .... but if not, i'm sure there's some yarn and needles down there with a project or two that needs to be finished, so i'll just clean a while, and knit a while longer!  ....  YEP!  i'd say ... it's going to be a great week!  And i won't have any sand in my luggage come this time next week to worry with either! 

gives new meaning to my "High Fiber Diet"

Being open and flexible, rather than living every moment of the day dictated by a school bell .... it takes a bit of time to get reacclimated to the concept of such, but i'm praying that these next few days of quiet will also be a great time to steal away and find rest in what the Lord has lined up for me ..... which may be absolutely NOTHING at all except to fall in love with Him . . to simply sit and knit with Him . . . to dwell in the Presence of His holiness, to sing His praises, to delight in His goodness and tender mercies which are new every morning, to focus on the blessings that He continually sends my way, to find forgiveness and restoration despite the guilt that Satan attempts to load on my shoulders, to seek His face and His will and His way for my life ... every day ... in every plan i make .... in every stitch i take ..... living by faith, and not by sight . . .

I love You, O Lord, my strength!

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer'

My God is my rock, in whom i take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation,  my stronghold.

I call to the Lord, Who is worthy of praise and i am saved from my enemies.

inside my knitting bag this week .....

This is how the day started .... an AMAZING fresh pot of Peppermint Coffee brewing and life is going to be good today!

Log into the computer so i can start my morning post but wait!  I don't have an internet connection so i hit the Restart button .....

Computer starts doing peculiar things .... and somehow my spirit knows ....

it just crashed, i think!

all sorts of random eProtector screens started popping up ....

picking new screen choices and passwords, reloading files ???   somehow, i don't think this is a good thing, is it?

and did i mention that my  phone is taking great pictures but they are not syncing up ..... yet!  i've sent them ... and they are just hanging out in the vast unknown of  cyberspace .. wherever THAT is ??? 

i know i should be a bit nervous because things were still 'reloading' when i left for work today .... 2 hours of computer 'drama' .... but .....

the coffee was great!
I finished the purple cable braided eternity ring ... and it looks GOOD!!!!
AND i finished the Hurricane Hat!  It was so easy ... so quick .. remind me - - - why don't i do more hats???

but the best part is that while all this rebooting was/IS happening i read Psalm 37 .... had LOTS of time to read  ...

Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;  [looks like He worked THAT part for me!]
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

okay ... so i've taken much of this and pondered all day .....

BE STILL ... enjoy the coffee and quiet and rest in the intimate moments that such unexpected change in plans has actually afforded.

WAIT ... what else can i do? 

PATIENTLY .... because getting in an uproar is going to help, how?

there are so many simple instructions ... and yet so many deep and HARD lessons to learn ...  but i notice that with each command comes a promise of hope ..... so, it boils down to pacing ....

and look!

The Hurricane Hat
worked w/ Vanna's Choice yarn!

cables!
LOTS and LOTS of cables!
Pattern on Monday!

Looks like cyberspace is starting to release some of my information now!!! 

Happy Thursday!  Spring Break begins in a little more than 24 hours from now!

Today's 'introduction' might be a welcomed one that you didn't even know was ever an option!  I remember my 1st attempts at knitting - - my size 9 blue metal needles that were about a MILE long (i didn't realize i had any choices then) and some Lion brand Thick and Quick wool in a blue gray color.  Fortunately for me the needle size was appropriate for the yarn i chose.  it was, however strictly LUCK!  it wasn't long, however before i realized how much i enjoyed knitting and soon started exploring the 'options' out there to the knitting community.  I purchased a pair of Clover Takumi needles one day simply because i had a coupon and knitted a scarf on them ... and have been hooked ever since!  There is something simply amazing about the bamboo needles! It is a unique choice for knitting needles and knitters soon discover that there is something special about them after they use them for any length of time.  The Takumi needles have a point that is slightly tapered ... not too pointy so that it snags and separates the yarn, and not too blunt so that you have to work too hard to push the needle through the loops.

If you've ever worked with metal knitting needles you know that their slickness is a perk for some yarns . . like socks, but overall the warmth of bamboo in your hands makes for a pleasurable knitting experience.  Some knitters even boast that they can knit for longer stretches of time without feeling the wear and strain on their hand and forearm muscles.

The bamboo that Clover uses in their Takumi needles is a light yet hard wood that is polished to a beautiful patina.  The polish that is applied to each individual needle allows for the smooth and easy transition of yarn back and forth.  These ease is also noticed, basically because you DON'T notice any drag on your knitting as the process becomes almost mechanical and flowing in nature rather than the tension you sometimes experience when the needles are slippery and you are fighting to keep stitches ON the needles rather than dropping them as they slide off.

 

The Takumi line of Clover needles comes in Single Pointed pairs, packaged Double Pointed needles in multiple lengths as well as an entire line of circular needles in various lengths.  They ALSO have recently introduced their own line of Interchangable Circular Needles!!!  This Combo set appears to be running around $170 (Yikes!) ... but i did a bit of searching and found that Overstock.com has an entire set of individual circular sizes in a "travel" pack for $39.00  for the 29" length. One Christmas, Hancocks.com ran a special and i bought an entire set for 16" for $24.00!  E-bay has also been a good friend to me and i have found some great and affordable prices there as well! (never step in the way of a knitter trying to win a huge set of Clover needles!  I once won 20+ pair of straight and circular needles in various sized and lengths by snagging a deal at the last seconds ... for less than $70)  That's right .. do the math, and you'll see that i paid less than $3.00 for each pair of needles!   And as always, those Michael's and Joanne's coupons come in so VERY handy when i need to replace a single set of needles or just 'need' another set for a different project . . .

Clover's line of circular needles has a wonderful and gentle coil .... for the most part you can use them straight out of the package rather than spend that extra time heating up water and soaking that coil so that it will relax.  Another strong selling point that i like about the circular needles is that the join on them is so VERY smooth.  When working in the round, the stitches flow as the hat grows ... and you almost take for granted just how trusting you are of your circulars .. until . . you work with a bad pair of metal ones that causes so much grief because your stitches get STUCK and then BACKLOG and then SNAG and distort because you find yourself yanking them across the join . . . or even worse .. the coil comes OFF the needle and you soon find your knitting sitting in your lap!

I guess all of the 'bad' knitting experiences have actually helped me learn to appreciate the good things when i find them .... the bamboo moments of knitting when needles and yarn and project all compliment one another and the pleasure of creating becomes the focus!  The therapeutic sensations you find when you hold those bamboo needles and the sensory recall that happens ... the 'click' of knowing you are doing it right!  And thus, you return, time and again to that favorite pair of needles because of they just feel 'right' in your hands .... it's really a simple thing . . to know that rest and respite .... much akin to the restoration i find when i seek refuge with my heavenly Father!  When i find myself fighting through the tasks of the day, trying to handle them on my own, i can easily equate it to a "sock yarn and metal needle" day!  Stitches slip, relationships snag, words fly that never should have been thought of - much less uttered!  BUT when i pick up the Bamboo warmth of my Father's gentle but firm Hand, when i sink into the consistency of His plan, i find that the events of the day flow much easier .. regardless of the yarn 'choice' of events that may occur, His love allows a peace to permeate ..... the high polish of His touch on the knots that i seem to create helps to dissipate the confusion .....and my heart soon knows the Peace that Passes all Understanding .....  and i'm sitting at His banquet table .. enjoying a Fruit Salad!   

Love   Joy  Peace

       Patience    Kindness    Goodness

                 Gentleness     Faithfulness   Self Control

The Lord is my Shepherd . . i shall not want!

Riding the Cable Car

 Are you ready to be brave ... adventurous .... check off something ELSE on your knitting bucket list?  We're going to roll our sleeves up and actually WORK a Cable Stitch!  Not a "mock" cable or a "slip stitch" cable (although i just found some new patterns that i'll be sharing latter in the month for your consideration and attempts as well!) ....

Grab a lighter colored solid yarn so that you can see all the interesting definition that's about to POP out in front of you and appropriately sized needles ... you'll also need a cable needle to help in this process.  Now, before you close up shop right here and now because you may not have an 'official' cable needle let's think this through:  do you have a double pointed needle that you've never used?  THAT would work just fine!  What about a Popsicle Stick or a Corndog stick from the kids craft box or lunch?  Hang on to it!  When's the last time you had Chinese for dinner .. where's the Chop Stick!  Once again ... that will be Perfect for starters!  (the 1st time i tried my hand at cables i was visiting at my mom's house and grabbed a straw .. and it worked just fine for me to learn!)  so basically ... no excuses!  Ready?  and if you get really brave, there are great examples on line on how to knit withOUT a cable needle .... i'm not that brave yet!

With yarn and needle in hand, cast on 14 stitches and knit as follows:

Rows 1 and  3 (WS):  K4, P6, K4
Row 2 - (RS):  P4, K6, P4
Row 4 - P4, sl next 3 sts to CN and hold in back, K3, then K3 from CN, P4.

WHATTTTT??????

okay, okay , okay- - don't panic .... here's Row 4 in simple, easy, step by step language . . .

1st:  Purl 4 .... Got it!

2nd:  SLIP [simply transfer/slide them over] the next 3 stitches on your left needle onto your Cable Needle (CN) and let them lay BEHIND your knitting ... just let them flop and rest in the back for a quick minute.

3rd:  Knit the NEXT 3 stitches on your left needle.  This will require a slight stretch as you pull the yarn from the 1st 4 purl stitches over to meet and close up the gap between them and these new knit stitches.

4th:  NOW pick up your Cable Needle (CN) and knit THOSE 3 stitches that were just hanging out ... yes, it feels a bit awkward but remember to keep a consistent tension with your stitches AND your shoulders as you work through this motion ....  

5th:  Do you see the "twist" in your stitches?  You DID it!!!!  Congrats ... now, Set you Cable Needle off to the side for a minute while you finish the row .. just don't forget where you put it . .

6th:  Purl 4.

TaDAH!!!!!  You've done one complete set!  Basically it's time to follow the label ... Lather, Rinse, Repeat!

Cables can be as simple or complex as you choose to make them .....  and depending on whether you lay your cable needle to the Front or to the Back is what determines which way the cable will twist.  Also, the purl stitches that precede and follow the cable band allow those knit stitches to POP right up off the fabric!  Honestly, one of the hardest parts of cabling is keeping track of which row you're on because you really only have to "twist" on occasional rows .... it's important to keep track of your progress so you don't knit too far before inserting your next "cabled" row . .   (listen to the voice of experience on this one!  :)    )

i really LOVE the detail and interest of a cable .... they are rather simple in construction and yet can have the appearance of meticulous complexity . . the weaving in and out so very closely mirrors the everyday walk of life .... the ebb and flow of relationships, the coming and going of details that are sprinkled along the way, the background events that seem to highlight the high points and joys, the unexpected twists and turns that each of us encounter, and Yet, there  is a Constant that remains for me, regardless of the current snapshot of the moment:  The Love of God, in all the various forms and shapes.  His love flows so freely within every circumstance, regardless of whether i choose to acknowledge it or not.  He promised to never leave me or forsake me ... and such commitment can be evidenced when i spend the time to inspect my journey ... when i verbally and willfully acknowledge and submit to His leadership, when i boldly walk right past Him in defiance and yet His Love continues to hold on to me rather than let me go.  His willingness and patience, His perseverance that is motivated, not by anything that He would gain from me, but simply because He knows what would be in my best interest.

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,

and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips,

when I remember You upon my bed,

and meditate on You in the watches of the night;

for You have been my help,

and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy.

My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

Ps. 63