New Stuff For A New Year

Well it's about time I took stock of what's been accomplished in the last few months. My first ever hooked rug is moving along although I don't know if others can tell that the main figure is a cat. I think the sweater is going to be allright. It's my own pattern knit entirely in the round (yeah, no seams). Since my body curves outward wherever it is possible to be curvey I've been experimenting with short rows. This actually quite terrified me at first but it is actually fairly easy to tell where to add short rows (my curves are not subtle). Notice I'm trying not to mention anything about weight. My new resolution is to not say the F word (the three letter word )in conjunction with myself in order to be a better role model to my daughter. The great thing about knitting top down is that you can adjust the fit as you go.

Prayer Shawl

This has been a difficult year. My daughter went to boarding school (her choice) so I've been having empty nest syndrome. Then about 10 days before Christmas my mother passed away. We've been on the road back and forth, doing the 9 hour drive, to the big city since September. I'm going to whine a bit here, but I am so tired that I decided to give myself permission to take a week off at home and just rest.

Thank goodness for all of my hobbies or I would have gone round the bend. What do people who don't knit or quilt or hook rugs do when they're stressed out. I have slept a lot and been very lazy but without my projects I would have been taken over by depression and a sense of purposelessness.

One thing that was absolutely wonderful was a present I received from a wonderful friend of my mother's after her funeral. She and her group had knit me a prayer shawl. When I feel sad I just wrap that around myself for comfort. In fact over Christmas the whole family took to wrapping it around themselves for comfort.

I have heard of the Prayer Shawl Ministry but to be quite honest I didn't really understand it. I mean how comforting could a piece of cloth be. I thought maybe those people should be knitting other things for their families that would be more appreciated.

How wrong I was. The Prayer Shawl I received has been invaluable in helping me through the grieving process. The colors remind me of my mother and when I wrap up in it in a way I feel I am wrapping a little of herself around me. Knowing that the lovely women of her church knit it is a wonderful bonus. Her community of women are also wrapping around me with loving support. What a great gift that it should be prayed over and blessed turning a piece of cloth (albeit a lovely hand knit one) into a garment of spiritual protection.

Having received one I know I must cast on and prayerfully knit a shawl for someone in need.

Merry Belated Christmas and Happy New Year

I'm a little late with finishing this project (on December 24th). The good/bad news is that we all know Christmas will be rolling around again and once again I will have a use for this Advent Calander. Not that I dislike Christmas; I'm just a little tired. We lost my Mom a couple of weeks before Christmas. However we tried to have a good but quiet Christmas to cheer up my Daughter. This weekend we have to take Daughter back south to school and I'm not looking forward to that. When I get back to the cold and blustery north, I'm going to lock myself in a room, and cry while I finish a crazy quilt pillow that has been languishing for several years. Creativity is the best antidote for languishing. Happy New Year (it can only get better ).

One of my favorite knitting books is "Mother-Daughter Knits". Sorry about the horrible photo of it nestled amongst the clean laundry pile I am trying to ignore. The Buttoned Muffler pattern is excellent. Here it is in Patons Shetland Chunky. Misty cat is not impressed so I tried it on myself as well.

As well I am working on this hooked rug. This is my first try at rug hooking and it seems to be going all right (I hope). As you can see Misty is one of my favorite models.

I haven't blogged for a long time. It's been a little stressful. My daughter left for school in early September. She is only 14 and attending a boarding school. She researched the whole thing last year and initiated the whole endeavor. She was so gung -ho and being our only child we decided to make her dream come true. We're very proud of her for coping with the move so well but of course we miss her terribly. We are able to see her every other week or so as business often takes us to the city where she is. The school is fantastic and the staff are so professional and take great care of the kids.

Then I was phoned at work and an emergency doctor in Winnipeg told me my mother was dying of cancer. My mother and I have been estranged but I was devastated and went immediately to see her. She has Alzheimers as well so although she recognizes me she isn't aware of what is going on.

Through all of this knitting has been my salvation. Knitting for my daughter gives me a feeling that at least I am able to provide some motherly care for her. Knitting also keeps my nervous energy under control. Knitting is a blessing from God. I am next going to knit for charity as a way of giving back all of the blessings I have received from God. I used to knit preemie caps for the local hospital so I think I'll start there.

The last entry from Anne Shayne on the Mason Dixon knitting blog answers a fundamental question of why we knit. By knitting we create a problem solving situation. I can mostly solve knitting problems (mostly might be stretching it-throwing knitting across the room can be cathartic if nothing else) but I can't solve my mother's cancer. I can't repair our past relationship but I can knit something for her comfort. Or I can realize that there is nothing more that I can do and move on to knitting for the new baby at our church. Knitting is all about the future. It's all about moving along to the next little problem such as learning a new technique or pattern. Sometimes the solution is to rip back the knitting and pretend like the problem knitting never happened. That's the only area of my life in which I can undo a mistake and turn the stuff of life into something completely different.

My best knitting is done in silence to the rhythm of my own thoughts and feelings with the cat curled up next to me and a cup of coffee within reach. Knitting is something I do mainly for myself so that I may produce something positive out of the stress in my life. Hopefully I can pass the item on to a loved one or a stranger and let them know that someone took time to make sure they are buffered from the harsh reality of life.

Summer Chevron

This sweater pattern has been driving me around the bend (Summer Chevron from "More Big Girl Knits"). I'm not sure whether to keep ripping out and restarting or whether to give up on the whole thing. I am a bit obssesive compulsive and sometimes I just don't know when to call it a day.

The problem is with the row guage. The chevron pattern knits up too short if I follow directions even with a size 10 US needle (pattern calls for 8US). Looking on Ravelry, other people seem to have had this problem too. When I alter the pattern by knitting more rows, then the underarms are too low when you knit the sides on argghhh...

I think I need to step away from it and pick up my quilt. At least there are no fitting issues with quilts. When you work on a quilt it gets done.

The sun is shining again after days of rain. My lovely teenage daughter is at home doing laundry (I hope). I'm at work, obviously not working, as I'm writing this. Life is good.

Finally Some Color

My little salute to Canada Day and the Fourth of July; red and white for Canada and a blue pot added for America.

My peonies have still not bloomed and here we are into July. All I've got are daisies and petunias for my gardening efforts. The summer is unusually late even for northern Canada.

Here is my daughter in the finished Daily Sweater from Knitting Outside the Lines. There are a rather alarming number of stitch increases in the pattern when beginning the cuff and hem ribbing. Even on smaller needles both edges ended up wavy. I'm thinking they might shrink in the wash and the increases will keep the cuffs from stretching from wear. My daughter thinks its nice and comfortable so I might knit one for myself (1824 cotton, color 404).