Do you know your combination?

notice that the knit stitches
are sitting with the LEFT Leg
facing front, rather than the
traditional RIGHT leg.

Still in limbo .... in between holidays .... in between work and play .... in between painting the kitchen and knitting a sweater for a friend .... leaves much time to ponder ...

i've been asked to help a friend in a pinch.  She needs the back of a sweater knit for her sister.  The back is 17" of straight stockinette stitch.. Knit a row, purl a row, knit a row, purl a row.  Rather mindless - - so of COURSE i said i'd help!  However, in this process i've discovered some new ways to do old things, i.e, tweaking the WAY i knit.  Have you ever heard of combination knitting or of Annie Modesitt?  Have you ever given any thought as to whether you knit Continental style .. or English?

It all boils down to which hand you use to carry your yarn ....   if you use your right hand you are considered to be a "thrower" because you throw the yarn around the needle before knitting the stitch.  However, if you carry the yarn with your left hand your knitting is more of a "pick and pull" style.  When i teach someone to knit i use the English method because it's easier to get the basic premise; however, once you learn how to hold your yarn using your left hand you may find that your speed increases. 

by knitting into the BACK of the stitch
it leaves the new stitch sitting correctly
and ready to be purled on the next row!

There are many variations, i have discovered, on the Continental method, one of which i think i might actually be incorporating into my own style!  I have learned how to tweak my 'purling' rhythm though it leaves my knitted stitches situated differently on my needle.  This can easily be remedied when i knit through the back of the stitch and thus i'm left with a correct orientation for my next purling row.  The following You Tube video is a great demonstration of something new to consider:



Realizing that my knitting can have new 'combinations' has left me wondering about my faith actually!  Rather than just assume that the way i've always done things is still the correct way to DO things, i find if i'm honest with myself, that my faith is actually stronger when things are rough and that my faith wavers, or is even nonexistant, when life seems to be flowing rather smoothly!  There! Confession!  it's easier for me to trust God, to run to Him, to seek His face, to long for His guidance when things are hard to understand, when i am afraid or confused or basically just lost as a goose!  However, why do i need any help from God when life is flowing smoothly, and things make sense and i can pretty  much handle things on my own?  Right?

WRONG!!!! Just think if my Trust was actually MORE consistent .. if i would include Him in ALL the steps of my day rather than just the rough ones!  He promises to guide my path, to be a LIGHT, to be a LAMP.  He longs to be included but is gracious enough to wait until invited!  Combination faith - - on the good days AND the bad days!  What a concept!  and What a Love would result!  What a relationship i could have if i opened my heart and life to Him in every way.  The friendship and love that would grow because i've been willing to reconsider my old habits!  The relationship and wonder; the first love feelings of recognizing that Him and acknowledging Him and acquiesing to His leadership and trusting Him because of His faithfulness!

I'm off to go purl the new way, to knit using some of my old methods but learning to incorporate my newly found discoveries .. and to apply the same mindset to my faith!