A New Day, a Thankful Heart

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Jer. 29:11

In all thy ways acknolwedge Him,

and He WILL direct your path.

Prov. 3:6

 I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

Jer. 10:23

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything,

by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

Phil 4:6

Thank you Lord for Your hand of Providence ... for sparing ... for caring ....
for protection ...
for restoration....
for the gift of Today ...
and the Promise You have provided for all our Tomorrows!

grafting

After working on the Funny Bunny Bath Towel i discovered several important things:

* i am NOT a designer.

* i will NEVER be a designer.

* sleeping at the Holiday Inn will NOT qualify me to call myself a designer.

* although i may have great ideas, i can NOT always manage to get them implemented!

* it's much easier to tweak someone ELSE's pattern than figure out your own original!

i spent several weeks working rather diligently on this simple little project ... or at least in my mind it was SUPPOSED to be an easy-peasy thing to knit ... and in principle it really is!  i just have managed to do all the possible things WRONG that you could ever think of!  in fact, one of the things NOT to Do for this pattern  was to put the 15 stitches from the towel portion on a holder and then using waste yarn do a 15 stitch provisional cast on as part of the hat.  in my mind you'd then knit the hat, unzip the provisional cast on and graft the 2 sections together.  [i even tried, once i got down to 15 towel stitches, simply casting on 45 addtional stitches and trying to knit the hat while still attaching and twirling the towel portion around!]

i used the kitchener stitch to join my hat and towel ... and it looks okay, i guess, but i was joining a stockinette section  (hat) to a garter stitch section (towel).  so .. i thought we'd look at a proper way to join two garter stitch sections, in case you opt to knit the hat to match the blanket identically!  A great source for this demonstration can be found at the Knitting Daily website .....

"To graft garter stitch, place live stitches on needles held parallel. Thread tapestry needle with yarn and go through first stitch on front needle as if to purl, then first stitch on back needle as if to purl, leaving both stitches on the needles. *Then go through first stitch on front needle as if to knit and slip it off the needle, go through second stitch as if to purl and leave it on. Go through first stitch on back needle as if to knit and slip it off the needle, go through second stitch as if to purl and leave it on. Rep from * until no stitches remain." 

The true purpose of grafting is to make seamless transition .... just another row of knitting that flows from one to the other, with no visible interuption .... and of course, in looking for life lessons and applications i immediately thought about God's desire of each of us .. to make that smooth line of what appears to be effortless blending .... so that the rows of my look like His!  Stitch by stitch, working from one needle/day .. to the next needle/day .... and slowly as the stitch slip off the needles they form a continuity of commitment, a blending of one row to another .....

and how i pray that although it may feel awkward, or He may have to tug a bit tighter in order to get mE lined up and mirroring Him, it will SO be worth the time and dedication He so willinging continue to invest in me!


"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. "  John 15:5

He didn't have to sleep at a Holiday Inn Express .... or anywhere else for that matter ... He is MORE than qualified to  be the Designer of my life .....  each and EVERY day!

Funny Bunny Wrap Up

Today's post closes out April with a sweet little Bunny project for the Au Pair page . . whether you opt to knit this as a fun little Bath Towel or a sweet little baby blanket, i think this will make a fun gift to share.  Nothing too technical, just some basic knitting .. minimal thinking required!  it's the PERFECT project for those spring days when i just needed to sit in the swing and simply "be" .....

Cotton makes for a wonderful bath consideration, but what IF you used a soft and sumptuous alpaca ... anticipating a warm winter wrap ....  perspective is everything, yes?

and based on the events of this past week ... i have a history of evidence that demonstrates that this is God's mindset as well!  When i look in the mirror I see a person that is unworthy to love because of the choices i've made, the weaknesses that i continue to struggle with, the bad attitudes and short tempers that i demonstrate all too often, the lack of empathy that often seeps out .....  i know ALL the reasons why God shouldn't love me .... ALL the MANY MULTIPLE reasons ....

and yet ....

yesterday was the very evidence that His ways are not my ways ... and His perspective is one that believes i AM worth dying for!  Not only did He willing die on a cross on Friday ... but God raised Him from that borrowed tomb and set Him free to guarantee that i could spend eternity with Him .. because i AM forgiven [despite the many reasons that i shouldn't be .. or that i keep reminding Him about!]  Fortunately for me, He has forgiven me ... and remembers my sins no more ... "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He remove our transgressions from us." (Ps. 103:12)

But You remain the same, and Your years will never end. 

Ps. 102:28

and on that note i believe i'll dwell today ... wrapped in His love ... forever!

Good Friday indeed!

He is Risen!

wrapping up the week

although it started out as a potentially BAD week with the 208 yarns of extra "practice" knitting i managed to squeeze in to all my spare time ..... it has actually been a good week!  there honestly was a sufficient amount of  'therapy' in all the unraveling and rewinding to offset all the determined doggedness /stupidity in trying to MAKE something work when it clearly wasn't! 

i'm pleased to report that when you do the pattern correctly it really WILL work!  Decreases occur and before you know it, you've got a wonderful little snugly bunny towel falling ever so softly into your lap as you knit!  in fact, i have managed to 'right the wrong' enough that i am working on the hat portion of the towel and hope to complete it this evening after Maundy Thursday service tonight ... and then two sweet little floppy ears and life will be so very good again!

my refusal to admit that i might be wrong (not that 208 yards could actually be an indication, or anything like that!) can be just another 'kinder' way of saying i'm rather stubborn!  but the flip side is this:  my 'ability' to be stubborn could be viewed - in a twisted sort of way - as one of the unique characteristics of God that makes me similar to Him!  Goldfish aren't stubborn, they just swim in circles all day - and night!  Dogs and cats don't have have the ability to hold jobs or buy homes with mortgages!  when's the last time you saw a horse in the grocery store debating over the benefits of organic versus store brand?  i realize that God made animals, and plants and all of creation, but He determined to make man in His image ... a small, tiny version of Himself, in so many ways .... until it comes to that part of me that thinks i know MORE than Him! 

how i pray, as i rewind the knitting of the week, that i will grow to be more Christlike in my mindset ... that my stubbornness will be channeled into a positive - i will grow more determined to walk like Him!  i will be more sensitive to the sins that break His heart!  i will be gentler in the face of harshness from others!   i will be passionate in my prayer time, listening MORE and talking less!  i will be resolute in my commitment to die to myself and LIVE for Him! 

He did ... for me!

Since ancient times no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,

Who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.

Isa. 64:4

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 

 John 15:15

An amazing new bad habit . . .

Despite the extensive length of "stupid" that threatened to define my current status I have made a rather savvy discovery that has the potential to inspire ... Or hi-jack my knitting, depending on my ability to stay focused!

A few weeks back I made a rather "big girl" purchase .... I "invested" in an iPad. And since that time I have found a TON of "justifications" that could rival any of the reasons i've ever used for buying yarn and stashing it!

The latest, and strongest case, for such technology is the capability to download knitting magazines! They can be stored in a PDF collection that enables access at ANY time, no Internet connection or 3G extra bill to pay! I spent $15 for a years subscription to Creative Knitting Magazine which is published 6 times a year. The best part: it comes with 4 ... FOUR years of ARCHIVES that can also be downloaded and that I have full access too! maybe i'm getting old, but the patterns seem a bit more 'realistic' for me and my lifestyle. Granted, there are some that are a bit cheesy - I don't ever see myself knitting tissue covers that look like a slice of cake, or knitting Tori or Rachael a wedding dress or my mother of the bride dress, BUT there are pages and pages of cardigans, summer shells and even shawls or wraps that I think I actually COULD knit and wear... Each pattern comes in multiple sizes, up to 2x and/or 3x, with detailed yarn and needle recommendations. Many of the yarns are in the realistic and affordable range, rather than all the speciality yarns that I could only afford if I mortgaged my house or my family agreed not to eat for a few weeks!  Because it is digital, i can log in and check on things from ANY computer, not just on my iPad ....

Needless to say, I am finding some inspiration to try knitting something other than my safe and predictable scarf.. And am scurrying around gathering coupons like a squirrel in frantic panic over an acorn! A simple cotton/acrylic blend would make a perfect spring/summer sleeveless shell ... Or add some sleeves ... Long or short ... I don't know, but I think I may be feeling a surge of "I think I can!" starting to well up ... (and did i mention that i got a coupon from Michael's that says 50% off your ENTIRE purchase Friday? )

I really like the fact that I can have my knitting patterns tucked discreetly in my purse, ready and bookmarked, not crumpled or missing a page. I can make notes and drawings as i go, just like a paper copy, and yet it will be forever stored for safe keeping. And while this technology seems to be such a new and technologically advanced "novel" idea, the ability for instant "recall" is nothing new. God has made Himself readily available since time began! And throughout the course of time He has given man the very Words of hope, and instruction, and correction and redemption.... Every scenario is covered ... Every instance, every reference, every ANYthing ...

it requires no internet connection and yet was the first 3G ... God - The Father, The Son and the Holy Ghost!

Yet I am always with you;

You hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with Your counsel,

and afterward You will take me into glory.

Ps. 72:23-24

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,

for the LORD your God goes with you;

He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Deut. 31:4

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My new Easter bonnet

Well... Just a bit of forward progress made today in my attempts to reverse my 208 yards of stupid.... Remembering the all important k2tog that occurs TWICE on each row in order for those decreases to actually work! Small steps ... Single rows

So I will simply sit and knit .. Not worrying about projects for next month . . Or next week even. Just focusing on this sweet little hooded towel for a wee one . . Praying for that child AND the parents, seeking God's annointing And grace on them all. Wow.. I can feel my heart calming a bit, my shoulders are relaxing as the rhythm of the needles resumes and steady progress is once again obtained.

With this being Easter week I find that I am inundated with commercials for new clothing in order to properly prepare me for this upcoming Sunday. Seems that without a new dress AND shoes AND matching accesories it just can't be officially Easter Sunday... Although i would certainly like to ask "them" why Easter is different every year? Rach is going to need something new and fresh so there needs to be time allotted for that ... Bubba says all he needs is new socks.... All the "details" that we are led to believe to be so important have clouded the very truth and essence of Easter sunday: there is NOTHING that I can purchase or make to wear that will surpass the beauty of the Easter garment that Christ has set aside for me.

Because of His death AND resurrection I have been fitted with a snow white robe of righteousness that is indicative of His love for me. There were no discounts or seconds, no coupons or buy-one-get-one-free deals involved. His love compelled His obedience ... His willingness to be the sacrifice so that you and I could spend eternity with Him has guaranteed a perfect fit for my robe ... And there will never be a reason for me to return it. No mistakes or doubts or questions on my part could ever change His mind about what He so graciously did for me! For YOU! ... no accomplishment on my part can have any sway on His love and devotion to me ...

His gift ... His love ... His hands tell it all each time He extends them to me in love or forgiveness, in grace and mercy .....

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ISA. 61:10

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

208 yards of stupid

I think I've hit the proverbial "wall" .... I have just spent the past week knitting 208 yards of WRONG! Row after row, knowing that it's not right, but hoping that if i just kept knitting it would somehow "right" itself...

It didn't!

Now, it's one thing to rip out a row or two ... Or 12... but 208 yards! Yep.. An entire skein's worth! And must now confess that i'm fighting the urge to throw in the towel ... Oh wait - i'm trying to KNIT the towel!

Guess i'm not a very good knitter!
Why even try!
Such a waste .. Does it even matter?
Maybe nobody will even notice....

Ever have those days/weeks/seasons where Satan fills your heart and mind with lies .... Falsehoods that have no credence or credibility... Fear that grips ... Derails ... Renders you ineffective ... Which is just exactly where Satan wants you...

BUT

God has much bigger plans...

Fear?

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Using that as a filter i can now weigh each thought, each doubt, any question .... To determine His good and perfect will. No need to keep knitting 208 yards trying-hoping-wishing-wondering if this truly IS right or wrong. No need to hide . . . Or quit, despite what i'm feeling ... Or whine ... Or pout ...

Time to cling.....

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

Claim it... And just keep knitting!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday Fun

You don't sew with a fork,
So i see no reason to eat with chop sticks.




“And I find chopsticks frankly distressing. Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven't yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food?” - bill bryson


These funny little quotes remind of one thing: God can, and will, use anyone that is willing! Regardless of outer appearances, past failures, or any other excuse we may throw out there God can make something beautiful with whatEVER we offer Him.  Just think about Zacchaeus...

remember:  he was a WEE little man ... climbed up in a sycamore tree ... for the Lord he wanted to see!

BUT Jesus saw him sitting him in a tree ... and recognized a willing heart .... He restored him and used him to make a difference in the lives of people that he (Zacchaeus) had once mistreated and abused through means of dishonesty and lies and cheating.

clearly, you can't judge a book by it's cover, or even limit sticks to just eating rice!  God has a much bigger plan for me regardless of my small way of thinking!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart

be acceptable in Your site, O Lord!

ps. 19:14

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

weekly wrap up ... literally!

taking a peek inside my knitting bag this week would reveal LOTS of wraps .... wrappers from candy i ate on the bus while sitting for HOURS to and from washington, dc ..... candy still wrapped up and just waiting for a quick little pick me up! ..... and an almost finished 30" square bunny wrap that i hope to have ready to post by monday!  it was the perfect take along knitting project .... knit 2, yo, knit to the end of the row.  once i reached 30" it was k2, yo, k2tog, knit to end of row!  i could still talk (like that's ever going to be an issue!), listen to my music, doze off  .. and still know right where i was knitting.  all it needs is a few more inches at the top before i add a little bunny 'hat', complete with floppy ears, to make it all warm and cozy and cute!

i'm also still intrigued with the feather and fan bib .... have worked a 'sample' as you can see below ... and taken some rather 'mature' although i'm not quite sure it's conventional, steps to adapt the pattern ... i didn't have a disappearing ink marking pen so i used the next best thing for my old lady eyes:  a yellow highlighter!  but, it distinctly indicates where i want to stop, and that has made the initial process easier to document.  i'm also envisioning an i-cord edging to give it a little bit more of a finished edge and also serve as a way to tie the bib ... but we'll have to wait and see if that will actually come to fruition!  i do know, however, that i am loving this Sinfonia mercerized cotton ... and most definitely will be trying some little summer baby booties out of it for sure!

all this 'creating' using just my ideas and concepts to keep me company is adventurous at times .. depressing at others, when i realize that i don't really have a clue at all about how to bring about what i am envisioning.  i never realized how much safety and security i place in a pattern when i find one that i like!  knit a few stitches, rip out a few rows .... knit some more, decide i like it, knit some more!  the neat thing i'm seeing as i work through these things is that as long as the yarn is still 'attached' to the rest of the skein then there really is do permanent damage done!  i can rip it out, rewind it and start over .... and that really is quite a bit like the gardening concept of yesterday .... recognizing that Christ is the Vine of my life .. and i am simply a Branch ... attached to Him, drawing strength, comfort, love and forgiveness from Him .... acknowledging that He is the source of all life that flows through me .... and resting in the reality that Apart from Him, i can do nothing!

you know, not all vines are fast growing ... some are slow and meandering.  i pray that today will be one of those days when i will know that i know that i know that He is my source and strength ... that i will relish the warmth of the Son, the security against the strong winds that may blow, the heat that may threaten to sap my strength ... that there will be blooms of hope and promise that pop up because of all that He inspires and prospers in the garden of my day!

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,  where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.    Heb. 6:19-20

The Perfect Knitting Accessory . . .



won't you come sit
and knit with me, please?

 it's spring .... no doubt about it!  just look at all the soft yellow haze that is covering every square inch of everything and you will have any doubts .. removed!  i love this time of year because change is so very evident ... but not so abrupt that it catches you off guard .. nor does it hurt too much as things slowly yet eloquently begin to evolve .. to bud and blossom ... and hues and tones of colors begin to pop and peek out from beneath all of winter's dreariness.

and the best part of all this is that you can be privy to these quiet moments from ANY vantage point in your life .... whether it's on the drive home from the grocery or work, or from a window in your kitchen, or from the swing on the porch ....  there will always be a place for you to pull up and chair and just SIT .. and simply  BE.  "Abide" is a word that is growing to resonant in my heart as i find myself drawn to the quiet and simplicity .. and in the midst of all the hurrying throughout the day, the joy of finding the contentment in those uninhabited moments of time .... inspires a spring-time within my own heart as well.

A cup of tea ... gently swinging on the porch with knitting close by .... and THERE He meets me .... the Gardener of my heart, who longs to tend to the pathways of my heart ... to weed out the unwanted and unnecessary, to plant seeds of encouragement and love and forgiveness, to make straight the paths that have become overgrown with sprigs of worry or fear or doubt .... to infuse me with His strength, His grace and His love ....  i'm beginning to see Miracle Grow in a whole new lite!

“I am the vine;

you are the branches.

If you remain in me

and I in you,

you will bear much fruit;

apart

from

me

you can do nothing" 

John 15:5

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. . . .

I have a new word for you - have you ever heard of Mercerized Cotton? Mercerized cotton is a special kind of cotton yarn that is more lustrous than the common "Peaches and Creme" variety we typically use for washcloths. It is also stronger, dyes easier, and makes the yarn more resistant to mildew and reduces lint and all those annoying little pill bumps that often pop up after all your hard work! It also may not shrink or lose its shape as much as "regular" cotton.

I stopped off at Hobby Lobby on the way home yesterday to find something for the Feather and Fan baby bib and found what i think (hope) will be the perfect choice for this sweet thing. I knew I wanted cotton so it would be absorbent for spills and other 'baby' things,  but i also wanted something that was a bit more delicate in appearance - and most cotton yarns are knit with a larger needle and would result in a bulkier bib. HowEVER, I found this simple skein of Sinfonia brand mercerized cotton, with a needle recommendation of a size 4! Perfect! It was only $4.99 and I used my mobile/digital version of their 40% off coupon, so for $3.26 I ran home and started working on the bib I have in my mind. This cotton is very crisp and showing the detail of the stitches quite well! But now I am intrigued just as to what "mercerized" means!

i LOVE the clean, crisp and glossy appearance

Mercerization, the process by which mercerized yarn is made, is named for the British chemist John Mercer, who developed the process and received a patent for his work in 1851.  (i'm feeling a bit like Mr. Rogers at the moment as i explain the "big words, boys and girls") ....

Mercer discovered that by adding caustic soda (lye) or sulfuric acid to cotton it made the fiber swell and straighten. No one was very impressed by his new 'observation', but in 1890 Horace Lowe developed a process by which caustic soda was added to the yarn under high tension, which added the luster that mercerized cotton is famous for today. Mercerized yarn stays shiny through washing (perfect that those baby bibs .. and what about some sweet booties now too!) and gives a nice, somewhat "fancier" look to finished items, which is exactly what I was hoping for with this bib.

As I was reading about this "process" I couldn't help but wonder if My own life reflected such "mercerization" ? All the pressures that I so would like to avoid... The potholes and detours in my plans, the pressures of choices in my replies and responses to others, the empty moments that I think should be filled .... All of these things basically are designed and orchestrated by my Master Spinner who longs to make me stronger.. Reflect Him more radiantly and confidently .... All while having the endurance to persevere and continue through anything that may come my way. Kind of like a modern day Energizer Bunny... I just keep going and going, resting in the promises of Christ, my Savior! And shining like Mercerized Cotton!  Washed in the Blood of the Lamb .... and forgiven so that i am White as Snow!

now i know:
Knit = Knit (duh!)
Cro = Crochet ..
and Sheen?
well, that makes it Shiny!!!
learn something new every day!

But I rest in You, O God;  I say "You are my God". My times are in Your hands!

Ps. 31:14

spread too thin

So have you tried the feather and fan pattern yet? It's definitely a classic knitting pattern worth adding to your knitting repetoire and saving for a rainy day. In fact, I thought it would be nice to use for a sweet little baby bib... Just think, a pretty and soft little ripple of a bib done in white to lay ever so gently over those first few Easter gowns... But I'm afraid i only found one pattern and I'm not a big fan.. So I do believe i'll start tweaking that today so we can add it to the AuPair Project tab. I'm also just about finished with a soft and cuddly Easter Bunny towel that will make tub time a fun time as well.

However, until I get a bib pattern or the towel pattern ready to publish, why not consider using the feather and fan for a sweet little receiving blanket... In cotton maybe, for all those tiny bundles of joy that need just a little something over them while napping...


Or if you don't want to commit to an entire blanket/throw, what about a few of them as washcloths tucked into a basket filled with baby powder and a gentle scented soap... Shampoos and lotions and hopefully a bunny wrap to snuggle with before week's end! (and don't forget mother's day. You know I'm a sucker for a simple pampering packsge filled with handmade soaps and cloths, candles and candy!)

I love to dream of being a "plan ahead" kind of person rather than the last minute knitter than I honestly admit to being! Longing to have a stash of completed projects rather than just the yarn to do "something" with... And yet all the while recognizing that THIS is the day that the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad IN it! I am commanded to live in THIS span of time, not regretting my past and suffering a sore neck from always glancing backwards... And not accumulating wrinkles from all the squinting in attempt to constantly see into the tomorrows of my future... But rather lying down in the green pasture of today... The still and quiet waters of the pool of time He has brought to me so that THERE I find HIM. here and now, I find rest and sustenance in His peace.. His Presence.. HIS Perfect plan for me for now!

So many of my days may bear resemblance to a feather and fan pattern... The curves and ripples of the unexpected, the steadiness of a few rows of stockinette/predictability, the expanding and contracting of the yarn overs followed by the Knit 2 Togethers of each day ... And yet i know that the best way for me to handle this simply "design" of the day is to continually be grateful... To say Thanks, rather than Why. To lean on Him, rather than my own understanding... The ebb and flow both reflect His leading, His allowance and His love ... His open arms remind me that His plans are good .. O taste and SEE that the Lord is good!

 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14

Friday's point to ponder

Can you say Wii Knit ?

                                                  

Inside My Knitting Bag

not much going on .... trying to finish up some loose ends, pack for a choir trip and plan knitting projects that are easy and portable ..... which left me rediscovering my traveling scarf from earlier this year.  i LOVE the sock weight yarns that were chosen and although i sent a pattern and needle recommendation it wasn't always followed ...   :(

the scarf i received back had a section or two that was a bit wonky ... in fact, the 'contributor' even stated that she used size 8 needles on the pattern rather than the suggested size 5s ... so the pattern was rather wide and distorted.  rather than chunk it, i opted to rip out several sections in order to get back and correct the WIDEness and then restore it all .... and i thought i'd share the pattern for the Lace Rib, which to me resembles the Fancy Feathers from earlier this week as well.

Cast on 35 stitches.
Row 1:  (WS) *P2, k1, p7, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 2:  (RS)  *K2, p1, ssk, (yo, k1) 3 times, yo, k2tog, p1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 3:  *P2, k1, p9, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 4:  *k2, p1, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Repeat Rows 1 - 4 for pattern. 

* Secret tip i learned; on the SSK, slip 1 KNITwise, slip the next 1 PURLwise and THEN knit them together.  this little "tweak" in your habit will help the stitch lay smoother! 

This traveling scarf has been a fun option ... to "semi-specify" colors and see how everyone interprets that request ... to see the blending of choices, to acknolwedge that there really are some colors that just simply don't need to sit next to each other in order to showcase themselves!

Choices... Designs... When left up to me i. don't always choose wisely if I don't have the "BIG" picture in mind.. Which is perhaps the eXACT reason that God longs to be the Potter to the clay of my heart. How much easier is everything when I submit.. Willingly...

Submission doesn't have to mean resignation.. Or defeat ... Or be viewed as Anything other than being smart enough to recognize who has the smartest master plan .. And it seldom is me, on purpose!

Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
   We are the clay, you are the potter;
   we are all the work of your hand. ISA. 64:8


My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
   Your face, LORD, I will seek. Ps. 27:8

Another Walk around the Block

yesterday we talked about the Benefits of Blocking .. yes, i know .... the painful extra step ... just one more thing to have to do ... and yet, the difference really is night and day.  I wore my "Fancy Feathers" scarf to work yesterday and got many compliments on it ... and while i was checking out from Hobby Lobby (i needed more yarn for my trip!) the clerk very graciously commented on my scarf and even asked if that was the Feather and Fan pattern.  I replied with a gracious thank you and yes .. and then she asked what size needles i had used because it was so open and airey! .... When i told her size 5s she was a bit baffled .. but i'm convinced that it was because i had blocked it!

For years i used my ironing board because that was the longest, flattest surface i had .. but recently i created a homemade version of a HUGE blocking board ...  Here's a bit of inspiration .... but it also has a rather 'inspirational' price tag!  For my budget purposes, i found purchased one of those folded up/folded open pattern cutting boards that has grid marks all over it for around $7.  I bought a roll of quilt batting in a twin size so that i could fold it over doubled, and laid that on top of the opened pattern board.  I then used a coupon for 50% off and purchased a cover that looks very similar to the one in the picture.  It is made for craft tables and has a strong gathering cord that is sewn along the edges so that it can be cinched up to fit any size.  Now my version is not as rigid as the one pictured, but it more than suffices for my purposes.  It sits on top of my ironing board which is a perfect working height, and then i can slide it off the ironing board and allow things to dry, still pinned in place, as it rests on the top of the bed.  Total cost for my board:  less than $40!  which means ... more yarn!  :)

don't want something that large and cumbersome?  there are all kinds of sizes of ironing covers that will accommodate ... they even make one specifically for your ironing board!  There are also lace blocking WIRES that you can use to open UP your lace ... these wires provide rigidity and stability as your patterns are exposed and all that hard work and stitch counting is revealed!

Some people have found foam squares that can be interlocked to use for their blocking .... the options for length versus width are endless as the pieces can be rearranged for any size or shape!  Knitpicks.com has then here, but why not visit the local thrift store, check in the toy section, and see what you might turn up, at a much more inexpensive investment!  (i would probably also invest in additional pins that i'd earmark only for my blocking, as using them in the foam may dull the points and then snag fabric if used again for sewing purposes) 

Regardless of your blocking space, the pertinent issue remains:  this really IS a step that will distinguish the work you've done ... it will turn things from "home made" looking into quality pieces of "hand made" works of heart ... because face it, attention to detail really IS what matters! And while "detail" is important, it is even more relevant to distinguish what is worth focusing on, and what it worth letting go!  There are times when i worked hard on a project and felt like my stitches were too uneven to continue .. and yet i found that once they had been moistened, pinned, steamed and blocked they were restored to a uniform consisitency and laid beautifully.  and isn't that the way the Lord works in my own life as well? 

He designed me a reflection of Him .. and yet the very stitches of my day often are quite wonky compared to the simplicity and purity of a life lived in accord with His will.  HOWEVER, when i yield to the Lace wires that He uses to highlight the patterns of my heart i soon find that i am even more closely linked to Him because i bear a resemblance to His character!  Rather than loosing perspective and focusing on things in my life i don't have ... on patterns that i am NOT, i should be wearing a heart of gratitude .... acknowledging the many blessings that fill my day, rather than complaining about the one thing that isn't the way i want it!  Kind of like Adam and Eve ... God gave them an entire Garden of PERFECT and she managed to hone in on the one tree that He asked them to avoid!  REALLY???  She wasn't a Glass half full or half empty kind of girl .... she wasn't even grateful for a CUP!!!!

Lord help me to find You in all the little things ... to see You in the beauty of the day, in the smile of a friend that passes by, in the laughter in the halls, in the colors of yarn that have been created from the very fluffy little sheep You shared .....  in the tears of a friend that is searching for You, in the hugs of a child that speaks volumes, in the quiet of a morning cup of coffee with Your word spread open for me .....  All of these little steps are like the pins in the blocking board of my day, anchoring me to You .... Help me to Walk in the Light of Your love ....  where else would i ever want to be!

But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin!  (I John 1:7)

I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord.  (Ps. 116:17)

the Block Party

For many years now my knitting philosophy has been "off the needles, and around my neck" . . With TWO very pertinent steps missing, basically due to laziness on my part . . . Swatching And Blocking!

Yes, I know I should always do a gauge check but usually I can be flexible enough to adjust my perspective and "accept" the results of my living-on-the-edge knitting adventures. However, I am learning time and again just how good, actually, things look once I have blocked them - like the instructions tell me to do!

So... Let's consider some Blocking tips that will help change things from a quick little knitted so-and-so to a professionally finished garment! first off, you need to gather up a few things to make this endeavor a success, and ultimately a HABIT!

1. A PLACE to block, whether it be your dining room table or an ironing board or even a designated spot on the floor. You will need room to let your knitting bloom and dry... To rest undisturbed so that it's hidden beauty will be revealed.

2. A water source. Will you be doing a complete wet block or a mist and pin option? Different strokes for different folks, but each one has it's appropriate place.  Do you have a sink close by ... or a water bottle that is filled?  Towels to absorb the moisture, a waterproof backing on your work surface??? 

3. Pins. Some people prefer straight pins while others go with T pins. Regardless, make sure they won't rust!

4. The pattern. You are going to need access to the finished measurements provided as part of the pattern instructions. And if you are working on multiple pieces for assembly purposes (sweater front, back, sleeves) you will need the schematic, which is that sketched looking part of the pattern, usually at the end of the pattern itself, with all the numbers on all the different sides of the sketch.  These numbers actually serve a purpose ... i.e, what size each side should be stretched and pinned to in order to properly fit.  [who knew]

5. Something to measure with -a tape measure (though they can stretch out) or finally a practical use for the yard stick that's been sitting in the corner forEVER!

6. A steam iron.

Once you've got these gathered up it's time to start the "process".  I have learned over the years that this is not a QUICK process either ... as in, it's really hard to finish the scarf, spritz, pin and steam it and then think that i really can wear it all the time span of 7 minutes!  I promise that i have, indeed, tried to apply the hairdryer to a scarf or two in hopes of expediting this process .. and i assure you there is nothing comfortable about wrapping a wet scarf around your neck and trying to smile graciously at the same time it is dripping down your shirt collar!

Blocking is really the tell tale sign of a garment well made.  It is the final piece of  the puzzle that characterizes it as "finished" ... and truth be told, i think it also is a sign of confidence in the workmanship - being willing to invest that last little, but so integral, step in order to proudly display and reflect all the time invested. 

Stretching and pulling ... the distortion that seems to occur as one side is penned down while the rest of the garment is waiting .. or curling under .... or drawn up and trying to conform to that which is already penned.  Once again, so much a picture of how things work when God is longing and trying to BLOCK my relationship and love to His will and way.  The events of my day are no coincidence, but rather each serves as a T-Pin that holds a specific point of my life in a designated spot, and then the NEXT occurrence marks as a measurement, and then the NEXT ... and thus the 'randomness' soon resembles the Pattern ... the Schematic numbers make sense as i conform and thus am transformed by the 'renewing of my mind' ... to find that i am more like Him and less like me .....

In quietness (Pin #1 - Spending time alone with Him) 
and confidence (Pin #2 - Relying on His sufficiency)
is my Strength. 
Isa 30:15.

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.
As it is, there's not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized; we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side; we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! 2 Cor. 4:7-11  (The Message)

Fancy Feathers

today's scarf addition to the "String of Purls" tab features a very traditional and old lace pattern, the Feather and Fan. This option seemed perfect for all the lush new greenery that is popping out everywhere... The empty spots of winter are now blanketed with blooms and blossoms of color, fans of freshness that inspire a new mindset and outlook....encouraging optimism to replace some of the cold gloom that so easily creeps in.

I'm still doing my stash diving and found these 2 skeins of silk blend that had been pushed back on the shelf... The colors are two of my favorites and the weight will make for a perfect spring accessory rather than wearing a necklace. Simple... Bright... And yet another perfect gift option just in time for Mother's Day!

The Feather and Fan pattern is easily memorized AND modified. Some versions recommend that row 2 is knitted rather than purled, which creates a bit of texture and/or visual interest, but I felt like the colors of this particular yarn would be highlighted enough on their own, and that "smooth" supported the colors rather than fighting against them.

As I was knitting it seemed a rather narrow scarf... All scrunched up.. BUT when I started the blocking I was pleasantly surprised at the bursts of space scattered between the feathers and the fans! Isn't that just how life is too? So busy with all the hustle and bustle of each day, each row, each minute or stitch, that we so often miss the magnificent design that the Lord has orchestrated for the day! I know that I avoid the "blocking" process more often than not because I don't want to wait... Because i think I have better ideas about what i want and what lies ahead... Because it hurts to be pulled and tugged into submission so that His Glory can and will be revealed ... And yet without this crucial step the knitting of my liferemains crumpled, the pattern is NOT highlighted and I am yet another victim of ineffectiveness because of my unwillingness!

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.    Zec 2:13
 
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.        II Chron. 16:9

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friday's grins & giggles

Just a little something to make you smile this weekend!