Feather & Fan, the crochet way

feather and fan ... one of knitting's all time, old time traditions .....

and crochet has a version of its own as well!

have you done any reading about crocheting .....  given ANY thoughts to it?

perhaps you've mastered the chain ....

sometimes it's the simple pleasures for sure!

but i PROMISE that there is more out there worth trying ... experimenting ... and knowing that all you have to do is basically unZIP it ... and start over ... no permanent damage done!


while the initial chaining may take a while  (285) ... i learned, the hard way, how important/beneficial it is to place markers ever 50 stitches, just in case the phone rings ... or i needed to go do some laundry (as if!) ......

and once you've got the chain chained, the pattern consists of just 2 rows ... easily memorized .... and yet another great way to get geared up for your favorite team!!!

can you see the similarity?

just like there are "versions" of the feather and fan for the crochet AND the knitting community, there are a variety of LIGHTS that shine among all of us ...... as i was reading in Matthew this morning it dawned on me that although God calls each of us to be a light ....  we often shine in different 'watts' ....  some of us appear to flicker like a birthday candle while others burn bright like an aromatic Yankee candle!  Some are spot lites while others emit the soft glow of a night light.  High powered lights, soft lamp lights, incandescent lighting . . all varieties that reflect the inspiration of our every day ..... time invested in learning about Him, absorbing His characteristics and traits, and then reflecting them into the darkness... Serving to usher us back home like a steadfast front porch light, reflecting hope and bravery when the darkness seems darker than usual. Time with Him can't be contained and hidden under a basket ... Those light rays will ooze out from beneath the curves of the overturned bushel and the shadows will soon beckon you back ... Not hindered by the darkness... But highlighted all the more by such!

the sun rises and falls and provides opportunities for lights to shine ... but also allows some lights to dim due to time ... or lack of wattage .... or simply because its time to flip the switch .... and thus it seems that perhaps its time to do just that with my blog .....  time to be a light ... but perhaps in a different location .... a different Lamp . . . just waiting to see where He intends to place this candle here ... flickering and reflecting ....  humbled to serve and share this journey with others  . . .

blessings!

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

on the 4th day of Christmas . . .

my True Love gave to me

4 calling Birds . . .

3 French Hens

2 Turtle Doves

and a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Four Calling Birds.. not just a picture of 4 birds sitting on a line chirping back and forth .... but a beautiful image of the Four Gospels that echo back and forth ... that call out a message of God's devotion and the price that He willingly paid to convey such love and extravagance towards His children. The first four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - each record the gospel - the Good News - of Jesus' life while here on earth.  Four uniquely individual versions, interwoven and complimentary of one another, that contain His Words, His thoughts, His deeds that serve as a reference, as an inspiration and as a guidepost for pointing us to our True Love and the Gift He chose for each of us - the gift of His Son . .

and at this special season why not share that sentiment with a friend by sharing a gift of something you've created  with the Feather and Fan stitch.  Feathers will fly with a fun little accessory such as this scarf ..... soft and silky, it would make a great alternative to the average necklace.  Just think soft and supple, perhaps use a needle size that's one size larger than recommended so that this will create a beautiful drape and emphasize the feathers and the fan that compliment .....  or what sweet little eyes  wouldn't be glowing with this little bonnet wrapped around a head full of curls, and tied snuggly beneath her chin.  (best be careful, because this little pattern is SO sweet and easy ... you'll soon be looking for reasons and children to make this bonnet!  or why not consider making a batch to share with a local children's home or women's shelter) ...  i was a "late" knitter who didn't learn until after my children were grown .... and perhaps that's a good thing because i have just recently discovered all these cute little patterns and they just make me smile .... i truly am looking for all the new momas in our church nursery so i can knit them all a prize or two ... and perhaps teach them to knit much sooner than when i learned!

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son.

And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed;

by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger,

telling the world how bad it was.

He came to help, to put the world right again.

Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted;

anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence

without knowing it.

And why?

Because of that person's failure to believe

in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to Him."

(from the Gospel of John 3:16-18)