Archive for

the yarn beggar

( or when the things go way,way wonky)

Imagine a dyer, spinner, knitter who owns her own yarn company ( I think a bit of obsession can be assumed here) finding herself out in the world with no knitting, not a stitch.

I was leaving for the day to go to a few Sock Summit type meetings and running a bit late, which is now the norm for me, and left the house without my computer bag in which lives my travel knitting.

So not only do I not have my knitting but also no computer for my meeting. Honestly I was not really upset by forgetting the computer, just the knitting.

Although I have stopped knitting at these meetings. I have a hard enough time getting them to take me seriously (really lady a sock summit? are ya sure?) break out the yarn and needles and their eyes just glaze over which makes me completely want to go ballistic. I do not see that helping the situation so for the time being, no knitting.

It really was not about the meeting it was more about it being Knit Night.

I was pretty far away from my knitting in Scappoose ( I could hear it calling) which is about an hour give or take 10 minutes from Portland, so no way were we going back for it . I did entertain the possibility for a fraction of a second but I was not driving so … vetoed that idea. If I had been driving, no problem because I have an emergency knitting project in the glove compartment.

Debbi suggested we go to Twisted and look around and visit Emily and Shannon. Surely I could find something to knit on there. Problem solved right?

Meanwhile Debbi is quite amused by my lack of yarn on knit night. Actually Debbi was amused all night, so were Emily and Shannon, especially when I could not make myself buy more yarn. I mean really I have a pretty impressive stash at home. I have been trying to knit from my stash for quite awhile.

I also have a lot of projects going and not a lot of time . I am ashamed to admit that there was some whining.  Debbi will tell you that there was a lot, just keep in mind that she exaggerates.

In my defense, I have a sweater I am working on , a very pond scummy sweater I want to finish to wear to Madrona and again with the not a lot of time. (You know how long it takes to put a sock summit together?) I have at least three pairs of socks I am working on and wanted to join the Leyburn group and think I promised to join the Twisted Lady February KAL so… we left Twisted ( a really great yarn store in Portland Oregon run by the lovely and a bit quirky Shannon and Emily) with, yes thats right my knitterly friends, No Yarn, not a single ply.

Are you getting this? Really how can I go to knit night with no knitting. It is in fact KNIT NIGHT. Named I believe for the knitting at night with friends together…knitting.

I thought that maybe there was an ever so slight chance I was projecting some of the meeting stress onto my lack of yarn and needles.

No, I hardly ever get to go to knit night and I am not still whining. Truthfully I think I should get credit for not weeping openly at this point.

I was brave.

Off to knit night we went,me and my friend with her knitting.  Knit night held at one of my favorite McMenamins pubs where believe it or not they do not sell yarn.

Debbi and I are the first ones there because it is in fact not night, but late afternoon. We ordered our beverages of choice and went over the vendor notes from the meeting. I might have heaved a deep and heavy sigh of “ I cannot believe I have no knitting with me” every so often.

I believe with all my heart that is was her deep love for me and not the need to stop the whining that inspired this next oh so brilliant move on Debbi’s part.

She called Marilyn, aka Hotflash the sockateer and told her of my plight and asked her if she had any yarn.  What happens next is a bit over spun, so if you are weak you might want to skim over this part.  She said no, Marilyn said no.

Yeah right, puhleease no yarn my bfla.  Ha, likely story Marilyn.  Silly woman poking the crazy wild knitting deprived bear-woman.

I grabbed the phone and well was maybe a wee bit desperate in my plea for yarn and needles.  “ What do you mean you have no yarn? Bring yarn please bring yarn. I am begging you bring yarn. Ohhh and do not forget needles…I have no needles either.”

It was at this point that I switched to a heavier more robust brew to keep me from completely loosing my $%^&*, going.

Marilyn came through as she always does, she showed up not too long (an eternity) after with dpns, lovely bamboo ( what no wood?) dpns and Str lightweight in Atomic 6 ( a half ball of it, you’re kidding me right?).

Ahhh sigh. 

I cast on and sat and knit. I f-i-n-a-l-l-y sat and contentedly knit and drank my beer and had a tot or two and laughed and laughed and knit with Debbi and Susan and Marilyn and Lynn and Wally and Jeanette and Trish and I am sure I am leaving someone out and other non knitting locals, lots and lots of fun.

I have been laughing about this all day and the image I have of myself begging for yarn just does me in.

I can see the knit headlines now, “ depraved dyer seen begging for yarn” details so much later.

I decided my knitting last night was for Marilyn, I am knitting her a sock. one half ball sock.

Knit Love

Go here and read Nathania”s post and then follow the link to Allison’s.

ttp://nathaniaapple.typepad.com/

Our loving grace-filled lace knitting friend is ill and needs our love and attention.

If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Allison either virtually or in person she is loving kindness personified.

A lot of us have been the recipients of Allison love and generosity.

She needs it now, she needs it wafting in to her from everywhere, from all of us.

I love you Allison a love with wings and is all yours.

the sweetest thing

Go here; http://goddessknitters.blogspot.com/ to Cockeyed the sockateer’s blog and read this. It will warm the cockles of you heart and lift your spirits and probably brig a tear.

CAST ON!

This is Cat’s cast on for her Peace and Hope Moebius. She plans to be knitting this slowly, completing it in four years. When she asked me to join her I said yes. Yes, because it is lovely and yes, because that is timing I can manage.

As Cat says, a Moebius represents the true essence of the human heart, which knows that although we may seem to be different than one another (like the apparently opposite edges of the Moebius which are actually one single continuous edge, and the “sides”, which seem to be opposites, but are likewise continuous) we are one. One glorious potential for compassion, kindness, integrity . . . for all that transcends personal limitations and reaches instead to embrace all of humanity, and this fine green planet we live on. If you too would like to cast on a Moebius to slowly knit over the next four years, have a look at Cat’s Youtube video which will guide you on how to start: youtube.com/watch?v=LVnTda7F2V4

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/sivia-harding

Enjoy the day.

to KnitPeace

To think, see, meditate, breathe, sing, pray, walk, talk, project, give, and finally knit Peace.

To consider what Peace means to us as individuals and then as a group, a culture, a people, a planet.

To realize that each and every one of us has the power to hold and then breathe Peace into life.

I have been thinking about Peace on our planet a lot lately, because of this season of giving and love; because of the symmetry in the return of hope, Winter Solstice and the return of light. 

I have lately witnessed how nature creates peace and light in simple and extraordinary ways.  Such as a snowflake, a seemingly small and inconsequential thing that quietly falls from the sky and gathers one by one and right before your eyes blankets the ground, trees, and roads. Snow has some interesting characteristics that I think we as knitters can relate to. It builds flake by flake (stitch by stitch), it insulates what it covers like a blanket. It is unassuming silent and still in its power. It can bring a city to a grinding halt, flake by flake.

This leaves me imagining what would happen if we knitters as a culture, a very large and growing group of creative people, give this Peace thing our attention stitch by stitch, knitter to knitter, moment by moment, day to day how we could blanket the world in Peace.

Knitting, this seemingly inconsequential practice done by so many people all across the world. Knitters, people who knit, have raised so much money for so many worthy causes; Knitters without Borders, MS, Breast Cancer Research, World Hunger, and on and on this list goes. We know better than most what it is to build something from the beginning in small steps, something that is useful, comforting and intended. We are hopeful, optimistic and we most definitely have vision.

Wouldn’t you say that most of us knit every day even if it is only a row or two? We knit.  If while each and every one of us knit our few stitches every single day we held in our minds and hearts Peace.

If we envisioned the end of war and strife, we contemplated nonviolence in small specific personal ways and in larger global circumstances. What if with each wrap of yarn around needle we encircle our world with hope?  What then would our planet look like if we knit for her and us in Peace?  If we projected all that hope, optimism and vision out.  What could and would grow from all of this Peace filled knit intention, stitch by stitch?

I invite you my fellow knitters, to join me in envisioning Peace in our knitting every day for a moment or two or even three. 

We can breath Peace into all of our knitting; our socks, welcoming new baby knitting, charity knitting, sweaters, hats and yes, even swatches.  hmmm… Peace swatches.

Maybe some of us will choose to have a Peace piece (tempting) to knit on daily that we then give to a friend in need or leave on a bus or a park bench knowing that who needs it will find it.

I am sure some of us will quietly incorporate it into our daily knit lives and it will then just become part of who we are. 

You cannot be hopeful and hold Peace in your heart and mind even for one single moment every day and not be affected or effect change.

So… we are then, cast on and joined, a circle.

Maybe we should start a KAL with a Bordhi moebius for Peace.

We are not limited here either. We can spin, crochet, weave, walk… .

If you know of any links to those that are already doing these please share.

How do you envision knit peace?

I would like to take a moment here to say thank you.

Thank you, to all of our knitters (some notorious) for your support and creativity throughout the year.  We could not do what we love to do without you and honestly we would not want to. Another lovely circle.

All of here in Blue Moon land wish you Joy and Peace in this New Year.

Happy Birthday Cara!