Five reasons things are better at the Knitternall House:
1. AG is nearly over her cold. She was out of school for two days, which meant I was out of work for the same period. I spent much of yesterday catching up the backlog.
2. I just finished a gi-normous edit job for one of my copywriting clients. Six hours of proofing indices, tables of content, technical data, cross-references, captions, and legalese. Hitting that "send" button felt really, really good.
3. My Preschool Phonics classes are just zooming. The kids collectively had a cognitive "growth spurt" over the holiday break and most are catching on. Many are even reading fluently!
4. I finished six scarves, a prayer shawl, and started a ShareAtlanta layette, so my charity knitting is right on schedule.
5. The ice blue kid silk mohair and suede soles arrived yesterday so I can start Ice Queen and the mukluks!!! Paradise Fibers was a dream to work with.
I'm craving a visit to my favorite LYS, Cast-On Cottage in Roswell. Maybe, just maybe, there will be time to indulge that craving on Saturday. I'm in the mood for some stash-building. And I'd love to dig through their new patterns for the queue.
Jaywalker #1 is nearing the toe and the dreaded second-sock syndrome is looming. Gotta fight it. Must . . . cast . . . on.
Showing posts with label prayer shawls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer shawls. Show all posts
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Not-so-Lean, Mean Knitting Machine
The Miss America pageant last night gave me some solid knitting time. I was so busy supporting Hannah Kiefer (she's a finalist! she made the swimsuit cut! she made the evening gown cut! she's THIRD RUNNER UP!!!!! I'm so proud of her!) that I finished a scarf for the homeless project, got past the instep on Jaywalker #1, and started a prayer shawl using the Comfort Shawl pattern. Whew! My hands are a bit tired, so I'll rest them today.
As of this morning, I have four scarves finished out of the six I want to contribute. I'll knit the other two before next Wednesday night so I can give them to KM at church for delivery to the homeless shelter. Then it's time for another set of blanket, booties, and cap for the ShareAtlanta project.
I've been reading Knitting in America by Melanie Falick, a random find during my last library visit. The profiles of knitters, designers and spinners are fascinating, but I am particularly drawn to the details about the places where they live and work. Knitting in a renovated Victorian in the heart of snowy, cold New England sounds dreamy. I wonder how my own "studio" would play in a profile?
Yeah. That's about right.
I've produced enough bios and profiles in my time to appreciate the deft hand of creative writing. I'm sure Ms. Falick did some judicious editing to up the charm ante. I'm enjoying the results. And dreaming.
CRASH. "Mom!"
As of this morning, I have four scarves finished out of the six I want to contribute. I'll knit the other two before next Wednesday night so I can give them to KM at church for delivery to the homeless shelter. Then it's time for another set of blanket, booties, and cap for the ShareAtlanta project.
I've been reading Knitting in America by Melanie Falick, a random find during my last library visit. The profiles of knitters, designers and spinners are fascinating, but I am particularly drawn to the details about the places where they live and work. Knitting in a renovated Victorian in the heart of snowy, cold New England sounds dreamy. I wonder how my own "studio" would play in a profile?
"Knitternall lives in a charming unincorporated town called Dunwoody, just north of Atlanta, Georgia. Her home is an updated 1970's-era Colonial four-on-four, with a central hall that resounds with her muttered curses as she lets the dog out for the fourth time in an hour, urges her kids to get their homework finished because they have a thousand things to do and tosses pillows on the sofa to find the phone before it stops ringing.
"Her studio is a cozy sunroom just off the kitchen. A large antique cabinet and huge baskets scattered around the room hold yarn, while various handmade pottery containers organize knitting needles, crochet hooks, and other tools. When the weather is warm (because the sunroom isn't HEATED), Knitternall likes to work where she can see the woods behind her home and keep an ear open to the activities of her children ("Mom, where's my _____? CRASH. "I think it's broken!" DOG WHINING. "Mom, Scooter needs to go out." Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants! "STOP! Mom, tell A to STOP!)"
Yeah. That's about right.
I've produced enough bios and profiles in my time to appreciate the deft hand of creative writing. I'm sure Ms. Falick did some judicious editing to up the charm ante. I'm enjoying the results. And dreaming.
CRASH. "Mom!"
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Prayerfully knitting
T and I attended a reception last night, where the guests included many very special people. The "business" of the reception was church-related, and the bevy of kindred spirits made made it especially nice. KK, the dear lady who taught me to knit, attended, despite significant health challenges. (Her philosophy: "it could be worse, so here I am." I want to be KK when I grow up.) KM, an energetic and creative knitter who heads up Outreach at our church, shared a new "recipe" for a prayer shawl.
The challenge with knitting for charity is that, over time, the purpose behind the knitting can be so saddening. So I like to mix up my projects, layettes stillborn here, prayer shawls filled with hope and, now, caps for the homeless. This latter idea comes from KM, and it's a terrific one. The shawls and caps make wonderful use of stash and remnant yarns.
What I really like about prayer shawls is they fill that desire to do "something." In the midst of pain or need, at least you can give someone a tangible hug, prayed over through its creation, and given with love. Most of the time, I don't know who's getting the prayer shawls I knit because anyone in the church can go into the closet where we keep them and take one to give. No questions, no strings attached.
I'm casting on a new prayer shawl this afternoon once everything is ready for our senior high youth group's Progressive Dinner. We're hosting the main course stop. Steak and pineapple kabobs are ready for the grill, potatoes are oiled and wrapped so they can go in the oven, and the tables are all set. It'll be a fun evening for all of us!
God, help me to remember to be more Mary than Martha as I prepare for the youth coming to our home. And let the prayer shawl I begin carry your grace through me and to the one You know needs it most.
Amen.
The challenge with knitting for charity is that, over time, the purpose behind the knitting can be so saddening. So I like to mix up my projects, layettes stillborn here, prayer shawls filled with hope and, now, caps for the homeless. This latter idea comes from KM, and it's a terrific one. The shawls and caps make wonderful use of stash and remnant yarns.
What I really like about prayer shawls is they fill that desire to do "something." In the midst of pain or need, at least you can give someone a tangible hug, prayed over through its creation, and given with love. Most of the time, I don't know who's getting the prayer shawls I knit because anyone in the church can go into the closet where we keep them and take one to give. No questions, no strings attached.
I'm casting on a new prayer shawl this afternoon once everything is ready for our senior high youth group's Progressive Dinner. We're hosting the main course stop. Steak and pineapple kabobs are ready for the grill, potatoes are oiled and wrapped so they can go in the oven, and the tables are all set. It'll be a fun evening for all of us!
God, help me to remember to be more Mary than Martha as I prepare for the youth coming to our home. And let the prayer shawl I begin carry your grace through me and to the one You know needs it most.
Amen.
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