Finally...The Next Step

Well, I finally finished the Shell for the required 15 inches, which equates to 105 rows completed. Now I will begin the shaping of the armhole by binding off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows, then decreasing 1 stitch on each side every other row 9 more times. This means that at the beginning of each decrease row, I will slip one stitch, knit one stitch, and then pass the slipped stitch over the knitted one. At the end of that same decrease row, I will knit the last two stitches together. This will allow the armhole stitches to lay in the right direction as they are decreased. I will check back in with you after that is complete.

I have half the right front finished on the sweater I am knitting for myself. I am also ready to start shaping the armhole for it.

I have completed half of the hot water bottle cover. It will soon be ready to give as a gift for the new baby.

I didn't knit much over the weekend because Steve was home. We spent quality time together discussing important issues affecting our marriage right now. We have spent much time evaluating the move to Alaska. Finally we just prayed about the whole subject and placed the situation in God's hands, submitting ourselves to whichever way it goes. If the door opens, then step through and see what is in store for us. If the door stays closed, then search elsewhere. Steve has finished the application and sent it in. Now we wait. I had some counsel that suggested Steve go ahead of me and check it out first and then have me join him later if the prospects in Alaska were such that I would be required to move there. But there is no need for a decision at this present time, so I am setting it aside. In the mean time, I will continue to knit...

I also didn't knit over the weekend because I needed some time off from knitting. Yes, time off. I knit for hours on end and love it, but sometimes my mind needs a rest and my arms/hands need to do other things. So, I give myself time off. I can so easily overload myself with what I think is the necessity of staying busy. But I also recognize that I can use knitting to fill a void in me. When I am lonely. When I am scared. When I feel unworthy. I pick up my knitting and keep busy - supposing that helps. So every so often, I stop completely and give myself a break. I really don't want my life to consist of only knitting/crocheting projects. What's the point. I find that my projects are no longer fun when I am doing them for the wrong reasons; like knitting to give gifts just so the recipient will like/love/appreciate me. Wrong reason! Or knitting to make money. If I choose to knit for anything other than the joy of knitting, then I put too much pressure upon myself to perform (for whatever reason) and then the joy becomes a chore. I don't want that. So I am constantly evaluating my purpose behind each project and then choosing to enjoy it. And I do. That is why I knit/crochet constantly. Sometimes just because I want to make a pattern that appeals to me, whether I get to keep it, give it away or not. I am spending lots of time designing now because I have so many designs in my mind that I want to see if I can actually make them myself. It is very difficult to do this because it seems that every pattern and design has already been made by someone else. I keep seeing new pattern stitches all the time and wonder who thinks of these. Then I see beautiful patterns and just want to make them and forget about making my own. Time can't be used doing them both, or so it seems to me. So I feel so divided  most times, but keep my mind focused on why I am knitting. I like it. So hang the rest of it and either pick a pattern and make it OR make my own pattern and make it. Either way, enjoy the process.

I have a large family (including mine and Steve's) that I love very much - 4 parents, 6 siblings plus their mates, 4 children plus their mates, 14 grandchildren and 1 best friend and her husband. I only have a few knitted items that I made for myself and even less for Steve. Everything else is given to the horde listed above; and gladly given. They are the source of my joy for knitting. I give them things that I am sure they don't even want, but I sure enjoyed making the items for them because while I am knitting/crocheting their gifts, I am thinking of them, praying for them, loving them, etc. at the same time. I live so far away from them and miss out on so much that happens in our families. But while I am knitting and crocheting, I feel very close to them. So I suppose it is for selfish reasons that I am consumed by this passion of mine.

During the summer of 2008, I spent six weeks with my four oldest granddaughters investing my knowledge and skills into their lives. I bought them all the supplies they would ever need for sewing, knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and cooking. Everything. Then I used the six weeks to teach them, as best I could, how to do all the homemaking tasks that are becoming "the lost arts" today. We spent every day learning. We went shopping together. We tasted all kinds of different foods together. We cooked together. We planned menus together. We made a sampler scarf together and we learned to use a sewing machine together. It was so much fun. If I lived closer to them, I would spend my forever teaching them so much more. I did my best to make it interesting so they would learn and fun so they would continue doing it. I know that I stuffed way too much into too short of time, but that is all I had to give - so I gave it all. I look back on that time as one of the most (and best) fun time of my life. I cherish the treasure of that memory.

I need to design a pattern template so I can capture all the details of the pattern without typing it several times. I will give this some thought and do a little research to see what I find easiest to follow.

Time to stop knitting on the Shell. I finished all of the armhole shaping, which now leaves me on row 124 with 80 stitches remaining on the needles. I will put this project down for today and go fix dinner. Steve is gone until late tonight, so I may start working on a pattern template. I will see how I feel after eating dinner.

Close up of the lace pattern

Shell with Armhole Shaping