What A Blessing

Good morning.....

Steve is up and out early, which woke me. So since I can't sleep any longer, I thought I would take some time to capture some thoughts before I lost them. I met two designers this week and my head is full of possible ideas. On Tuesday evening I went to a book signing for Ysolda Teague, who is from Scotland. She is just what I expected from viewing some of her videos. She has a bubbly personality and an infectious way of capturing the imagination. She shared how she started with knitting and the progress that led to her published works. I bought her book Little Red in the City. I examined her projects she displayed and appreciated the fine work and attention to details. I left feeling very fortunate indeed to have met her in person. I read the book yesterday and I was a little overwhelmed with all the information but quickly recognized that I now have a valuable resource for pattern construction. Ysolda is good at designing garments for fit and I didn't have anything like that in my library until now. I expect that I will be challenged as I tackle some of her projects, but I will gain by the learning experience. So I look forward to that. Thank you Ysolda.

I attended a class on Wednesday taught by another designer, Cat Bordhi. She is quite a character, in that she entertains as well as teaches. She has taught middle school in the past and knew how to keep us quiet while she kept our attention. She also challenged us to "knit outside the box". For me, one who usually is satisfied to follow another's pattern, this was good to hear. She gave us many ideas, samples of challenging patterns to uncover and duplicate, and a handout explaining different knitting stitches. I met some lovely ladies sharing my table and class. I spent the seven hours working on swatches experimenting with various techniques. I learned how to make a rib sample that showed the ribbing on one side and displayed a ribbing cable on the other. I was intrigued to figure out how to do this without someone showing me. Imagine my delight when I came up with my own solution. This helps me understand that I can design stitches, too. I just need to play with the yarn and make swatches. There are no wrong stitches. If I like it and can use it in a pattern, then it works.

I think what impressed me the most and what I learned for myself is that I can use almost any idea and make it work as long as I am willing to play with the ideas, play with the yarn, and spend the time swatching to see if I like what I see. From there, there are no limitations. What a liberating yet challenging experience. I tend to let fear interfere with my progress and so then stay with the safe and familiar. But now I discover that I do want to challenge myself and see what happens. If nothing comes of it, then no harm is done; I still had fun and learned that designing isn't me or what I want to do. But then again, there is the possibility that I may release from within myself "a designer" who wants to express herself.

Another realization that impressed itself upon me these last few days - Even though I may have been knitting for what seems like forever and while I may have thought I knew everything there was to know by know - I don't. I observe and listen to the other knitters around me and realize how little I know of what they are doing. I attend these classes or watch the teaching videos and constantly learn something new. There seems to be no end to the process of creating. Everything can't be learned in this (my) lifetime. So I step down off the "high horse" and now willingly allow myself to be able to learn as if I were a toddler who thought she could walk really well already but in reality has only learned the basics and can benefit from much, much more. What fun this is going to be. There is no boring daily routine for me. I have too much to learn and do. Let the journey continue....

Now back to the design project. I am ready to begin the back of the Shell. I have written the instructions and will probably begin casting on the stitches this evening after I return from a day with a friend visiting the Quilt, Crafts, Sewing Festival being held this weekend. [Imagine what ideas might come from that? A bonus will be the cinnamon roasted almonds and the Kettle corn I will enjoy. That will definitely help the designing process. You know, the brain cells need those nutrients to really fire up and create!!!]

Here are the beginning instructions:

BACK
Work as for front but without the lace panel pattern, including the armhole shaping and excluding the front neck shaping until piece measures 24" from start. (row 171)

After that, (which should take a while but knit pretty fast, since I have already done this before and do not need to work through the lace pattern - just plain stockinette all the way) I will shape the shoulders. Then I must decide what to do for the finishing of the neckline and the armholes. But that comes later and I can think on that while I am mindlessly knitting the back. See, even that has value for it allows me to think ahead and plan the next step, without missing a knit, of course.

Until next time, signing off...
Teresa, the wishful knitter