Musings

I did it. Today, I purchased a new day planner. I do this every year. It seems like the opening of a new book is appropriate for the opening of a new year. I wander the aisles of the office supply store looking for that one book that will best suit my needs and my taste. I never really seem to find the perfect planner.

Usually by March, I have given up my plans to document my days because my days become too full of the things I am living to take the time to write them out and plan the next. Perhaps that is my problem?

Anyway, I thought I'd share my planner journey with you. I embark on this journey knowing full well my previous failures, and for some reason, believe that this year will be, and perhaps must be different.

I had planned to go to a yoga class this morning, but was thwarted. I arrived at the studio only to find it was closed for a gathering downtown. I was disappointed, so to ease my disappointment, I decided to go yarn shopping. I found yarn for three projects that I have in my queue. See what you think:

I bought this Malabrigo for my Stitch Diva Endless Knitted Cardi Shawl. The main color is handpainted in shades of brown, orange, and gold, and the contrast color is a solid gold shade. I think it will be stunning.

The next yarn is a few skeins of Brown Sheep's Lanaloft. I've never knit with this before, so it will be an adventure. I bought it for the Sweater Babe's Little Lace Vest. The colors don't show up as well in the photo, but it's a teal, purple, and brown handpaint.

I've been reacquainted with an online Bible study by Beth Moore about the fruits of the spirit. I enrolled a few years ago, but a thought about it crossed through my mind today, and I wanted to share it with you. Find out more at the link below.

Today, I went to the farmer's market and picked up a few things. Twelve quarts of green beans (in my pressure canner now), a couple pounds of fresh cashew butter, some steaks, and of course, some yarn. I found two skeins of Weatherd T Ranch yarn. I got a couple of skeins (250 yd ea) of laceweight alpaca in a natural color. I am not sure what I'll do with it, but I have tucked it away safely in my stash room for the moment when inspiration strikes. I'm currently working on another Flapotis for my sister's birthday. It's in Touch Me in a deep purple. I can hardly wait for it to be felted!

It has been one of those summers. I haven't had time to sit down and work on much of anything. I've been traveling to White Sands Missile Range for my job, been shuttling kids from one class or event to another, and doing my best to spend an evening or two with my husband.

As you've probably noticed, be still & knit has been remarkably quiet this summer. I haven't sent out a newsletter in a couple of months, and I haven't really been blogging. I put out a pattern (see my last post) but I haven't been paying much attention to my knitting design or even projects. Those projects I have been working have been ones from my stash that I have been wanting to get finished.

So, this is the summer of finishing for me. All of those projects - along with their yarn, patterns, and notions - have been cluttering up my yarn studio and my brain. It is time to get them off the needles, off the hooks, and into my closet! I hope you're enjoying your summer, and I look forward to being able to finish your own projects.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance

--Lee Ann Womack

This song has been around for a while, but every time I hear it, I am inspired. I wanted to share it with you, my gentle readers. I hope that when you are faced with a decision that you will take the path to joy and the path of action rather than sitting back and letting life happen to you. It is easy to sit on the sidelines, but your life will be richer and more fulfilled if you will take the risk and dance!

As I sit here in a conference room waiting for my next meeting (in 90 minutes), I am brought back to this article. It has been on my list of articles to write for some time now. It just seems that it gets pushed a little lower on the priority list as the days pass. But, here I am with a perfect opportunity to capture those thoughts and put them together.

Portable projects, in my mind, are those projects that you always seem to have along with you. They have five characteristics, in my mind.
1. Small enough to tuck in a purse or tote – not necessarily the whole project, but a portion of it that can be worked on the go
2. A pattern that is easily memorized or compact enough to carry
3. A project that can be started and stopped quickly. If you are working a project while waiting for an appointment, you don’t always have the luxury of knitting to the end of the row, repeat, or round
4. Needs a minimal set of notions – you don’t want to have to carry your whole tool set around
5. A project you enjoy sharing with others.

Knitting in public usually attracts attention, and it’s nice to meet new people over a small project.

I just ran across this short video clip from CBS News' Early Show that talks about the health benefits of knitting and crocheting. I know that I have always taught my classes from the perspective that the calming and relaxing benefits of needlework are valuable, even if they are only offering you a short, portable retreat from the stresses of your day. Now, there are medical professionals sharing the health benefits, such as reduced blood pressure, reduced memory loss, and lower cholesterol! So, get out there and find some yarn, a hook or pair of sticks, and get stitching!

Once upon a time, if you saw me knitting a scarf, I would most certainly have been doing it while teaching a beginner's knitting class. Why would an experienced knitter be working on something as simple as a scarf? Just a long rectangle with rows upon rows of repetition. In the last week, I have changed my mind. I am now finding all sorts of reasons why knitting a scarf is a great idea. I am drawn to creating them and seeing what happens! Here's some of the reasons why scarf knitting has re-inspired me.

1. Scarf knitting doesn't take much yarn.

This is of course, subject to the scarf you are making, but most scarves can be made up with a skein or two of yarn. That way, you can take advantage of the "last ball" sales at your LYS or use up the extra bits from larger projects. A scarf is also a way to make a luxurious item with an expensive yarn and not spend a ton of money.

2. Scarf knitting uses up those single skeins of gorgeous silk yarn you just "had to have" at your last trip to the yarn shop.

My friend Bryn of Tranquil Massage sent out her monthly newsletter earlier this month, and one of the things she suggested was to keep a gratitude journal. She learned the skill from a former boss and it has made a huge difference in her life. I actually hadn't considered it until I saw this journal book at the bookstore in the Denver airport. It caught my eye from across the concourse, and I knew I needed it. For what, I didn't know. I'm not much of a journaler. I find it somewhat repetitive to write down what happened today. I find it painful to try and solve problems with written words. It's way faster for me to type. Anyway, I bought this journal, and decided that each weekday I would list five things for which I was grateful. So far, I've been keeping up pretty well. One thing I'm grateful for...all of you who share my love for fiber arts.