I'm finally binding off the edge of my big, red, lace doily. Soon it will all be over and I can move back on to quick, instant-gratification projects. Yay!
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Mantra Knitting
So I recently read "Eat, Love, Pray" and was really into the idea of mantras, and how they focus the mind and control the "monkey mind"--that has a tendency to wander. I've long said that I kind of like the more complicated lace patterns as they really keep me focused and when things get really stressful at work it is nice to concentrate on something that won't allow my mind to wander back to the stress. So as I thought about the similarity of repeating "Knit one, Yarn Over, Slip one, knit one, pass slip stitch over, etc..." over and over I thought it would be better to be using words that meant something. I Googled mantra knitting and found that some people were repeating the word "love" over and over while knitting something, hoping to infuse a bit of that spirit into the object knitted, but didn't find anything that really focused on the activity of knitting and mantras. So I made my own.
I thought first about the mantra I would want to repeat. I had been meditating on a few words recently : Humility, Love, and Patience.
Humility I thought was most like a knit stitch--the basic and unobtrusive, the most common and humble-ist of stitches. Love I thought would be to knit 2 together into one. Patience (and I laughed out loud when I thought of this) would be a slipped stitch--as one would be so patient that you would not knit it until later. But looking at these stitches I realized I'd have a decreasing pattern and I needed an increase stitch. A yarn over seemed the most likely increase and as soon as I thought of the opening created I thought "oh, like open and honest"
So: "Humble, Loving, Patient, Honest" became my mantra. I picked up stitches and, no knowing how it would turn out started knitting. I picked up rather randomly and ended up with one extra stitch at the end of the row which became a little bit more Humility. I turned the piece over and repeated my mantras, again with a stitch of humility at the end.
It worked beautifully and I continued knitting my mantras and repeating the words with each stitch until I had run out of yarn (it was a remnant and I had no idea how long it would last.)
It was really a great exercise and I now find myself using my mantra words while knitting other patterns that include the same stitches now--it adds even more peace and calming power to my knitting time. I highly recommend it.
I thought first about the mantra I would want to repeat. I had been meditating on a few words recently : Humility, Love, and Patience.
Humility I thought was most like a knit stitch--the basic and unobtrusive, the most common and humble-ist of stitches. Love I thought would be to knit 2 together into one. Patience (and I laughed out loud when I thought of this) would be a slipped stitch--as one would be so patient that you would not knit it until later. But looking at these stitches I realized I'd have a decreasing pattern and I needed an increase stitch. A yarn over seemed the most likely increase and as soon as I thought of the opening created I thought "oh, like open and honest"
So: "Humble, Loving, Patient, Honest" became my mantra. I picked up stitches and, no knowing how it would turn out started knitting. I picked up rather randomly and ended up with one extra stitch at the end of the row which became a little bit more Humility. I turned the piece over and repeated my mantras, again with a stitch of humility at the end.
It worked beautifully and I continued knitting my mantras and repeating the words with each stitch until I had run out of yarn (it was a remnant and I had no idea how long it would last.)
It was really a great exercise and I now find myself using my mantra words while knitting other patterns that include the same stitches now--it adds even more peace and calming power to my knitting time. I highly recommend it.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Viking Chicken Helmet
I realized I never blogged this. I have a few better shots, but don't have them uploaded yet, so I'll have to add them later. The color is actually a lovely, heathered, pale pink with cream colored drumstick bones. There are tassels at the end of the braided tie-cords.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Coolest Project EVAH!
My most favorite FO of late and probably the coolest/geekiest thing I've ever knit!
I might make 10 more.
I might make 10 more.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
A combination of new yarns
So I thought I'd update on some of my new yarns since I don't have much Finished or In-Progress knitting to show you. These are some yarns I bought from Knitpicks.com and Handpaintedyarn.com
The thicker stuff will probably be used for felting while the violet is for a new Tivoli tee to replace the one I lost and the top two on the left are lace-weight yarns for some shawls or wraps.
Although I am working on something now I doubt there will be any progress pics, just a grand finale picture.
Oh and I'll try to post some of my finished swallowtail in-use as well.
In Knitting related news I went to Loopy for a book signing party last night and met Amy Singer of Knitty fame. She was really fun! Just the kind of knitter I'd want to hang out with! (although admittedly that is MOST knitters). Upon meeting her she instantly pointed at my wrap said "COZY!" and snapped a picture. Moments later she saw my knitting bag and insisted on another picture, so I was seeing spots the whole time I was yarn shopping.
The thicker stuff will probably be used for felting while the violet is for a new Tivoli tee to replace the one I lost and the top two on the left are lace-weight yarns for some shawls or wraps.
Although I am working on something now I doubt there will be any progress pics, just a grand finale picture.
Oh and I'll try to post some of my finished swallowtail in-use as well.
In Knitting related news I went to Loopy for a book signing party last night and met Amy Singer of Knitty fame. She was really fun! Just the kind of knitter I'd want to hang out with! (although admittedly that is MOST knitters). Upon meeting her she instantly pointed at my wrap said "COZY!" and snapped a picture. Moments later she saw my knitting bag and insisted on another picture, so I was seeing spots the whole time I was yarn shopping.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Lily of the Valley Detail
I'm so in love with the lily of the vally pattern. I don't know what it is about those nupps, and find it especially odd since I don't like bobbles, but am loving these nupps.
...I've been sitting around knitting murmering "nupp, nupp, nupp" over and over...is that bad?
...I've been sitting around knitting murmering "nupp, nupp, nupp" over and over...is that bad?
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