Need I say more?
I love, love, LOVE digital cameras and not being a picture-taker by nature, it has only recently occurred to me to start digitally archiving some of my life’s creative projects!
If you have inserted yourself into my presence within the last 2 years, you would know by association that I’m an avid and passionate knitter. If however you met me sometime between 1990 and 2007 you’d have little to no idea that knitting was once a huge part of my life!
From the time I was 8 or so you could always catch me making something. I started with a crochet hook and the loving guidance of my aunties, back then Presbyterian girls just knew how to knit, crochet and embroider! Creating beautiful 3 dimensional objects out of 1 dimensional material was the video game-like obsession of my days! I can’t even imagine the final count on the number of “things” I have made, it’s up there.
Tumbling Blocks by DiamondJul at Flickr
I dabbled in just about everything and always came back to knitting, I like the repetitive motion and instant gratification of the act. Wikipedia has a great page on the History of Knitting.
Around about 1989/90, knitting was the one thing I gave up when the busy-ness and growing responsibilities of a life well lead forced me to make a decision – something had to go. I was going to school, getting promotions, raising a baby and navigating tricky relationships, there was absolutely nothing left for a hobby. I decided my crafting time could wait until later when life wasn’t so busy…so wait it did, I packed up my tools of creation and moved them with me from home to home. I promised myself that when my son was grown and I retired early I would pick it up again…
I used the missing of my knitting time as a carrot to motivate me forward, and over time the longing waned, although I still promised myself I would get back to it, it was 2 full years away from corporate and the rat race before the stored high-atop the shelf bag ‘o’ knitting stuff fell squarely on my head. That was New Year’s day 2007.
Clearly the Universe was tired of waiting for me to take action, since I had been officially retired from corporate for a 2 full years and still hadn’t given my old passion any focus beyond the occasional guilty thought! As the bag fell I said out loud to the ceiling, “OK! OK! I’ll get to it tonight!” The rest as they say is history. It didn’t take me long to realize what I had been missing, I immediately recognized that old familiar flow and slip stream of creative, meditational space!
And, as perfect timing has it, I have re-inserted myself into the craft at a time of its greatest resurgence! The knitting industry has come a long way in almost 20 years baby!!
Ever since discovering the concepts of owning my own business and the importance of “growing myself”, I have heard on many occasion through one of my mentors or another that there would be “sacrifices” along the way of my journey.
Now I don’t know about You, and for me, that word “sacrifice” just doesn’t bring up a whole lotta’ good feeling feelings! I file it with words like “responsibility, accountability” and that least favorite 4-letter one…”work”.
Along with these messages though also came the promise of reward for having given something up. True to my earlier visions, I NOW have ample time for knitting.
Just days after the bag fell on my head I settled into a new venture that had me chatting with people on the phone for hours…in 2 years I have more than made up for lost time! I found a vocation that I can do while I knit…
I’ve made a handful of sweaters, 2 beaded shawls, numerous throws, Barbie clothes and even a replica of the famous Jayne hat…as seen here modeled by the one that requested it! Yes, he wears it in public!
The Famous Jayne Hat By Request
I belong to a very popular and shakin’ knitting community online called Ravelry.com. I have been spending countless hours there browsing through the original inspirations and designs of others and acting on my own intuitions and impulses to create! There’s groups and forums and lots of talented men and women gathering there to share their creations proudly!
I also follow and contribute to an organization called Knit-A-Square.com, their goal is to warm 10,000 chilly children this year, so far there are knitters in 17 countries knitting up 8-inch squares and shipping them off to the sewing bee crew that assembles blankets for those that need the loving warmth.
Stained Glass Pullover
Purple Interrupt, 64 Unique & Purple Squares
Crystal Beaded Fair Isle
Fix Everything With Chocolate!
