Knitting Lessons

48 Meme

Today, I'm answering questions that are going around.
1. FIRST NAME? Dana

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? I think I was named after a whole country: Denmark

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last Tuesday after a doctor’s appointment. I’ve come to an age where it feels like it's just patch, patch, patch..

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes. I used to teach calligraphy and it still shows.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Chicken or pastrami.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Sure. I'm caring but funny.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Yes, I do. And I write in it!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Are you kidding? No way.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? GoLean Crunch

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Depends on how tight they were tied and whether my toes are tired.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? More so every day.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Starbucks Java Chocolate

14. SHOE SIZE? 8 ½ or 9

15. RED OR PINK? Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My tendency to whine too long instead of taking action.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Friends from a coffee group. I stopped going to their church and feel I don't have enough in common with them.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Post it on your blog, leave me a comment. Or just email me. :-D

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Purple heathered sweats, mauve sweater with red (!) socks. No shoes.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE? Peanut M&M’s

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Dallas Stars vs Phoenix alternating with the Cardinals/Tigers World Series game.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Blue green.

23. FAVORITE SMELL? Fresh brewed hazelnut coffee. Pine trees.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My sister-in-law in Missouri.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Shoulders. Eyes. Smile.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you got this from? Very much: My daughter.

27. FAVORITE DRINK? Rusty Nail, Coffee, Diet Coke, Water

28. FAVORITE SPORT? Hockey. Making puns.

29. EYE COLOR? Blue.

30. HAT SIZE? Plus sized.

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes. And reading glasses.

32. FAVORITE FOOD? Mostly anything I didn’t have to cook. I make really good banana bread, though.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Depends. I like to think about the characters.

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall.

36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.

37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Key Lime Pie or Paradise Pie (from Chili’s)

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? Social Intelligence (Coleman), and Robert B Parker’s Spenser mysteries.

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE? Enlarged water droplets.

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? Hockey. Countdown.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Wind chimes. Marching bands. Harp.

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Ireland or Scotland. Ireland was definitely a longer flight.

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Using metaphors to help people understand themselves or family members.

<>47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Pasadena, CA

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I took it from my daughter’s blog.

On the road again

I am embarrassed to realize that I wrote TWO entries about quitting. Isn't it odd that in our world, it is OK to start things, but less OK to stop them. How do you suppose we learned that it was OK to start a war, but not stop one, or OK to roll out a new flavor of COKE, but less OK to recall it.

Don't get me wrong, I Know I'm not a quitter by nature and I stand by what I wrote as paraphrased:

When things aren't going the way you want, and nothing helps, STOP. Do "nothing" and let the nothingness be helpful.

Apparently, I did nothing (at least as far as knitting goes) for long enough, because yesterday I investigated yarn, PURCHASED yarn, and have begun SWATCHING for the Dallas Handknitters Guild year long project: The Circumnavigated Cardigan. You can see several versions on the Ample Knitter's page. There's a diagram, too.

This version on the Joslyn's Fiber Farm site
is gorgeous in blue! The pattern itself allows for a Jacket collar, a V-neck and several shoulder/sleeve combinations.

I figured out what I needed in order to start up again from that "Nothing helps" place. Guess what the missing pieces were?
Yeah... The same ones as always. Preparation and Support.





With most any action (and definitely with any change) there are 7 steps:

1. Precontemplation -- What, It's summer still, why would I even think about making a sweater?
2. Contemplation -- Hmm. The guild's doing a neat sweater. I might enjoy that.
3. Preparation -- What are my measurements? (gasp) What kind of sweater do I want? What color? What's the budget? Does it have to be washable? Who will be supportive? The darling visiting daughter!!
4. Action --START KNITTING. The DVD is investigating double knitting in Encore, So I have companionship while I knit. Wheeeeeeee!!!.
5. Maintenance -- KEEP KNITTING
6. Relapse -- Maybe take a break for making gifts..... Or not!
7. Completion or Normalizing. FINISH THE SWEATER.

I'm making it out of Superwash Nashua. (Thanks to the Romanian sheep) It is a lovely aqua color. I may get another needle a size up to see if I want the fabric to be looser with more drape. The DK on 7's is rather form in texture.

Oh... and I didn't win the haiku sock yarn contest. But be sure to go here to read the winners!! It'll improve your health because I don't think you can read them without LAUGHING!

Cease, then!

I was getting 'bad' side effects from a 'good' medicine. I complained to someone with the knowledge and experience who gave me permission to stop taking it for a while. If your knitting stops working (or anything else) Stop. It may be that you can start up with better results later. Or, you may discover that something just isn't you. For some it is lace, or socks or angora. It is OK to be your real self in all aspects of life and craft.

Here is some weaving I saw at a local art fare. Don't you love the colors?

When nothing helps, Do nothing.

I'm away from home trying to be supportive of my husband as well as his immediate family while is mother recuperates from a fall and hip surgery.
I thought I was going to be able to knit.
I checked an ENTIRE second bag with the airline that ONLY had knitting in it. DK in a terrific aqua for a new lace shawl pattern.Socks to finish.Scratchy, tangly yarn (in a small quantity) for a scarf.Ribbon yarn (see WAY below) to finish a sweater for self.
Knitting isn't the right thing to do. I should have brought log cabin squares... or maybe a baby blanket. THOSE projects would have been simple, repetitive and soothing enough to work on. The WIP's aren't any of them like that.
So, instead, I am reading Spenser novels by Robert J. Parker and drinking coffee or Diet Coke and being as fully present as I can to what takes priority.
Family. Common Ground. Understanding.
Sometimes knitting lets you know what your priorities really are... even when it isn't the knitting.