This week has been heavy- with design, desserts, and heartache.
This week I have a HO, I work on a hat and my mystery shawl, I talk about the design process, I cook some tasty food and desserts, discuss great tragedy, and start a new book. Enjoy!
Finished Objects
I’ve got a half-finished object this week: my new sock design. This is a faded sock designed to be knit with scraps. It’s knit with reverse stockinette, but the real kicker is… you knit the leg inside out! MAGIC. This pattern will include toe-up and cuff-down versions. It will be available December 1st!
WIP’s- Focus Projects
I’ve been trucking along on my Texture Time shawl, but alas, I am still on Clue 3. The mystery knit-along is over so I hope to finish the shawl before the end of the month. I decided to introduce a new color in this section- called “Wavy Wings”. I love the way the neon yellow makes this shawl more Stephen West-esque.
I’m also working on a second No Huddle Hat– the name of my third design in the Fall Means Football- Subtle Fanwear Collection. These colors are much more subtle than my first Oregon-inspired hat. They are turning out quite beautiful though! This pattern will be released on November 20th.
Something New
Sunday I attempted to work out a crochet design that I’ve had in my head for a little while. I got so excited while putting together colors from my stash. I drew out little sketches in pencil. I finally sat down with a my hook in hand… and hated the result!
Such is life. I typically go through two struggle stages when designing a pattern. The first is when I start knitting or crochet. I always have an image in my head, but the actual item never ends up coming out the same way. So I go through the painful process of knitting and ripping back, crocheting and pulling out… repeat as needed. Then I have an amazing AHA! moment {usually on day three or four of this process} and smoothly sail through the project.
The second struggle is in the pattern writing process. Currently, I like to type up as much of the pattern as I can before I begin. Then as I’m working, I keep my computer beside me and fill in rows as I knit or crochet the project. It’s a still a pretty rough draft when the product is finished. As I start to refine the wording, I have many days of going back and forth on sections of the pattern. I wonder: “What makes the most sense?” and “How will this read?” Then I get that same AHA! breakthrough feeling when I finally feel like I’m communicating well in the pattern.
I really enjoy designing. I can’t stop! I’ve got so many ideas in my head. At first they are feel like all great ideas… but many have to filter out. Either they’ve been done before or they aren’t looking like I had imagined. It’s a really fulfilling creative process.
So, I think I’ll put this crochet design on the back burner for a bit. I haven’t given up on it, but it’s not quite at the moment of clarity that I need. I’ve got other ideas ready to come forward in the nearer future.
What God’s Teaching Me
This week I’ve just been gutted with tragedy by proxy. My close friends are experiencing horrible trials and losses. A devastating accident in local news shook me. One of my favorite yarn dyers has lost her entire town to fire.
My own small family circle couldn’t be happier though. Things are not just going well, God’s timing has been exceptional in our lives lately.
The juxtaposition of these events hurts my heart even more.
Life is hard. So, so, so hard. There is nothing that we have done to earn more “good” and nothing that anyone else has done to deserve more “bad”. And yet, this week happened. None of us knew how it would look when our alarms went off on Monday morning.
Speaking of thankfulness around Thanksgiving is expected, even cliche. This year though, I’m thankful for different things. I’m hyper-aware that everything could be lost in an instant. Therefore, I’m crying when I see a ambulance zoom by on my way to work because I’m thankful that my husband is home in bed safe and asleep. I’m having trouble falling asleep in my comfortable bed each night because I know people who have just lost everything they own.
My heart is so heavy as I pray for my friends who have lost much; and then in the same breathe praise God for the things that we still have.
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Lord, thank you for what you give and take away. Thank you for understanding that when I pray those words, I don’t always mean it. I’m not thankful for what has been taken from my friends. I can’t understand it. I want to protect them and I want to be protected. I’m afraid of what is coming tomorrow. Lord, surround my friends with your love and resources. Heal their hearts through their tragedies. Provide me with paths to love them more. Calm my heart so I can help them. Thank you for blessing us so that we can bless others. Amen.
What We’re Cooking
It was my turn to cook this week. I made everything from Eat at Home!
What I’m Reading
The previous book that I was reading, The Girl with the Red Balloon, got sucked back up into the digital library. When I went to borrow it again, neither of my libraries actually owned it. It seems that the book was on some kind of trial period with the library… and since I was only kind of interested in the story anyway, I decided to let it go and start something new.
Many times my books selections are influenced by what is currently available. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was ready for download {and I’d heard of it before} so I’ve decided to give it a go. It turns out my husband’s read all of the books in the series and loved them. So I’m even more encouraged to read it now. I’ll let you know how it goes!