This week was different. I can't explain it. Anais Nin said, "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful then the risk it took to blossom." I have always loved that quote.
On Saturday I went with my friend to a yarn shop that I had never been to before. I really wasn't going there with the intent of buying yarn because I have a room of it. But you know when in Rome...
So I found this yellow yarn. It is Fibra Natura Sea Song in Sunflower. I never seek out to buy yellow yarn. Yellow is a wonderful color, it makes me think of honey, warm summer days and sunflowers; but for me, it just isn't one of the colors I usually choose. I kept coming back to it and the fact that it had kelp in it intrigued me. I was almost to the door and then I went back and bought the last two balls of this yarn. I see it is discontinued on all the web sites I frequent so I'm not sure you can get it anymore. Which is a shame since it is such a nice little yarn. :(
So when I came home I had to knit the flower motif from my Mom's shawl with it. I felt like I was on automatic pilot and grabbed the pattern and a set of circs and began designing a little cowl in the flower motif. I knit for three hours and the yarn got softer as I worked with it, kind of like linen does.
Fast forward to visiting with my Italian friend that night. When I told her the story of the yellow and the flowers she blinked and then looked at me like something had occurred and I had missed it. She explained in Italy today, March 8th, it is Woman's Day...La Donna. The women receive yellow flowers to honor them.
It still gives me chills to tell that story.
I named the little cowl design, La Donna...how could I not? It not only honors Women everywhere but also the ones I hold dear to my heart. And at the heart of all them is my Mom. My love and respect for her is woven into every stitch. When I showed her my original design way back when, she said she wanted flowers. So I added motifs of roses and tulips for her.
As I was knitting I realized that I have let my eye dictate everything for me. Yes, it is hard to see at times and sometimes it is horribly painful from the eye-strain, but millions of people work through their ailments every day and I have sat back long enough and waited for things to change, and sadly they have not.
Or maybe they have, since I, myself have changed.
I called my LYS and I want to teach a Beginner's Class on Lace. I had most of it prepared for the two events that didn't happen so most of the work was done already. My son took pictures yesterday for me and I loaded them onto the already charted and written pattern sections.
I wrote up La Donna and I just have to chart it now. I even found a new bind-off to try for it. I'm always trying to match something to the cable cast-on that I love so much and EZ had just the thing. Somehow I missed it when I read about her sewn bind-offs. Here is a great article on it.
It is a little unruly and takes a bit of practice but this is really the closest bind-off I have ever seen to match the cable cast-on.
Ta da! The Knit Nana Cowl in the DK Gloss is done! I really like the way it looks. You lose the drape of the sugar (which has also been discontinued) (sad face) but the stitch definition really shows through in the wool. I'm going to let this finish blocking and send it to Nana.
Here is my next layer on the squares. La Donna took me by surprise so I wasn't sure I would get to them again this week. But I just kept knitting on them all weekend until I had caught up.
Don't worry I'm not taking on more then I can handle. If I have too much trouble, I stop, simple as that.
On the health front. I ate under my calories for most of the week. I did my steps count for the week and will add to it for next week. I added in more fruit and veggies and enjoyed a marvelous salad of radishes and yellow pepper. I just love radishes. I'd like to grow them this year.
I just got my Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Beta invite. This is where most bloggers would tell you that you wouldn't see them for a month or so...but I didn't leave during Skyrim or Minecraft so it will be business as usual. lol :)
BTW my son finished the blessing part of the temple. Now you can "kneel" at the altar of the deity you choose and be "blessed" with their special effect. Such as the Warrior will give you 12 minutes of strength. If we were playing with others this might seem to be a bit OP (my son's favorite word - overpowered) but since it is just the four of us; these powers won't be used to hurt each other as they might in a PVP (Player vs Player) environment.
Sadly, I haven't been on Minecraft all week. I have been using that time to knit or watch Craftsy classes on knitting. Craftsy has the best classes and you can pause them and replay the last 30 seconds any time you want. Once you buy a class it is yours and you can watch it over and over. You can make notes at any time during the class and the notes will be there at that time frame for your reference. You can talk to the instructors and they will help you out at any point that you need them. You can talk to other people taking the class and see finished projects that were inspired by others and/or put up your own. And that is the only the tip of the iceberg; Crafty has so much to offer and not just in knitting either. There is knitting, crochet, sewing, cooking, jewelry making and so much more. And no, they are not paying me to say this or am I affiliated with them in any way. I just really like them, and I can watch my class on any of my devices at any time. Love.that. :)
The Ziploc review will have to wait - I haven't forgotten.
Next week is Spring....even if it is not reflected where you are...may it be reborn in your heart,
Happy crafting!
Ruinwen,
:)
BTW - the flower is one of my stock images. We have more snow on the way. I have no buds to photo yet...
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