Fall is here and I'm jealous of the children and adults heading off to school! I did sign up for a Homiletics course at my local AG Bible College. That helps some. I also signed up for a sock knitting class. Now that is FUN!
The yarn I chose for my socks is a self striping yarn and it is also very fine...skinny in fact. Due to the skinniness of my yarn I also had to use skinny needles....four of them! To top it off, the main color of my yarn is steel gray and of course my needles are, what else, steel! Add the skinny factor of my yarn and needles, the indistinct color of gray and steel, my middle-aged failing eyesight together and the total is trouble!
The next challenge I faced was using four needles on one project! I have seen this done and it looks deceivingly easy! First of all I had to divide 54 stitches into even groups of 4 on 3 needles. They didn't tell me it was also a math class and story problems always throw me for a loop. Once I got the stitches on the needles I was ready to get down to knitting business! Knit two, purl two, knit two, purl two...that I got down pretty quickly, it was how to hold all the needles pointing this way and that that made me crazy! It was like knitting on spider legs. I chanced a gander at all the other beginning sock knitters around me and noticed the strained and determined faces as they concentrated on keeping yarn and needles all straight. It was at this point that the teacher explained secret of reducing "4 needle stress", concentrate only on the two needles you are working on and ignore the other two! They will just fade into the background when you focus! What a deal! It worked! Suddenly foreheads unwrinkled, protruding tongues were pulled back into suddenly smiling mouths and peace reigned supreme at the knitters' table!
As I juggle work, home, church, class and even knitting, I find myself often feeling like my life is being knit on spider legs. I feel poked and tangled by the things waiting for my attention. I'm learning to focus on the "stitches" nearest me at the moment and the confusion of the "yarn and waiting needles" patiently wait their turn. Suddenly I can relax and even enjoy the portion of my day I'm concentrating on at the moment. My forehead relaxes and my smile returns...Sigh! It's nice to not be unraveled.
1 comment:
I liked this blog. Can't wait to see your stockings when you get them done. Please take a picture of them and put them on your blog when you get them done. Lenora
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