November 9, 2015
Life is Made of Little Stitches

It's cold and dark in the evenings now and I guess the time has arrived for diversionary tactics for those of us who live here on the prairie.  We're on the cusp of brittle air and frostbitten toes.  Winter.  Even though we're not quite there the time has come for me to go in search of the more-than-one unfinished knitting project that I somehow always manage to pile up en masse.  (Along with the far too large yarn stash....)

Knitting is my comfort food and it has oh so many benefits.

Before I can resume knitting that unfinished one-armed sweater I must first figure out where I left off several months ago when spring was promising its arrival with warmer temperatures and outdoor adventures.  I know that I certainly am not alone in the unfinished projects dilemma.  Even my mother, a master knitter, left a few loose ends in her knitting projects. I am happy to say that she endowed upon me her knitting supplies a few years ago.  In the boxes were her vast collection of knitting needles, the cherished knitting book that my father bought for her while they honeymooned in Chicago, and a couple knitting projects that are 3/4 complete.  

 

Those of you needle crafters surely know what I'm talking about here. For us, heaven must be a place where we have taken the final stitch on every single one of those unfinished projects.

I've been a knitter since the age of 10 or 11 when my mother finally gave in to my begging her to teach me. And so she did.  My grandmother had something to do with it too.  Both ladies were avid knitters who could whip up just about any sort of project in a jiffy.

Growing up, we all had an abundance of beautiful, warm winter wear that was knitted with every shade of love imaginable. I don't think we truly appreciated those wonderful hand knit scarves and mittens and hats until our friends started begging for some of their own.  And mom was happy to oblige them.  I think knitting was therapy for her.  I know it is for me.  And a gift hand knitted has yards of love woven into it.  

Knitting is actually a mechanical, hypnotic process.  It's not clear whether it is the constant ticking of one needle against its twin or the slip of the yarn through your fingers as you work it into the pattern, however I do know that it's easy to lose 2 or 3 hours of time lost in a knitting spree.  Once begun it's hard to quit.  "Just one more row....", "I'll stop when I get to the end....", "Oops, I dropped a stitch three rows back...." Never quit before correcting a mistake, Mom preached.  

The only thing worse than having to end one's knitting session reversing your work and tearing out stitches.  Much like turning back the clock, it gets you nowhere.  but you learn, and when you once again put the needles into forward motion, it's so much better. 

Besides its therapeutic abilities, knitting can also teach a few life's lessons, I suppose:

Start with a single strand - and a plan.  Follow the directions and soon you are on a path that leads to the finish. Persevere and don't give up.  Be proud of your accomplishment.  Every one of the stitches you have made yourself.  Some are not quite perfect, yet they are joined by those that are.  But together they complete a beautiful, completed  fabric.