Love & Beauty

“I believe in love. And beauty. I believe that every single person has something they find beautiful and that they truly love. The smell of their child’s hair, the silence of a forest, their lover’s crooked grin. Their country, their religion, their family. And I believe that if you follow this love all the way to its end, if you start with the thing you find most beautiful and trace its perfume back to its essence, you will perceive an intangible presence, a swath of stillness that allows the thing you love to be visible like the openness of the sky reveals the presence of the moon.”


Excerpt from Women, Food, & God by Geneen Roth

It was SO beautiful I had to share.

Be well. Create. Inspire.

Something to aspire to

 

I aspire to make the sweater pattern for Lyric Tree by Stricken on Ravelry. I love the tree of life look of this design.  I also love the detail on the hood. So, detailed, aran-type cable work is what I aspire to master. I am still fairly new at cables.  But, when searching for some projects on Ravelry I came across this pattern and new it was an instant fave.  I wish I had more patience to do sweaters and larger projects.  But, I like semi-instant gratification.  I much prefer projects that I can finish in a few days.  I think I may stash this project away for the next retreat I attend in November where I could give it the concentrated time it deserves.

Be well. Create. Inspire

And now for something completely different...

 

Believe in what you do, what you say and what you create.
Above all...believe in yourself!

 

If you can tell me where this picture was taken you will be rewarded. 

(people present excluded :)

Be well. Create. Inspire.

Upcoming Classes @ MakeOne

Beginning Lace – Tuesdays (4/19 and 4/26) from 6:30 – 8:00 pm –$24
Lace work is not only beautiful but it’s also a great way to master reading your knitting, delving into chart reading, as well as increases and decreases. Be sure to register for this helpful class by calling the shop or in person.   

Summer Flies – Tuesdays (5/17, 5/24, and 5/31) from 6:30 – 8:00 pm –$36

The Summer Flies Shawl by Donna Griffin is a great accessory for spring and summer. Knitting lace work is a fabulous way to take your knitting to the next level and this is a wonderful way to master those skills. Register for this three session class by calling the shop or stopping in.

To register contact MakeOne @ www.m1yarns.com or 503.974.9614

Where are they now?

 

There are two projects that come to mind when I think of "Where are they now?"  The first is a felted backpack.  I got this wild idea several years ago.  It is about 85% finished.  All that remains is a flap for the closure and the straps.  I even have the yarn to complete this.  All I need now is the time.  It has made it's way to the top of my to-do's.  Now, I just need to do it.  I am not sure what it's use will end up being anymore.  I think that is why it has stalled so long.  I am certain if I don't use it, Claire will certainly find something to do with it.  Here is what it looks like now.


The other project that is always floating around my mind is the Doherty Sweater.  When my mom and I went to Ireland in 2005 she and I bought a kit to make a Clan Aran sweater.  This project has been taped up in it's box for 2 moves and a LOT of shuffling.  Yet, when I wanted it I seemed to know exactly where is was...in my garage.  The kit include a rough sketch of the pattern and some very loose instructions.  I think this is why I hesitate so much.  But, it did include all the yarn, so I am ahead of the game there.  I would not look for this project from me for a while. I think before I even think about starting it I have to take the pattern and rewrite it, which is intimidating enough.  But, someday I will have them both done and out of my queue.

Be well. Create. Inspire.

Tidy Mind, Tidy Stitches

 

This is the post for yesterday.  I got a little tied up.  The post for today will go up a little later. 

The subject is organization.  At the right you will see some of how I keep my yarn organized.  I have 2 of these 8-cube shelves.  The yarn is very generally organized by color.  I spent some time a few weeks back to photograph my entire stash and catalog it online at Ravelry.  This is particularly handy because I can access it online most anywhere with my phone.  But, I also have a pretty certain idea of what I have/need in my head. 

Projects for me are easy to find.  I have managed to only have between 1-3 projects going at a time and they stay in my knitting basket.  I will occassionally use the gallon ziplock back concept for keeping the yarn from getting crazy.  Up above on this same shelf are my knitting and crochet books.  Unlike all of my other book that are of course organized by subject in alphabetical order, these are by size because that is how I got them to stay upright.  So many of them are really big and then really small.  But all are gems and also logged in the library section of my Ravelry.

Be well. Create.  Inspire.

Skill + 1UP

 

The topic of today is Skill + 1UP.  This was easy for me.  By far, the greatest skill I have picked up is lace work.  I don't believe it was something that I rationalized or planned.  It was simply an evolution of knitting.  Similar to what I talked about yesterday in the choosing of yarn and fiber.  There was a time in my knitting/crochet life that I would make you anything as long as it was stockinette stitch, garter stitch, or I-cord.  And even I-cord was a big move for me.  I can without a doubt attribute my fiber arts evolution to discovering Ravelry.  Furthermore, if I looked up when I had that haircut with my friend from high school who told me about Ravelry, I am sure I could pinpoint the day.  I think that it is a natural evolution to want to make something bigger, a sweater, add a zipper, follow a chart.   There is a point where stockinette and granny squares aren't enough.  That is when I discovered lace.  I kind of dove in head first.  But, I enjoy it so much that I will be teaching a class on beginning lace soon.  I am very proud of the lace work projects that I have accomplished.  Highest on that list of course is having completed my Girasole blanket.  But, another favorite is the Arabella shawl.  It turned out so lovely in the Jamieson Spindrift yarn.  Lace work is still a work in progress, but it is a skill that I am so proud to have accomplished this past year.  

Tomorrow: Tidy Mind, Tidy Stitches.

Be well. Create. Inspire.