Philly Farmgirl: a Jewish Mama's homestead in the city

Knitting, knitting everywhere and not a stitch to drop

I enjoy knitting...I really do, but it seems it is all I am doing these days! Feverishly trying to finish gifts for my family. Mind you I am making nothing more complicated than scarves for everyone, and to all of you who are 'real' knitters you may be giggling at my pained efforts right now, but I tell you this is all a labor of  love for me. I am really working quite hard.  I have finished two scarves for my daughters and still have two more to finish. :::sigh::: I really do enjoy it as I can get quite zen with the whole thing. I watch the needles and listen to them gently click together. It takes real silence to hear them and to hear the rhythm I have created as they move. They move slowly near each other, gently caressing one another, and I try to think loving thoughts as I am creating these scarves. I think of the recipient and how they will enjoy my gift. I think of the blessings I want G-d to give them and of how much I care for them. I also think about how I wish I was a faster knitter and how come I can't knit like the little old ladies on cartoons.

I had to take a break one night and make myself a flannel blouse just to comfort myself in my perceived failure (lack of cartoonish speed) as a knitter. Sewing comes very easy to me and I can whip out a blouse in a couple of hours. In fact I become quite obsessed when I sew. There is no world outside of my patterns, fabrics, and my sewing machine. Total tunnel vision in my happy place behind the sewing machine. I love feeling the flannel and trying to figure out how to shrink the blouse pattern I have to fit me. I loved putting the pieces together and hearing the whir of the machine. I am so one with my machine I can have no physical hindrances between me and it so I have to remove my right clog so I can really feel the peddle. Ah...such bliss! My new flannel blouse comforts me so greatly, I would like to wear it everyday. I don't see why I can't, but I opt not to nonetheless.

So, now I can return to my knitting, knowing that although I am not the fastest knitter I am pretty quick on the draw when it comes to sewing. I think I would prefer to knit with bamboo needles, the aluminum needles I have seem impersonal and are literally cold. But alas aluminum is all I have in the requisite size 10 1/2 needed for the scarves. It's okay though, I can do this and I need the serenity. Besides I am the one creating and giving life to the needles, and I am always up for a challenge.