Inch By Inch

Life is lived in little increments of time. Chances are that while in the middle of a task, thoughts will turn  to the future, or the past, and not stay in the 'now'. The future wool market, tonight's Stitch 'n Bitch, or the conversation we had three days ago, may come to mind more easily than awareness of the moment.  Rarely do we look at the here and now as part of life, or at least until it is the past, and then only if it is memorable in some way.  With the focus of our daily lives being more about the past and future than the present we miss out on 'living'.

Knitting is created in much the same way. As the stitches are formed thoughts of the finished product dance in our heads.  If the need to back track or frogging becomes apparent we bemoan the 'lost' time.  Knitting in the now, the present, knitting for the joy of the process, takes a back seat to 'progress', the joy of creation.

Yesterday Sylvia sent me to Sara Lamb's blog.  Because work is hectic at the end of the month, I have been too busy to get around blogland much, and was please for the 'heads up'.  Sara's post on Wednesday speaks so well of the reason we create with fiber. Please read it.  She explains so well how we still go on and continue to knit despite a knitting disaster or the need to frog.

After reading my Daily Zen horoscope a few days ago, the realization came to me why I seem to have lost 'the process'.  Knitting hasn't stopped but, it isn't in my lap constantly as it has been for the last 5 years.  The horoscope said "You may find your attention being pulled in many directions... your thoughts may wander down a number of different avenues, even after you have made a decision... making a choice will move you toward what you want."

I understood immediately what had slowed my knitting mojo.  Bonne Marie has a new design, CeCe which is so perfect for summer and it would be fabulous in the denim color of Hempathy that I bought for Tilia.  However, Hempathy is too small for CeCe and I have also decided that I'd like Tilia in a brighter color. That means the Hempathy will sit in my stash, an unassigned yarn (which goes against my  stashilosophy) and I will need to buy yarn for CeCe AND Tilia if I am to knit them anytime soon.

To complicate matters, I bought Stria for a new cardigan and while I would like to knit it soon I want to finish Cutaway first. Plus, there are two summer patterns in the latest Rowan that are calling to me and there is no stash yarn for either.  All my stash seems to be wool.  The delusions of grandeur that I suffer from on occasion seem to be coming along well with the warmer weather. And all the choices before me have seemed to stop me in my tracks.

Mim's Eleanora socks are on my needles and grow slowly and beautifully. However, the delusions carry over into socks as well. So many socks to knit...you, know how it goes. I'm tempted to take up knitting half a pair as Cara does.  Mamacate inspired a button that Colleen made for all of us who knit Socks for Sanity. See it on my sidebar? Socks seem to be comfort knitting for so many of us. And, stashing sock yarn can be just as comforting, as Amanda has proclaimed in her post on Tuesday.

To abate the former ennui, and what has now become the delusional mind, I have been heading to the gym a little more frequently and walking on an inclined treadmill (oh, my aching butt). Time to get ready for summer hiking season. For motivation, and fun, I've joined the I'm Fit and I Knit group.  New buttons are rather fun, eh?

May the weekend will be filled with knitting, and not just turning around in circles, as I try to make a decision and, hopefully, find 'the process' again.  Maybe some shopping looking around the LYS is in order (and/or a new sock or maybe I should just cast on the Stria or perhaps there is something.....oh well...sigh.)

Comments

[Vera]

"For the love of it." Sara's post says it all.

Cece is darling. Bonnie is so talented.

[Jane]

Thank you for the lovely, inspirational post and the link to Sara's post (and the other links, too -- so much to think about and enjoy!). I'm off to absorb!

[Dave Daniels]

Wow, that was a great post. I am walking away with the first paragraph to ponder later, in the future, when it will be the past, remembering this moment as it exists right now. So deep for so early in the morning.

[Alison]

Thank you for steering us to that post. It's exactly right on the money. CeCe is adorable!

[Laurie]

Decisions may indeed be the route to focus. It is worth a try.

[Carole]

Thanks for sending me over to Sara's post. I enjoyed reading it. Of course, I always enjoying reading what you have to say, too.
Listen, this is not a job! Do what makes you happy! While a stashilosphy is a good idea, it's not meant to work against your enjoyment of the process. If you want to buy new yarn to knit new projects, go for it!

[Judy]

Our projects are a part of our lives, not our lives. Even if we sometimes make them central to our thoughts they are only blips on the raod. So, kick a few stones on the way and keep walking. The road continues.

[Cara]

My every other sock thing is getting a little out of hand these days, LOL! I started ANOTHER one last night! I figure it's okay - I've got plenty of time to finish up the mates before I actually wear them again.

As you always tell me - knit what satisfies you at that moment. You can always go back to a project and the right one will come along for a particular yarn soon enough.

[marie in florida]

i love it when you fill us up with clickies; gives me something to work on looking at over the weekend. thanks.

[marie in florida]

oh and aahhh...thanks for reminding me that i want to make "sitcom chic" for my GodSister

[hillary]

Wow! That post was really great. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Kristi aka Fiber Fool]

Thanks for the link to Sara Lamb! That was indeed a very insightful post and spot on!

I think the ennui is somewhat the part of the year. It gets hard to be excited by wool projects and if we haven't been thinking ahead a long way the stash isn't "stashed" properly for the future. Hopefully you'll find your solution this weekend! Have fun at your tea!

[Chris]

Do you think part of it is also spring? The weather's improving and I find myself wanting to be outside walking and hiking and biking and just looking at everything - not necessarily conducive to knitting. Thanks for another thought-provoking post.

[Bookish Wendy]

Putting down a project is not giving up on it. We have a lifetime to come back to things.
Thanks for the refocus of thought - I totally needed that today.

[Kelly]

Here's to you having a relaxing weekend with lots of process knitting :)
Another great post!

[liz]

CeCe and Tilia are on my knit list as well! Great minds and all that.

I am trying to reduce my UFOs (as opposed to WIPs) by one project a month in order to clear out some of the knitting chaos. I have pledged to either finish the item, frog it, fix it, or toss it - regardless of the outcome by the end of that month I want the item out of the queue. Reducing clutter enables me to get back to the Zen.

[regina]

Thanks for the link to Sara Lamb's blog. What a great post! And your post, as usual, gives much food for thought. I also thank you for the link to Bonne Marie's newest pattern. More stuff to add to the pile. For the love of it, indeed! Have a wonderful weekend.

[Beth S.]

Even the Zen Master must occasionally get tangled up in the stash. ;-) But since you were so very, very good during the Stashalong, I think you're perfectly entitled to coast for a while and acquire some project-less yarn. ;-)

[Karen]

I loved Cece the minute I saw it too. What a talented lady she is! I hope to have it on my needles soon.

Thanks for the link to that great post! Have a wonderful weekend Margene!

[Shannon]

I think we lose the "process" when things get too chaotic. I have a terrible time deciding on projects, so I end up with a whole bunch of them that I'm ambivalent about. Usually I end up with a few winners and a few losers but it's a learning process just the same.

[Sneaksleep]

I just wrote a post in which I actually said "to heck with process--with apologies to Margene." I don't really think that process doesn't matter. I'm just a tad bit too future-focused right now, it would seem. It's been nearly a year since I bought the yarn for Hanging Vines, and I still haven't cast on for her. Anyway, thank you soooo much for this post, and the links. You rock!

[Nonnahs]

I think disctractions are good (and needed) sometimes. I find that if I can let myself wander, I can then bring back the focus. I have no doubt that you will get back to the process. :) Enjoy your weekend!

[Peg]

Thanks for the link to Sara's post. I find it a thrill when someone can say what I think and do it so beautifully! Sometimes it is difficult to stay with the current project and to not wander in our minds ahead of ourselves. This is not a good thing for me to do, because sometimes I then become unhappy with and resentful of the current project on the needles! Better to stay focused on the project and enjoy the process! A wise woman told me to do that!!

[Lolly]

Good for you on the treadmill, M. I am right there with you! Although the muscles get a little sore, you know that good work is going on inside! I joined Kimberly's group too - another little bit of motivation for the working out that I was already doing.

Thank you for the link to The Daily Om. That looks great. I am off to sign up!

Have a good weekend,
Lolly

[Sylvia]

You made me realize, Margene, that my knitting projects are reflecting my LIFE right now! Everything is in motion, a tangle of ripping and re-designing, of finishing and forgetting to mail things (oops!), of needing to decide between this swatch and that one... Focus, set priorities, make decisions, do some scheduling!

I definitely overcommitted and started too many projects a few months ago, having no idea tangible life would get in the way. Yes, I'm not a mono-project knitter, but I hadn't planned to be knee deep in baskets of projects either! I'm going to chip away at simplifying things, bundling away projects that can wait and attending to tangible reality in the same manner. Thanks for helping me figure out what was annoying me so I can get back to enjoying knitting.

[Carrie]

You know, you may have that Hempathy sitting there unassigned, but that just means it's not the right yarn for the project. Its destiny has yet to be revealed, and someday the project will come forth that will be a perfect match.

[lisa Co. Springs]

I think we all go throught that...longing for a new project, when what we need is to finish what we've got on the needles. As fiber addicts, it's easy to be lured away to the new and pretty, part of the "grass is always greener" philosophy. I too have spent time in recent days not really knitting, but having the knitting in my lap or nest to me. Perhaps it's the change of seasons that causes the unsettled feelings.

By the way, it's cold and trying to snow today....yuk.

[Birdsong]

I think it is just a part of the change in seasons, much like finding that all that wool that seemed so good to buy over the winter just doesn't suit the ideas you have right now... I have been thinking about summer tops too, and really like CeCe.

[valoree]

Margene, I definitely need to stop hanging around you. I remember when I first started at SnB, I would no way have tried knitting socks. Then my DIL (who walks on water) said she loved knitted socks more than anything, and well, the die was cast. Three pairs, and many lovely yarns comfortably stashed, later, she and my son opt to move to Florida. Not much call for wool socks there I don't think. So, all these new socks to be knit -- for me! Just as you predicted. God does indeed work in mysterious ways....
v

[Imbrium]

There are so many beautiful patterns out there, it's easy to get overwhelmed. I worry about not living long enough to knit all the things I want to knit - and I'm still pretty young. But sometimes - most recently with the Mountain Peaks Shawl - the love of it overtakes me and I stop worrying. Now, if only I could get that feeling on demand....

[Lorette]

Pick a spot to start. When I'm dithering around about all I have to do (usually it's work related), sometimes I just need to pick one task and start it, then it mostly just flows. Even if it's a task unrelated to what you are dithering about (spring cleaning sometimes helps!), it often works.

Oh no. Now I HAVE to have that Lavold book, and the hemp yarn. Most of my stash yarn is wool, too.

[Lucia]

For the love of it, yes. And I love it because I get to decide what I'm going to make, I get to direct the process (mostly). It's easy to get pulled in too many directions, though, isn't it?

[Kim]

I'm a Race-to-the-Finish-er. You are always one of my best reminders to enjoy the knitting, and the frogging. It's good to learn to enjoy just the knitting for the knitting (After all, you can buy socks and sweaters anywhere. They won't be the same, of course, but...anyway...yeah. Knitting is good.)

[michele]

Oh...thank you for pointing out CeCe...it's adorable and looks pretty versatile (meaning I could wear it to work maybe)...thank you for always reminding us it is the process.

[claudia]

I think the Hempathy would be perfect for CeCe. The pattern just needs re-writing is all.

A different sort of process.

[melanie]

come to my house! we live in three hour intervals and the past and future does not exist. :)

[Anna]

Thank you for the post and the link!!

[laura]

ah but being in the moment includes being in the moments where we are tempted by multiplicity.
watched the french film "Little Buddha" last night, and listened to Thich Naht Han [spelling]. there are many moments in a minute.
knit only now.

[Sara]

I have just gotten around to blog-surfing, and found your post linking to my blog. Thank you! I had no idea there would be such a response, much of it must have come on your recommendation. Common thoughts, I suppose, you just never know. Anyway, thanks for the heads up.

[Wanda]

Yeah, I'm sure I need to sign up for the Knit and Fit club. I definitely need to do that. Knitting encourages my couch potato tendencies. I hope you find your inspiration soon.