Knitting for America

I was in the kitchen fixing dinner while listening to NPR, as I do every night, trying to shoo my kids away and not burn things.  In the midst of a typical evening's chaos I was only half listening to some commentator going on about being thrifty during the current economic recession.  All of the sudden I hear mention  of something that has only recently become part of my life:  she mentioned knitting!  Specifically she referred to the fact that she was a knitter and had resorted to making gifts for people instead of purchasing presents. Still, I was shocked to feel some strange over-the-radio connection.  It was quite gratifying to hear my creative skill mentioned on my primary source of media (alas, we don't have cable so we're public radio junkies).   More importantly, I was reminded that there really is something to this knitting business.  I can heed my president's call to buck up during these tough times...I can save money on gifts by creating!  I can knit for America! 

Kneed to get back to knitting.

I'm reminded once again that fostering a creative skill takes time!  I've been busy catching up this week after 7 chaotic days, and have made little progress with my knitting.  I still can't help but wonder if this is not an optimal time to be biting off something else in my life.  Anyway, excuses, excuses...I really do have difficulty devoting myself to this project on a regular  basis. 

In the mean time, I have been engaging in a good bit of creative thinking as I prepare my invention for our upcoming project.   I've found myself thinking about his a good bit since Wednesday's class. Perhaps I do have a creative bone in my body after all, even if I'm not so disciplined in exercising it. 

Not this week!

This is far and away the busiest week of my doctoral program to date.  In addition to completing assignments for each of my 6 classes I'm busy preparing for the culmination of a two-semester internship: a Saturday enrichment class for 70 fifth and sixth graders.  This is a long winded way of saying there will be absolutely, positively no knitting for me this week. 

Spring Breaking my way towards progress

With the coming of Spring I seem to have turned a new corner with my project.  I've been knitting.  A lot!  And have enjoyed it!  As I hoped, my friend brought her knitting with her on our trip and it was rather inspiring.  She's working on some really neat things using a variety of different yarns and stitches.  The end result is interesting and quite creative, inspiring me to persist with my own knitting.  I'm more keenly aware that I've first got to get competent with some of the basics before I can really do some creative things with knitting.  I've got to be patient and devote time to practice if I want the prize of a really cool creation.  As with many things in life, creativity takes time to cultivate and it's unrealistic to think I'll be a master over night.  

While at the beach I learned a new stitch -- pearling (spelling?) -- and have been working on this over the last couple of days.  It feels great to be moving forward, overcoming my creative block. I did go ahead and change the yarn I'm using and it's much more appealing to me.   My next challenge is to keep up my momentum once the break is over.  

Moving forward?

Finally! I seem to have worked through my latest creativity crisis and am pressing on with my knitting.  I decided to tie of the piece I've been working on and begin again.  I've picked out a color I like better and the yarn is much thicker.  I should be able to get a bigger product and cover up any mistakes I make along the way -- this new yarn is much more forgiving in that respect.  Best of all, I'm headed for a weekend with my friend, the person who taught me how to knit in the first place.  She's bringing her materials and we'll spend some time knitting together.  That's one of the lovely images I had to begin with:  "stitching and bitching" with a girl friend.  I look forward to starting anew.  

Cold fingers do not a happy knitter make

What irony.  On one hand, this cold, snowy weather makes me appreciate the value of my chosen creative skill.  I could be knitting mittens, hats, and scarfs to protect my family from the cold!  With that said, our power's been out since 4:00 p.m. Sunday, I can see my breath in my house, and my fingers will fall off if I take them away from the fire.   It's just too cold to knit.  I don't know how the pioneer women did it, but they were definitely tougher than me. Besides, my yarn isn't waterproof, so it probably wouldn't do us any good in this snow anyway.