Yarn Karma

I have been listening to a few podcasts and have heard about yarn karma. According to many it is when you knit something for someone and are angry with that person. The theory is that those feelings are locked into that knitting. They are then transfered to the person.

Here is my take on the subject. I sometimes use my knitting time to pray for the person for whom I am knitting. My prayers are not locked into the knitted fabric, but God hears and answers the prayers I have prayed for that person. When you pray for someone you cannot stay upset with that person. So I think that praying while your knitting even if you are upset with that person is a good thing. It lets you get out the frustration you are experiencing because of him or her and you are praying for them. God understands frustration (remember the Pharasees) and He will help you not only deal with your upset feelings, He will also lead you to a better understanding of that person.

Your emotions can have an effect on the knitted fabric. That is when you are upset your gauge tends to tighten. And when you are relaxed your gauge is looser. So if you knit and pray for someone and you are upset with that someone, be prepared to have to frog (rip out) your work. ;).

As for me I have been super busy since August. I have been working on Christmas presents and various knitted items. Because I would like for the presents to be a suprise I do not have pictures of them at this time. However, I do have picture of some of the things I have finished in the last few months. 

The frog was a present for a Boy's birthday, the pink hat a gift for the lady who watched my cats while I was away, and the lace doily was a wedding present for a friend of mine.

Someone recently asked me where the name for my blog came from. I comes from the phase 'live and learn.' I was talking to someone on the Knitpicks Community and I said that instead of live and learn it was knit and learn. So I took the idea and ran with it.

So until next time I hope you have time to knit some and learn some.

Something I learned and taught to others

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to blog. I have finished several projects since my last blog and started several more. I will post about them soon but for today I wanted to share with you something I learned and taught to someone else.

This summer I finished my first lace shawl with laceweight yarn. I brought it to summer camp with me where I was a counselor. I used the shawl as an illustration of the Christian life and how God views us. We are like an individual stitch. We cannot see the complete pattern as it is being made but the Knitter can. He sees the beginning and the end of the knitting piece. He places each stitch with care and unlike us He does not make mistakes. However, without that one stitch the whole piece would suffer. I know how I feel when I have dropped a stitch and I can imagine how many of you feel. God has placed us in the great knitted design of time for a specific purpose. First of all to praise Him and bring Him glory. After that He has some other purpose for us that is specific to who we are. A completed knit project brings glory to the knitter and each stitch has a specific function in that piece (even if it is just to hold up the next stitch). So next time you knit, think about your Creator who loved you enough to die in your place and the special purpose He has for your life.

Finally I can show you!

I can finally show you what I made for my Nephew. My sister had her Baby Shower this week and I called her through Skype and showed her what I had made. So now I can show you.

I had so much fun knitting these things that the time went by quickly. The blanket and the Turtle are meant to go together and the little shoes and the jacket are a set. I also made some more practical items, burp clothes and wash clothes. These will keep my Nephew warm and clean. I can't wait till he gets here to try them on. Not much longer now.

On my needles I have the second pair of socks for my Brother-in-law (my Nephew and Niece's dad). The first time I started them, I used a number 2 needle, but the fabric created was very loose and I was afraid they would wear out very quickly. So having turned the heel and started up the leg, I frogged them and started over with a size 0 needle. (all needle sizes are in American sizing) The fabric produced is much tighter and better then before.

I also have the rest of my gift for my Grandmother. It is coming along nicely and I have trouble putting it down to do something else. However, even though my Grandmother is not connected to the internet, I will not be posting pictures until I give it to her. I will just tell you that I am learning a lot of techniques with this one.

As this is supposed to be a blog about knitting and LEARNING, I will fill you in on some of what I have been learning lately. When we were still living at home, I asked my sister, who is an awesome artist, how she could be so patient about getting the smallest details right in her work. Recently, she reminded me of what I had asked her and said she had the same question for me about knitting. I understand how she could be so meticulous now, but then I was amazed. Knitting sometimes requires a lot of patience. (See above about frogging the socks) I have learned that you are more apt to be patient with something you enjoy doing than with something that is a chore. However, the patience I learn with knitting is beginning to translate itself to other things I do.

Something else I have learned is,the time I use to knit a gift for someone is an excellent time to pray for that person. My friend, Nina, once told me that she prayed for her family while hanging out the wash. As she came to an article of clothing that belonged to that person she would pray for him/her. I have no one to do laundry for other than myself so I find myself thinking of the person I am knitting for and praying for that person.

That is all I have for now but birthday's are coming up soon so you will be able to see more of my secret projects. Until then keep knitting!

So much to do and So little time to blog

I have been so busy knitting and doing that I have not had time to catch up on my blog. I finished the mitts for my friend and she loved them. Since then I have been busy starting and finishing a few projects. So here they are.

I finished a baby set for a friend of mine who is expecting a Girl. Arn't those shoes adorable! The sweater called for the eylet on the sleeves as well but I decided to go with plain sleeves so that the baby would be warmer.

My brother-in-law is being deployed so I am also in the process of knitting several items for him. My problem was finding 100% wool yarn over here in Portugal. (that was the color I needed for the military) I have finished the helmet liner and started on some socks. I decided to do them one at a time, so you can see where I marked the sock so the second one matches the first.

 I am also in the middle of making a pair of socks for a friend's birthday. The birthday was at the beginning of March so I had best get these done soon. Poor guy has to wait on the knitter. These where also made one at a time but this sock has a distinctive repeating pattern that makes it a lot easier to keep track of what I am doing.

I started a shawl for my Grandmother. She is in a nursing home and I wanted to give her something that would remind her that she is loved. It is made of merino wool in a lilac color that I think will be just what the doctor ordered. The knitting is coming along nicely and the pattern is fairly simple to do. I am having a lot of fun with this one.

I am still working on one of the gifts I mentioned last time but it is nearly completed. I just have to do the ... opps I am not supposed to tell you that. Guess you will just have to see the pics when I post them. Until next time keep those needles busy.

Ok I will give you a hint.

Ok Here is your hint at what I am making for my Nephew. Just a peek now. When I actually give the gifts to my sister then you can see the whole project but until then NO other hints.

I am working on a pair of fingerless gloves that I am making for a friend. She gets cold hands in school so needed something to keep her hands warm but still be able to write. I only have one done so far but I am working on the other. I started out with DPN's but then switched to magic loop for the upper half of the mitt. I am starting not to like dpn's the needles always get in my way, especially when working a small circunference. Oh well you can't have everything because I do like them for larger projects.

I have at least three or four projects going at any one time and have added some gifts to my knitting lineup. Oh dear, more pictures I can't share.  But maybe along the line I will give you more hints. For now happy knitting and don't let the moths bite.

What a busy month!

After Christmas I seemed to get into a knitting mood. I have completed almost all of the projects that I had planned for my Sister's new baby boy. (he is due in April) I have also completed a pair of socks for a friend to give, an edging for a shawl, a hat for a friend and a purse for a little girl's birthday. The friend liked the hat and the girl was extatic with the purse. She likes little things (pads of paper, pens, Polly Pockets, cute little things you can put in a purse). I have many things planned for the coming months and hopefully I will have time to complete them. I am sorry not to post pictures of the things I have made for my Nephew but my sister looks at this blog and I don't want her to see them yet. (So Sorry Sis)

Some of the things I have planned for the coming year will stretch me as a knitter. I want to do several lace shawls, some socks for myself, two fair isle shawls, and a sweater. Some of these are for me and some are for others. I also have planned a sweater for a friend's baby. This is number two and will be a girl so I have let myself go wild looking at frilly, lacy cardigan patterns for the baby.

I learned something with the edging for the shawl. Good thing it was for me. I learned to add more rows of knitting than there are stitches in the shawl sides. If you don't then you end up with a bunched effect that even blocking can't remove. Oh Well, back to the old drawing board. One of these days I will go back take it all out and do it right. Until then I will just have to Grin and Bear it.

Christmas Socks and more

Well I finished just in time for the holidays. I even was able to finish the hat I was giving to my friend for his birthday. It fits!! Isn't it great when something works out just right. All the recipients loved the socks that I gave them. I even have a picture with them on their feet. All of them fit and I am happy to have that worry out of my life.
I have since made another pair of socks for a friend (worsted weight so they knit up fast) and a little bag for a little girl. I am now starting on all the projects that I want to do for my new nephew coming in April. I am working on a blanket and some burp clothes and wash clothes. I also have planned a sweater and a stuffed animal. Maybe I might even throw in some socks to keep his feet warm and a small hat. Have to see what time I have to complete the projects.
I also have the Mystery KAL project from Knit Picks that I was working on. I know what it is now but I set it aside to do Christmas presents. So it is time to pick it back up and finish it. I am changing the back side a little but still keeping all of the background colors. Then it will be time to (Gasp) Cut (Gasp) my (Gasp) Knitting! (Gasp)(Gasp)(Gasp). This is the first time I will be doing a steek so pray for me. (I really don't want to go crazy from this, hehe)

I hope you have fun knitting.