nonaKnits

Have An Opinion

While lounging on a tousled bed in scant clothing, Charlotte -- played by Scarlett Johansonn -- models a handknit scarf still on the needles.  "Is it done?", she queries her husband John as he frantically packs for the day's photo shoot.  A quizzical look followed by a "huh" is all poor Charlotte receives.  Would it kill the guy to have an opinion?  Is it so hard to say: "perfect! bind off", "one more inch", or "the longer the better, finish the ball".  nona thinks, when someone asks for your opinion, it's important to give one even if you don't know what the heck you're talking about -- why not!?

A Plethora of Role Models

Do you realize what a plethora -- yes plethora -- of mentors and positive role models we knitters have in our lives!?  As I'm lapping up the wisdom of Elizabeth Zimmermann, I'm broadsided by an amazing 2 day workshop with Sally Melville. 

Workshop swatches -- boy oh boy I learned a lot.

Here are a few of the many pearls I took away from those two days:

• Work your selvage stitches in stockinette stitch
• When your skills match your challenge you're working in your "Flow Channel".   Your best work is accomplished when you have lots of skills and tackle a big challenge.
• Everyone has a personal short sweater length they look best in, mine is 22 inches.
• When working a rounded neck always bind off the neck edge stitches, even when it's just one stitch at a time.
• Change the way you look at something, and that something changes.
• Reverse stockinette stitch makes for a nice edging.
• Once is a mistake, twice is a problem, and three times is a design.

To continue to grow and to learn it's important to take advantage of the many, many wonderful mentors available to you.  Please, please, please, don't let anyone tell you, "It's only knitting".  Just by creating, just by solving problems, just by knitting, you become a positive role model to those around you.

Am I Old Enough?

The other day with my foot propped on the desk as I re-taped the hem of my pants -- please, oh please don't tell me that you've never taped or stapled a hem before -- I had occasion to gaze at my beautiful new slippers and wonder, "At what age can I start wearing slippers to work?".

What this country needs is a
"Wear Your Slippers to Work" Day.

Support The Independent

Yesterday, nona almost CIPed -- Cried In Public.   Walking past my favorite bookstore, Keplers, I noticed it was locked with a sign in the door.  Keplers -- one of the best independent bookstores in the Bay Area, if not the country -- had closed its doors for business.  Please bare with me, supportive reader, as I get up on my soapbox...  If we want to keep ourselves from being swallowed by uniformity and huge corporations we need to support independently run businesses -- be it a local retail store or an independently owned Internet site.  Buying something for the cheapest price is not always the best choice.  It's worth spending the extra money to preserve the diversity, creativity, and excellent service that often accompanies independent businesses. 

In knitting news, I've been enjoying lots of knitting time this week as I sit on my butt and watch the US Open tennis tournament.  Let me tell you, TiVo has greatly -- and I mean greatly -- improved my viewing pleasure.  I record the tennis and then watch, and skip, the matches at my leisure.   Tonight I finished the back of my tie front cropped cardigan as I watch James Blake hit some awesome shots.

The picture doesn't do the subtle colors justice, so use your imagination!

Under Control

We have so much stuff in our lives -- even my yarn stash can feel overwhelming at times!  Thank goodness Hold Everything is having a sale on their sturdy, fabric covered boxes in my favorite color, orange.  I bought two today and may return for a few more -- they are the perfect size for holding stash yarn or yarn ear marked for the pipeline.

You must know by now how to open the boxes!?
Left: Sock yarn stash Right: Yarn for my pipeline projects

Why is nona back in organization mode?  Could it have something to do with this!?  The nona-boys and I are simultaneously horrified and fascinated by this woman's life situation.  Nona-son-the-younger can barely look at the photos and has reported, "That woman must have had a scaring event in her life, she needs therapy".  He's been listening to Dr. Drew recently, cannot you tell?  Seriously, if you know this woman -- or someone like her -- help them!  And lets all keep our yarn stashes under control and well organized.

Wonder and Wander

"I've often thought about the meaning of life", she said, "Is there a purpose?  Is there something I'm meant to do?"  "But now", she continued, "it's enough simply to wonder and wander".

There are many obvious reasons why I love to knit, but it's suddenly clear that knitting also provides ample opportunities to wonder and wander.  Along the way socializing, listening, creating, puzzling, teaching, loving, and seeing beauty.  Isn't this enough?

Non Violence

Practice acts of non violence everyday -- in your thoughts, in your words, and in your actions.  Violence only begets more violence, if not today then tomorrow.

Buy Art

nona's favorite way to spend money -- except for buying yarn, of course -- is to buy something handmade.  Let's put it this way -- you make it, I'll buy it -- that is, if I love it and can afford it.  Today I put my money where my mouth is and bought a beautiful Plein Air painting from my friend, Sandy, at her open studio.  (You can see some of her paintings here, just click on Sandy and then Gallery.) 

While at the open studio, I ran into Soni, a woman I had once helped with her knitting.  Our conversation at that first meeting went something like this:

Soni:  Oh, I see you're wearing my necklace.

nona:  Do you have a necklace like this?  Don't you love it, my husband gave it to me for my birthday!  It's so cool, I wear it with everything.

Soni:  No, no, by my necklace I mean I made it.

For nona, meeting the woman who actually made the necklace was the best!  Support your local artists, they bring beauty into our lives in many, many ways.

A Casual Comment

"Adversity is not necessarily a bad thing", nona-friend pronounced casually at knit group.  The statement came and went as we discussed some topic or other, quickly spoken and quickly forgotten.  However, over the past few weeks that casual comment kept popping back into nona's head -- popping back in regards to both life and of course, knitting.  Sometimes it's the projects we struggle over and repeatably frog, which teach us the most -- so yes, nona agrees, "adversity is not necessarily a bad thing". 

Buying Time

nona needs at least 2 more hours in everyday -- there are just too many fun and interesting things going on in this world.  Anyone interested in trading yarn for time?

My friend nona-friend-the-oldest, you know the Knitting Intuit, just sent me some wonderful quotes.  Here are two of nona's favorites:

The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice;  it is conformity.  The trouble today:  People acting like everyone else, without knowing why or where they are going.

And:

Everybody ought to do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for the practice! -- William James

To follow this advice, today nona will not be conforming, but will be cleaning the bathroom and paying a few bills.