Year of Projects Update #3 - Pride goeth....

Thank you to all who left comments on my last post. I appreciate your kind words and responses. Last night we went down to our favourite spot to watch the sunset and I know our guy was there with us in spirit.



I did finish (finally) the SlipStichSpiral socks. When you knit socks on 2 mm needles they do seem to take f.o.r.e.v.e.r.



A dear friend and I are knitting the same pattern from my Op-Art book. It is called Alhambra and it is a fairisle pattern.

The cuff starts with a provisional cast-on using a crochet chain. I proudly announced to the room that I knew how to do this and merrily made a crochet chain and then cast-on to the chain.

I knit my 12 rounds and then folded over the cuff to join with the provisional cast-on to make a hemmed cuff.

Well?

I clearly hadn't cast on properly because the chain didn't unravel smoothly and I had to clip each chain in order to free the stitch. I did persevere but it took much too long. For the second sock I will cast on being more careful about which part of the crochet chain I pick up.

I did get seven rounds into the fairisle, but it is not an easy pattern to do while listening to family chatting so I put it aside.



I started another square of my Ione and was pleased to get to row 20 before bed. I will finish it sometime today. I am finding each square easier then the one before although I did have to tink back one and a half rows to fix an errant colour change.



I also made a page on this blog with my list of projects for this year's YOP so you can check that out and I will update it when I finish projects and/or add projects to the list.

If you want to follow other yoppers check out the Ravelry group here.

Year Of Projects - Week Two - Turning the Heel

Sometimes in life all you can do is put one foot in front of the other. You walk.

Sometimes in life you take one more stroke and then one more. You swim.

Sometimes in life you just keep paddling, or rowing, or breathing.

And, sometimes all you can do is cry.

Our family lost a dear man two weeks ago. I was the best man at his wedding. He was the best man to all who knew him.

So here I am, keeping company with those of us in grief, and when I can I pick up my knitting.

There is something soothing about making a stitch, and then another.

My sister and I sometimes knit in silence, sometimes we talk, sometimes we just put our knitting down in our laps and we cry.

I did turn the heel this week.

It took me two tries, and a fair bit of tinking, and except for a tiny hole, which I can fix when I sew in the ends, it is good.

It is better than good.

Because sometimes if you just keep moving forward, even with some backward steps in the middle, you will get to where you want.

My family is not sure where we want to be right now. We know who we would like to be with us, but that is not what the fates had in store.

I know that I can hear his voice as he looks at my sock-in-progress. "You did that?!" he would say.

Yes, I did that. This week, when it seemed that sometimes the ache was too deep, I kept knitting and I turned the heel. And when the socks are finished I will think of him whenever I wear them.

Sometimes carrying on is all we can do.

Sometimes it is the least we can do.

I know he is watching us and sending us signs that it will all be okay in the end.

If it's not okay, it's not the end.