Knit A New Collar

On my knitting shelf are books like Knitwear Design Workshop and Stitchionaries and how to books like The Big Book of Knitting.  There were very few actual patterns and even less following the sewing room purge. That's because I prefer to design it - whatever it may be - and had - as some of you know - contemplated writing a book on how to design knitted garments but...

... over the past few months I've come to realize that knitting for me is simple and soothing, social or contemplative. Although I can knit at a high level, I'm not interested in complicated patterns, tricky yarns, or difficult dimensions. One or two projects like that are just fine but mostly I knit to get out of the house, to socialize with other women, as a way of keeping my hands busy will talking with friends, and as a thought enabler. There's nothing like a good bout of ribbing to help you resolve an issue - VBG.

While I learned to knit in my twenties, there was a long space in the middle where I didn't knit at all until about five years ago (or so) when I started again. In-between, I became a different kind of creative and one thing that's different with my knitting now is the ability to judge when to leave something alone and when to re-work and improve it. This left over ball of black yarn showed up when I was sifting and sorting through the yarn stash. I was particularly happy to see it because...

... the collar on this black sweater was done incorrectly and as much as I like the rest of the garment, I would have been embarrassed to give it away. It was knit earlier on in my return to knitting before I knew about adding stitches on the row after the pick up row of the collar. The way it was, was way too tight and the collar stood out from the sweater body.

I knit a new collar. With this version, I added nine extra stitches. That's it. Isn't that an amazingly small number for such a huge difference? Nine stitches and about 1 1/2" of length. MUCH better.

The yarn is a machine washable, thick acrylic. The pattern is a basket weave front with a plain back and sleeves and a excessive amount of buttons to keep the wearer done up and warm. It's the perfect sweater for a hard playing little boy. Not that I know one. But eventually. I have absolutely no idea what the size is - LOL - which has happened more than once so I need to start attaching information to the stored sweaters.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - although it's very long, I'm on the last row of my current knitting project ready to cast off. YEAH!

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Personal Growth - With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity. - Keshavan Nair  - - - - -  I don't have a lot of respect for talent. Talent is genetic. It's what you do with it that counts. - Martin Ritt

As I near fifty, it feels as if I am - finally - getting to know myself and becoming who I am meant to be. It's a different kind of maturity and knowing than what I had at thirty and forty even though back then I felt so mature. Perhaps, it's not about getting to know myself as much as it is about accepting who I am and walking MY path while letting go of what isn't mine to be or do or have. I wonder how I will feel at sixty, seventy, eighty? Growing up is a curvaceous adventure.