The Principles of Knitting

When I first returned to knitting, a friend told me that the very best book to get was The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiat. Unfortunately, it was out of print and copies were selling on-line for well over two hundred and fifty dollars, which meant it was out of reach for me even though another friend told me it truly was the be all and end all of knitting books and that she had picked up a copy at a yard sale for under twenty dollars. LOL - and how did that help me?

Before Christmas, while researching books at Chapters, I noticed that The Principles of Knitting was being reprinted.... back by popular demand... for $31.34. That's manageable. I pre- ordered it and it arrived yesterday.

The subtitle is The Comprehensive & Timeless Guide - Methods and Techniques of Hand Knitting. That's a mouthful and it lives up to the reputation. I couldn't find a biography on the author but if I'm remembering correctly she's a university professor and the book shows it. It's hugely detailed, informative, filled with dense text and black and white photos, just like a text book. I doubt you'd need any other book if you had this one although I already have many others - VBG. It's along the lines of...

... Helen Joseph-Armstrong's Patternmaking for Fashion Design. If you're a detail and a how-to lover, and you knit and sew, you'll love both books. Right now, the knitting one is less expensive.

I've been making careful lists of which furniture is going with us to the townhouse and which isn't. Occasionally Howard and I disagree on a piece and I'm trying to find manageable compromises. Thirty years ago, I bought him a roll top desk, the smaller version, about three feet wide. It fit perfectly in our home at that time and hasn't fit well anywhere since. Right now, it's in our living room and he mostly stores junk in it because his office is downstairs. Even so, he didn't want to get rid of it and I don't want to take it with us so we've compromised.

The husband of one of the women in my knitting group builds and refinishes wood furniture. Jerry came over yesterday and he will take off the roll top upper portion off the desk and refinish the bottom portion into a small writing desk similar to the ones we're starting to see in furniture stores right now. Then, he'll cut back the top part with the small drawers and cubbyholes to create a piece that will sit on Howard's desk in his office. It's a perfect solution and...

... best of all... he's taking the parlor model treadle sewing machine in exchange for the work. At one time, I had thirteen treadle or portable sewing machines and I am so done with that quilt-y country phase of my life. There are three more and two toy size machines to get rid of still but I'm hopeful they'll be gone before we move. Actually, they will be gone even if I have to give them away which I'd happily do if someone wants a machine and wants to pick it up or pay the postage. 

I've been trying to put off sorting and packing until closer to our moving date only cleaning out the desk got me started so I cleaned my clothes closet, dresser drawers,  jewelry chest, and beauty supplies. There's a huge bag of clothes and a box of "stuff" to go to the second hand store already.

Several garments were taken down to the studio for recycling into purses which felt a bit like shuffling the mess but that's how cleaning goes. When it's all sorted out everything will be fine and I love that clean, open, full of potential feel that comes from giving any room - and particularly the whole house - a good clean. It's such positive energy, which is always perfect and really wonderful now.

Carriekaye wrote: Wow, your life is sure exciting and stressful all at once! Sorry you have surgery on March 6th. I hope it's the good kind where they take out the offending flesh, sew you up, test it & find out it's fine, and that you can move on with your life including your big move. Do let us know about your surgery with what you're comfortable sharing.

I needed a couple weeks to think things through and have a good cry before sharing but I'm okay now, actually I'm incredibly calm. The threat of cancer certainly settles a few issues in your life. That's something to be very thankful for and to retain.

Although it appears that I'm on a bit of a journey, I have a strong conviction that all will be well in the end. It started with that swelling on New Year's Eve and then the in-office procedure which led to a ultra-sound exam which showed abnormal cell shape which lead to a biopsy which came back with atypical cells. At every step, they've told me it was nothing to worry about and just a precaution but we keep moving up a step because the medical professionals are not sure what they are looking at. The surgery is to remove and test the lump. If the results comes back definitive, that may be the end of things. If they come back atypical, we may be going up another step.

As I mentioned earlier, the move is a wonderful gift of distraction. It gives me something else to focus on and we're both looking forward to it. Howard said he was listening to all the guys in the coffee room talking about everything they need to do this spring in terms of yard work and he was so happy to not be a part of that. Once we're settled, all he has to do is throw is leg over his motorcycle and go for a ride which is exactly what I wanted for him. Less work. More fun. YEAH!

We get possession March 24th and on the 26th I'm going to Port Townsend for a week for ArtFest. When I get back, I'll be packing, unpacking, and moving boxes and doing a bit of painting before we move everything else on the 14th of April. Between now and then, I may not be posting every day because I might have nothing to say beyond I painted the closet or unpacked the laundry room. I will try to stick to my regular posting schedule and write smaller posts so I can spread some - hopefully interesting - information over a longer time periods - LOL - if I can. This was supposed to be a smaller post. You know how I love to talk - VBG.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - authors who take the time to write thorough and comprehensive, labour intensive, you'll never make your money back on that manuscript but we love you for it, books

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Personal Growth - Did Elijah or God bring down fire from Heaven? God did. What was Elijah doing? Being obedient. Elijah had no ability to do what God was about to do. When God, however, did something only He could do, all the people knew that He was the True God. God did the mighty work, but he acted through his obedient servant Elijah. - Experiencing God, page 43-44

I was recently convicted to do a good deed for someone. I'm normally a generous person but this action was beyond what I really wanted to do and would mean not accomplishing my own goal. It doesn't always happen this way but I was able to see why I had been convicted and the beneficial results of following through which is certainly encouraging however... I've also been feeling way too much pride in myself for doing what God asked me to do. That's wrong. It wasn't me. It was God working through me. The glory is God's.