Saturday, January 4, 2014

If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit." ~ Oprah Winfrey

Baby - it's cold outside!  Like much of the nation, we are currently experiencing a cold snap. Our predicted low for later tonight is -12º. That's 12 below zero!  The view from my studio window however, is very nice! This is perfect knitting weather!




I find that many knitters I know fall somewhere between two camps. There are those who never knit the same thing twice.  They've conquered one pattern and can't wait to move on to the next.  Then there are those like me, who conquer something once, and are eager to meet with success a second time.  If I am pleased with how a project has turned out, I will usually make another in the same pattern.  Some are bored by the predictability, and others are comforted by it!

I recently began another Icelandic sweater in the same pattern that I just finished.  I had some more of the Lopi yarn, as called for in the pattern, but I was eager to try using some other yarns that I had on hand.  I got the entire yoke completed - the knitting was just fine - but every time I picked it up, I kept saying how I wasn't really pleased with the color combination. I kept saying it, and saying it, until it dawned on me that I didn't have to keep going! I mean really!  I'd rarely wear it if I wasn't pleased with the colors, and even though the yoke was finished, the lion's share of knitting still awaited me!  So I unraveled it. No regrets - just did it and set the yarn aside to be used another day.  I find knitting calming, meditative, relaxing - so it's not like the yoke was wasted time.

Shortly after I completed that task, I came upon the video below - an "un" knitting machine - now I could have used that!

                  

So - onto the new Icelandic sweater, being done in the Lopi yarn I had, and in a much more eye-pleasing combination of blue, white and yellow.  The yoke is begun,  and I'm am pleased every time I pick it up. I should have followed my gut the very first time I second-guessed my color combination before.



I guess that I kind of feel like this is my goal for 2014.  There are some things that we have to do that we would prefer to not - that's life - but there are also many that we are free to choose. I am going to strive to make the choices that will bring me joy, and peace, and satisfaction; and to set aside those that I'm having second thoughts on.  Perhaps I will revisit them in the future, or perhaps I will set them aside for good.  

I like the sound of this goal. I like the feel of it. Do you have any 2014 thoughts for yourself?

12 comments:

  1. The blue and white is very pretty so far. This sweater will be very different from your gray one. I look forward to seeing your progress. Your goal for 2014 sounds good to me. It is interesting how much we do without much thought... just a feeling like it's stuff that we should do, or maybe worse, strictly from habit. It is wise to remember that we only have so much time and need strive for joy, peace and satisfaction.

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    1. Yes, Carolyn. This sweater will indeed be very different. The process so far has been much quicker than the previous one, and not just because I've done it once already before. The colors are so distinctive from one another, unlike the subtle shades of gray from the first one. This has made following the chart so much easier.

      I like your use of the term "habit". It makes me think of the term "mindfulness", which I hear so much more frequently these days. I think that being mindful will be helpful in not doing things out of habit. Thank you for using that term!

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  2. Yes, the temps are rather awful. But winter's beauty is a joy, also.

    Love your plans... What could be more wise, than to strive to make the choices that will bring you joy, and peace, and satisfaction; and to set aside those that you're having second thoughts on?

    Wishing you well, with these plans...

    I actually don't have any personal 2014 thoughts/plans/ideas/goals. Same as I never do New Years Resolutions. Many people do... All or some of these things... There are lots of such ideas, in pretty blog land, if I decide to make my own list. :-)

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    1. I have never been a resolution person, mostly because I lack "stick-too-it-ivness"! At least in term of dieting! I feel as though my goal is a bit more thoughtful - perhaps I will have better luck!

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  3. Love the new colors under way. Eager to see more :)
    For 2014, as the Queen Mother herself says, "Keep calm and carry on."

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    1. Sometimes keeping calm and carrying on seem monumental! Great goals though!

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  4. I also love the blue and white colour combination so far! I got a Fair-Isle Knitting book for Christmas and I'm very looking forward to try to knit with more than one colour. I hope I don't break my fingers ;)

    Your 2014 goal is something I will try, too. I really like, that you seem to be a person, who can draw positive and meaningful things from something - for most people - annoyingly like knitting "backwards" - And you are absolutely right when you say that the time was not wasted. I thought the same yesterday evening, when I decided to undo a little knitting project to make something different from it. My goals for 2014? I quit smoking some month ago and want to carry on with that. And I want to live and buy (less) more conciously.

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    1. I think that you will enjoy color-work Nancy! Never fear breaking your fingers!

      Congratulations on having quit smoking! What a wonderful accomplishment and I wish you continued success in 2014! I think that my goal of focusing on the things that being me joy, and your goal of living more consciously, are very, very similar. Good luck to us both!

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  5. Very pretty! We're having crazy cold weather here too. Woke up to 9 degrees this morning and believe it or not, we're supposed to hit 70 degrees on Saturday! Good grief!

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    1. Thanks Bev! I am currently in SC on my way south, and it is indeed, very warm!

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  6. Your snowy scenery is beautiful! We are having an extremely mild and wet winter in Oslo. So we are waiting for the snow and light to appear! I am glad you unraveled since you were not pleased with the colors, and love your new color combination!

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    1. We have left behind a very snowy and cold winter! It is really lovely though. I am still very pleased to have unraveled what I had knot, and I am feeling very satisfied with the progress on my new sweater!

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