Spiderwriterknits: May 2009

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Wrap Me Up Shawl Progress

Today finds me rushing, once again, to another meeting. This is with friends, at a friend's home. Yesterday, our Prayer Shawl ministry met at the local B&N for the afternoon. Small turnout, a good thing, since B&N's large library tables were covered with books and the reading nook was completely filled. So we sat at the tables along the cafe, not a good arrangement. It doesn't promote networking with all of the ladies there. Not the intimacy that works at the library tables. I'm going to call the store manager and reserve the reading nook. Just found out this is possible. Networking is good. A writer friend employed at the store filled me on this.

Working on the fifth block of the 21 block Wrap Me Up Shawl. This block is the ruffle, a first for me. I took this class learn all the different stitches and techniques in advanced knitting. The ruffle is fun to do. I hope to finish it tonight.

This afternoon, at Tina's, I'll be working on my Yoga wrap, a luscious wrap using Plymouth's Bristol Saint George yarn, a cashmere combination in a soft pink. These two projects are for me.

Being in the Prayer Shawl ministry means knitting for strangers and giving away our work for those in need. Lately, I've not contributed much but do have two projects going for the ministry. A baby shawl, in a pretty draped pattern that taking a long time to finish up. Also started another in Simply Soft that looks like sets of chains between garter stitch rows. But I confused all the purl yarn overs - not used to doing yarn overs on purl stitches and kept switching to the knit stitch. Have to frog.

Someday I'll get around to taking pictures and posting my ongoing projects. Right now, it's off to Tina's for the afternoon.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Quick catch up & Wrap Me Up Shawl

As usual, it's been a long time between entries. So much time has passed.

November, 2008, I finally got the transmitter for my BAHA implant to help correct my single-sided deafness. Taking a while for my brain to "triangulate", as the doc says. This means that after all these years of life, my brain needs to recognize it's hearing on the right side. This is a first in my life, and it's been a great long life. Just lately I'm beginning to notice sound on my right side. Unique experience for me.

My Prayer Shawl Ministry gave away all the shawls, etc., we made in 2008. After the 11 a.m. Mass on a Sunday in November, a fellow standing at the table told me he was waiting until everyone was gone so he could buy all that was left. We did have a number of items left. For this he gave the ministry $500. Talk about generosity. In addition to this donation, the people of the parish donate over $500 more, giving us a grand total of $1200.

Now we don't encourage donations. We offer the items we make for free. They are for folks in need of comfort, solace and prayers. This is our gift to the parish and our work for God. However, the parishioners refuse to take them for free. Hence, the donations. So far, in 2009, we've given away 71 items.

My contributions to this ministry are scant. However, I do all the administration work, etc. But this doesn't satisfy my soul. I have a shawl on the needle, actually a christening blanket. Monsignor upped the ante for us this year. Instead of doing shawls, etc., for the sick and infirm, he asked us to make christening blankets for the parish. This doubled our output from last year. So far, we've managed to get two months ahead in baptismal blankets.

I'm busy doing several other knitting projects, a yoga wrap, and a Wrap Me Up Shawl (21 different blocks, knitted continuously in different stitches. The challenge is interesting. I'm anxious to get this down in the time allotted for lessons. (This shawl is a class at my local LYS). That's six weeks and already two weeks have passed and I only have 3 blocks done. The blocks go fast once you figure out where to start the next block and learn the new stitch. I'm almost ready for the ruffle.

Have to scoot, now and work on the WMEU shawl.

Joan

Books I've read and loved

Anthony Adverse, by Hervey Allen (read at 4 times)
Company of Liars, by Karen Maitland
Dissolution, by C. J. Sansom
Green Dolphin Street, by Elizabeth Goudge
Heart of War Trilogy, by John Masters
Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
NIcolo Rising, by Dorothy Dunnet
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
The Angel's Game, by Carlos Fuiz Zafon
The Friday Night Knitting Club, by Kate Jacobs
The House of RIverton, by Kate Morton
The Hungry Tide, by - Amitav Ghosh
The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett
The Outlander Series, Diana Galbadon (5 books in series so far)
The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant
The Vanishing Act, by Maggie O'Farrell
Wilderness Series, by Sarah Donati (4 books in series to date)

A New blogger, semi-old knitter, and stalled writer

Well, I've entered a new realm...for me, that is. I've started a blog. Now what to do with it?? And who in the heck am I?

Joaniecomelately seems to fit me the best. As much as I try, as many good intentions I have, I'm always late. And I hate being late. I think it is arrogant and insensitive. So, I'm working on it.

A work in progress, WIP, that's me. I feel anyone can expand their horizons, change their ways or thoughts, take on new challenges despite their age. That's the last time I'll mention age.

I'm a knitter, have been since the 1960's. Sarted as a crocheter in grade school. My Aunt Margaret taught me when I was about six years old, maybe a few years older.

I made the most elaborate, fluffy edges on handkerchiefs. Today, Several of my classmates in the 7th and 8th grades, along with myself, would work the crochet hook all during class. And this was with Sister Hilda's blessing. A stern lady, but we could do our lady's needlework. Sadly, only one of those hankies remain.

So many heirlooms of the handmade type have been lost through the years. It only dawned on me recently to look at these treasures as heirlooms. I truly wish I had that old, wool serge quilt my sister, Lois, and I slept under on those cold winter nights in the cold patch of Southwestern Pennsylvania. All Grandmother Mary did was cut squares from discarded men's clothing, most of wool serge, real scratchy material. When the square were all cut, she sewed them together to make the top of the quilt and then put on the bottom. This she stuffed with an unknown filling. When this was done, she cut small pieces of yarn to tie knots through the middle of each square to hold the fabric and the filling intact.

This quilt didn't win prizes. The colors were dark navy, brown, gray and black. Nothing pretty about it. But it was warm., especially when the ice was on the inside of the windows in the winter time. The coal stove was banked (the coals were smothered to keep the flame low so there would be hot coals to start the fire in the morning) when my parents went to bed and the ice formed quickly.

Sadly, I can barely crochet a chain nowadays. However, I do knit and I love it. Mainly , I've been working on shawls, lap robes, baby hats and blankets.

Last winter, I winter I proposed to our Monsignor that we have a Prayer Shawl Ministry in our parish. With enthusiasm I didn't expect, he gave me the go-head. I expected, prayed for two or three women to join me. By the afternoon of the first announcement in the Sunday church bulletin, I had twenty plus women on the list. Today, we have about fifteen very active ladies, with a couple working from their home in their spare time. We even have a member at a local nursing home. The rest are still on the list since we are open to people coming when they can and doing what they are able.

By November, 2007, we made and gave away 100 plus items; shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets. And the need for these is still going strong. Some of the women are lightening fast, making 3, 4, 6 items every two weeks. These are the crocheters in the group. We knitters are slower but just as productive in the end.

I thank God daily for the enthusiasm and dedication of these ladies, all of whom I did not know a year ago. Now they feel like old friends.

Writing is another passion of mine, but my husband is finding this hard to believe since I haven't written a word in quite a while. But I will write again, this is for sure.

Several unfinished manuscripts are logged in my writing files and saved on disks. One of them, is the story of my ancestors immigrating from Eastern Europe and settling in the col towns in Western Pennsylvania.

I want to show the hardships and obstacles they overcame to make a better life for themselves and their families to follow in successive generations. In this, they succeeded, despite all of the animosity encountered from some of the citizens in the surrounding areas. The same threat citizens felt when the Irish, the Germans, and other nationalities came to the United States.

For now this is enough about me. As this blog progresses, I hope to share the accomplishments of my fellow prayer shawl ministry members, my own knitting triumphs and missteps along the way. And maybe even a chapter or two. Miracles do occur.

joaniecomelately