The Knitting Bug

Last month my husband and I went on a three-week tour of China. After visiting a silk factory and learning all about cocoons I was determined to come home with silk yarn. To my surprise I couldn’t find any!! I did however, go on line and search out knitting stores in Shanghai. This site was very helpful. Our first shopping trip wasn’t that great - although I did buy some yarn. The next day we decided to take a day off of touring and started hunting for more yarn stores. Thanks to Elliott’s blog post we were able to find the stores and some good buys. I could have bought tons of yarn but the fear of being over weight at the airport stopped me (thankfully!) This is the first store we found.

Day 2 - This bin of yarn was the only clue that the store carried yarn. We had to use the iPhone’s translation app to communicate with the sales lady.

And then we scored . . .

This store was GREAT. I had such a hard time deciding which yarns to get. My purchases include mohair, wool and some beautiful mystery yarn. We couldn’t communicate well enough with the lady so we’ll never know what it is - except that it’s o-so-soft and beautiful. I also got some cashmere but it is so very fine that I will need to use four strands together. I hope I can make a short scarf with it.

If we ever go  back to Shanghai you can be sure I will visit these nice ladies again.

Our “Purls” scheduled a field trip in May to go to the Experimental Farm for the Sheep Shearing Festival. Only Debbie and I could make it and we had a great time. We saw a sheep being sheared and so much more. There was a dog show, a dog herding sheep demo, cows, alpaca’s (they are SO funny looking) and felting and finger knitting demos. Debbie’s girls had some hands on fun and we took some info on the Ottawa Knitting Guild (Debbie, are we going to join?). It was a delight for Eddie and me to be together with Debbie’s family and experience some real farm activities. The day was slightly cool and a little rainy in the morning so the festival wasn’t crowded. It made for a perfect time for us. The next day was hot and sunny and the Experimental Farm was SO crowded with full parking lots and parking on the street. Our timing was great! I only wish more of the Purls could have joined us. Enjoy this short video of our day. CLICK HERE TO VIEW

This was on a billboard in downtown Toronto that we saw over the weekend. Yeah Toronto! It’s actually an add for a radio station . . . not for an LYS (local yarn store).

Here are Mark and Sandi at the new display area that Sandi arranged for our “Salem Purls” bulletin board. We have a  basket all ready for donations for Jericho Road and flyers available for the taking. It’s in a prominent spot and close to our “knitting room”. Thanks, Sandi!

We had a great discussion at our last Purls gathering. Our topic was:  Relationships. Debbie Macomber writes about the importance of surrounding ourselves with positive people and suggests that “maintaining relationships with others is just as important as eating or breathing”.   I am so delighted that our little group has become more than just a time out to knit and crochet. We don’t just share our projects with each other we share our faith and our  thoughts on life issues. We laugh together. We “oooooo” and “ahhhhh” over completed projects. We encourage each other when struggling with difficult patterns or tight deadlines. We are in relationship with each other. Monday was an especially fun day. Here are some highlights:

This is Susan with the fabulous sweater she made for her grandson. Way to go, Sue ! !

And this is Debbie giving Heather the sweet little lamb she made for Heather’s soon to be born granddaughter.

Mark wearing the beanie I made for him.

Debbie is modeling the socks she finished during our meeting while Heather checks out the gorgeous afghan Fay is crocheting.

A few weeks ago Debbie dropped by the store with her two little girls. They were wearing the beautiful ponchos that Deb knitted. They were such a hit! All the other “Purls” who were there came up to the book area to see them. Debbie said, “It felt like old home week at Salem today.” What fun and what ponchos ! ! I’m sure many heads turned as these cute little girls walked by. Great job, Debbie.

When we started our book discussion I went to Debbie Macomber’s website and sent a comment asking about a discussion  guide. I was very happy to hear back from Debbie’s staff but sorry to hear there were only the questions at the back of the book available. To my delight though, I was asked how many were in our group and was told that Debbie wanted to send us each a gift. A few weeks later a box came in the mail with coffee/tea packages, a newsletter, book mark and a “The One Simple Act” coupon book (that’s the title of another non-fiction book by DM).

So at our last meeting together I was excited to present the gifts to the Purls. Here are photos of the gifts and the group. I’d like to welcome Mary Lee to our group. Her first time with us was on Monday - just in time to get her gifts from Debbie!

To the Purls who couldn’t make it last week - don’t worry -  I have your gifts for you!

Our weekly Monday morning meetings continue to be a source of enjoyment. It’s great to get together with the “Purls” to knit and talk about our “passions” and our “purpose”. Debbie had put a lot of thought into our discussion and shared her personal passion and purpose with us so eloquently that I asked if she would write them out for me to post.

Thank you for sharing your heart with us, Deb. Your insights are an inspiration to us and your knitting projects are simply amazing! The following is from Debbie . . .

Purpose and Passion, what are mine?

Love is my purpose and it is also my passion.  Love is what I was created for, to care and nurture His beautiful creation and those people He chooses to cross my path.

My life is very much akin to a knitted piece of lace.  I love to knit lace.  It can be challenging, it is rewarding and knitting lace is just so interesting.  It begins with a solid foundation, then follows a pattern of knit and purl stitches.  Sometimes there are increases, sometimes there are decreases and these stitches row over row, change as the seasons of my life change.  At the end of the pattern, when the last stitch is bound off, the yarn cut and all the ends are woven in, hopefully a legacy of beauty remains, Beloved in memory and pleasing before the eyes of my Maker.

Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit are my cast on row, my foundation upon which everything else is built.  Early on in my life the Holy Spirit whispered in my heart “love”.  I was filled with passion to find my soul mate.  God is love and we are created to love.  As Jesus said in Matthews Gospel 22:36-40 “our greatest commandments are to love the Lord you God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second resembles it you must love your neighbor as yourself.”  Without love in my heart, soul and mind I can do nothing for it is with my love for Him and His love for me that I can accomplish all the passions and purpose that the Spirit whispers secret or spoken in my heart.

Each lace pattern is prayerfully planned and carefully knit together and it needs stitches.  My husband is my knit stitch.  We two were knit together in 2002.  Steady, true, strong, the stitch that provides continuity, it is the stitch that provides my pattern with quiet wisdom and it is the stitch I love.  As our love was sealed by God Himself through the Sacrament of marriage, our catechism states “ the covenant between spouses is integrated into Gods covenant with man,’authentic married love is caught up into divine love.’”  As we both love in the name of Jesus we both have a deeper calling, self sacrificing love.  We are called to be a light for others a tiny beacon in a troubled world.

We increased our pattern and made two beautiful little girls, Sarah and Emily.  They too are knit stitches.  They are my vocation, a blessed vocation, to love, nurture and shape their little souls to blossom into sisters in Christ.  A vocation, yes, and the most important one I’ll ever have, one that requires His grace and love.  Their little worlds revolve around mommy and everything I do or say is with their little souls in mind.

My purl stitches are family, friends, writing, books, knitting, gardening, stained glass and food.  Purls are the precious little bumps, pearls if you will that give my pattern variety, interest and excitement.  They too require a great deal of love and care to complete well.  So my pattern is full and happy, not necessarily complete, but, full for the time being.

Cast on ten stitches

R1: K1 sow seeds, yo, k2tog tomatoes+melon, yo, k2tog garden to table, yo, k2tog family+friends, yo, fellowship and hospitality, k1.  Love to God.
R2: P1 nurture, yo p2tog seeds die to live, yo, p2tog work the ground + teach my girls, yo, p2tog love the girls + care for His creation,yo, p2tog harvest + share, p1.  Thanks to God
R3: K1 writing, yo, k2tog letter + cards, yo, k2tog family + friends, yo, k2tog share + celebrate, yo, k2tog contests + published, k1.  Praise to God!
R4: P1 books, yo, p2tog clear the mind + escape, yo, p2tog learn + teach, yo, p2tog gather + share, yo, p2tog family +friends, p1.  Praise to God
R5: K1 craft, yo, k2tog yarn and glass, yo, k2tog colour + texture, yo, k2tog peace + prayer, yo, k2tog give + receive, k1. Love, thanks and praise to God.

Repeat rows 1 to 5 until called home for the more that we are given the more we are called to share and it is in sharing that we love and receive.

Amen

We had a great first discussion from our book study (Debbie Macomber’s Knit Together). Debbie showed us how our passion is not necessarily our purpose in life. Example would be having a passion for singing yet not being able to stay in tune = not being a professional singer. This made me think of my passion for knitting. Anyone who knows me knows I love to knit - so knitting is one of my passions. However, after doing the small exercise in Chapter One I was able to flush out how I can use knitting as a means of getting together with other people for deep and authentic relationships. This can result in an “iron sharpening iron” experience as we share our lives, our faith and yes, our knitting projects together. So I would use my passion as a conduit for my purpose! Neat ! !

We welcomed Nancy to our group at our last meeting. That means we are up to 9.5 people. How do we have 9.5 people, you ask? Well, Sandi works during our meeting time and but pops in and out with her knitting projects. Linda, Nancy and Sandi are missing from the photo so next time we are all together we’ll have another photo session.

Meanwhile, I am working away on a Debbie Bliss jacket for my new nephew who is due to enter our world in April way down under in Sydney. I have been frustrated with the pattern as it is full of errata. I knew I was in trouble when I got to row 2. Thankfully, with the help of the internet I could get the corrections and am know ready to start the sleeves. I’m loving making this despite the rough start.

Here is a recent photo of our knitting group known as the “Salem Purls”. We meet Monday mornings from 10 -12 noon at the Salem Storehouse on Merivale Road in Ottawa. Starting on the left there’s Evelyn, I’m next, then there’s Mark, Heather, Debbie, Susan and Fay. Linda and Sandi were in Toronto on store business so didn’t make it in this photo.

We do more than knit and crochet together. Starting this Monday we will begin reading and discussing a book by Debbie Macomber (one of our FAVORITE authors) called, “Knit Together“. We are also knitting toques for Jericho Road Ministries and have a collection box right outside our door.

Thank you, Doug and Linda, for giving us this wonderful room on Monday mornings.

If you are in the Ottawa area on a Monday morning please join us!