Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, or Samhain - the ancient practice of welcoming the new year and saying farewell to the old, according to the earth-based religions, which is now categorized as "pagan".
Did you know that the word "pagan" originally meant "country dweller?" Someone who recognizes the seasons and feels connected with the earth. Samhain is the last day of the pagan year, when the crops are harvested and brought in for storage during the cold dark months of winter. This is when the fires are lit and people gather around the fire to rejoice the company and a bountiful harvest. This is when we sweep our house of the old to make room for the new.
And out of the blue, an old friend sends you a photo of what you wore during a Halloween party of old. And you wonder...? Who'd want to dress up as a nun?
Anyway, I just realized that tonight is also a full moon and it's beautiful out there! So why am I staying indoors instead of being outside and watching the beautiful moon glow?
Why, knitting, of course! A few days ago, I finished my first Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I used Lamb's Pride worsted in yellow, teal and gray - some truly retro colors, or if you're a Miami Dolphins fan (which I'm not) - and finished it in two weeks, with some breaks in between. Knitting garter stitch day in and day out can be pretty tedious, but once it's all done, it's one amazing contraption!
Which way is up?
Once it's folded up, this is what unfolds (or rather, folds up) before your eyes! Truly a surprise!
There are literally thousands of these jackets floating around on the web and they all look adorable. So instead of knitting up booties and caps for my lil' bun, this has been what I've been wanting to knit the entire time. I've yet to make one little baby hat!
Well, I'm knitting up my second BSJ (I'm currently frogging three rows though - got carried away with all my double decreases), and when I get tired of that, probably finish loom knitting a baby cocoon with some of the only ten Lion Brand Homespun yarn I found in the garage. Why on earth do I have 10 balls of this stuff?
I still have some fiber to spin but that'll be for later. For now I'm buried in my stash of yarn - both handspun, expensive and cheap yarns. I used to give yarns away, but then I found myself buying more when they were gone. So now I'm hoping to slowly work through my current stash for the holidays - knitting little things for friends and family. Even for a silent auction to raise money for a friend who's undergoing a long-awaited (try 17 years) kidney transplant.
So happy new year, everyone! And may we say farewell to the old (just not my stash) and make room for the new!
1 comment:
Very nice! I found your blog through your BSJ project on Ravelry.
I am wondering about your adjustments were to use worsted yarn rather than what the pattern calls for, which is fingering.
I love working with Lamb's Pride, plus I have a bunch of it and would to use it for this.
And what size did you get?
Thanks.
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