Wabi Sabi Circle of Friends: Featured Knitter and Project

Friend and fabulous knitter, Loïza, has knit a beautiful, cabled headband modeled by her equally fabulous daughter, Arielle. She reports that it matches her winterwear perfectly and is quite warm. Loïza will post a comment with specifics on the yarn and pattern. Please comment on your own headband project.

Let's discuss knitwear for the college crowd. Are headbands a popular choice? Do busy knitters like them because they offer a relatively quick and yet potentially interesting and complex project? Do college students like sporting them around campus? The ease of use? The benefits when having a bad hair day? Or their ability to cradle your brain during finals? Share your comments in Wabi Sabi Knitting Land.
Have a good day and go knit something!

Welcome to My Stash Alberta Postcards!

The Wabi Sabi Knitter invites you to raid her stash and check out this great blog!

This week I met Diane who, bless her, is the first person outside my small group of friends who has commented on my site. Because of her kind comment I am now a bit more courageous about sharing my blog with the wide world. It turns out that she is a talented photographer and writer as evidenced by her blog, Alberta Postcards, Conspire to Inspire at http://albertapostcards.wordpress.com/. This blog is sure to inspire you whatever your art or craft. It's inspired me to take and post more pictures of my yarn and knitting projects. Enjoy this great site.

The comment by the Alberta Postcards author has also inspired me to take a second look at how I learned to knit and how other knitters have learned their craft. That post will be forthcoming; I hope to share some tips on surviving and enjoying the learning curve to knitting proficiency (or just capability!) If you have some tips or ideas you'd like to share, please comment now! I'll incorporate your comments into that post later.

I decided that it will be a Wabi Sabi Knitter tradition to formally introduce new blogs and welcome them. Now go blog, knit and be happy!

Relax, it's just a Sweater

Or a sock, scarf, wrap...

This entry is dedicated to all my writing students who've expressed sadness about having given up knitting because they "just couldn't."

I am blessed with a best friend who is a Pastry Chef. She has gifted me with tasty cakes, brownies, and cupcakes smothered in dreamy icing (all gluten-free). She also Gifted me with a piece of kitchen wisdom that transfers to knitting: relax, it's just dinner. So, I tell you, relax, you're just knitting.

I say this not to diminish knitting (ever) or discourage you from pursuing the technical expertise of a Master Knitter. I hope to achieve this rank someday, however, worrying about perfection in every stitch is not the path to knitting enlightenment.

In fact, worrying can inhibit any learning process and that probably goes double for knitting. Sometimes students who know I'm a knitter say, "I tried that once, but I made too many mistakes." Or, even, "my stuff didn't look like the pictures in the book." And, I ask, so what? An imperfect scarf can still keep someone warm. Did the project turn out so horribly that it truly couldn't perform its function? Would it really be so obvious that even a non-knitter would look and point out the flaws? I'm betting the answer is, "No!"

My students and friends, never let these things discourage you from knitting! Writers revise. Knitters find another yarn to knit with, different needles, another pattern. Writers and knitters keep writing and knitting. If they can do it, so can you.

So, how to banish the perfectionist that sits on your shoulder and whispers, "Tsk, tsk, those stitches are uneven." Say, "thanks for the information. I'm enjoying this uneven row and will redo it in a minute." Say, "get lost." Say, "It's a scarf and it'll be Ok." And it will.

Whatever you do, don't give up. Don't put down those sticks. Technical expertise (and knitting nirvana) is just over the craft horizon!

Artful Wabi Sabi: What's On the Needle Now

Some people who have seen me knitting in public have commented that they would be afraid that "good yarn" would be wasted on them.

I've been there. Said those same words. I mended my ways (pun intended)! You're worth the good yarn; try it. Artful Yarns pattern 92082 for a cardigan was suggested to me by my teacher (see Dedication) and was a good start in "good" yarn for me. The pattern is easy to read and uses two Artful Yarns: Cinema (cotton/nylon ribbon yarn) and Portrait (mohair, viscose, and polyester). Knitters Review (http://www.knittersreview.com/) has helpful reviews of yarn. The reviewer expresses reservations about the stitches snagging and looking uneven. As you can see, I don't accomplish machine-like precision stitches but I am happy with the results.

Knitting and Time Management for 2008

Do you have a knitting project you've always wanted to try? Want to make someone hand-knit socks? Go ahead: you have the power! Treat yourself to some knitting time: you're worth it.

Make your project a goal and do what it takes to make it happen. I've been through countless time-management classes and they've helped me in my professional life. It was an epiphany when I realized I could transfer that knowledge to my knitting. Here are some tips for you.

• Make a meeting with yourself. Yes, an old adage by now but do you think they (significant others, children, even the family dog) will let you go out to knit with your buddies so easily?
  
• Prioritize your projects. Christmas and Hanukkah are always on their way. Count back from the must complete date to figure out how much time you have for your project and how doable it is.
• Knitting a sweater for Uncle Darrell is a huge task (since he's well over six feet tall) and may be overwhelming. To avoid UFOs (unfinished objects) set smaller goals that can give you momentum (and keep those stitches from turning too loose or tight with wide gaps in knitting sessions). Set a goal for the back, front, sides, sleeves, etc.
• Reward yourself! Buy more yarn! Go to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts for that double-latte Sip slowly while perusing the latest knitting magazine.
  
• Remember to enjoy it! This is not another task on your plate. It's your hobby, passion, and stress-relief!
  

Britannica's entry for wabi sabi

On this blog, I'll use the "beauty in imperfection" explanation I first heard when I encountered the wabi sabi concept. Here's an entry from the Encyclopedia Britannica:

The dual influences of East and West have helped construct a modern Japanese culture that offers familiar elements to the Westerner but that also contains a powerful and distinctive traditional cultural aesthetic. This can be seen, for example, in the intricate detail, miniaturization, and concepts of subtlety that have transformed imported visual art forms. This aesthetic is best captured in the Japanese concept of shibui (literally, “astringent”), or refined understatement in all manner of artistic representation. Closely related are the twin ideals of cultivated simplicity and poverty (wabi) and of the celebration of that which is old and faded (sabi). Underlying all three is the notion of life's transitory and evanescent nature, which is linked to Buddhist thought (particularly Zen) but can be traced to the earliest examples of Japanese literature.

"Japan." Encyclopædia Britannica. 20252008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2518 Jan. 20252008 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-23308>.

Dedication

This blog is dedicated to Yahoko Paradise of the Knitting Circle in Somerset, Massachusetts. She is the most talented knitter and patient teacher I have ever met. From an imperfect knitter and grateful student: Thank you for everything, Sensei!