Knitting is like life:

Sometimes I find that my knitting is like my life... it pays to not look too far ahead. And you can expect some beautiful surprises along the way.
Trust in the process.. every once in awhile check where you are, but if you believe you're on track, keep going.

In my scant 5 years from being a "re-born" knitter, I have moved from scarves, hats and more scarves.. to sweaters and gloves and socks!

Life is challenging - at least mine is. If I look too far ahead, the worry jumps up and bites me, screaming with concern about 'will this work?' Is this really sane? how can you even imagine what you are thinking of..... well, today, my knitting reminds me of this insane questioning.
A few months ago, I began the Cinixia sweater..a sweater of my dreams I might add - and I spun with hopes and dreams woven into each moment. I bought 14 two ounce skeins of delicious bombyx merino fiber from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks.. sigh.(a big financial investment for anyone!). and I spun on faith. I was aiming for a yarn that would knit up well on size 7 needes. success ! My sample proved to be the right gauge !

Gorgeous colors - a dreamy pattern.. offering no seams, 3/4 length sleeves and lots of flowing movement in the design. I deligently knit the main part of the sweater body - trying hard not to read ahead too far. Every time I did, my heart began to beat rapidly.. I found myself imagining the worst.. how can this work? I asked myself again and again.. this was a new designer, that I had never used. Could I trust her to write the pattern clearly? could I believe my own eyes when reading the pattern? Even as unsure as I was, I carried on.
Now this is where life is like knitting..... know yourself, trust the process.. check in to reality now and then, but keep moving.
I KNEW that I had spun the right gauge..
I KNEW that I loved the fiber...
I hoped (and prayed) that the pattern was correct, despite my dis-belief..
How in the world could you knit the sleeves AND the body of the sweater on one circular needle at the same time?...
Well, what I did, as in my life, is that I suspended my dis-belief. I kept on knitting. I followed the pattern directions, one row at a time.. and diligently forced myself not to read too far ahead (no crystal ball gazing for this knitter!) and I kept on knitting.. row by row.. inch by inch. until finally today, I knit the sleeves onto the same needle as the body of the sweater.
wow.
words fail me. It worked!
This photo is a testimony to the wonderful pattern Cinixia. I am indeed knitting on one circular needle (with no seams for later sewing up) both the sleeves and the body of the sweater.
So here is the part where it is again like my life.... I really cannot explain to anyone how this is working, nor why I am not accidently sewing the sleeves together as I knit along.. but - it works. The circular sleeves are growing while attached to the sweater - its magic. ! Well, I guess you'll just have to try it yourself!
The photo shows the bottom half of the sweater - there are several more inches to go before I begin the decreases..(and no, I'm not reading ahead) It is a row by row knitting project now. and I cover up the future directions lest my heart begins to palpitate! As in life.. I am showing up, doing what is right in front of me, and knowing that I am willing to rip like h**l if it doesn't work..
I figure I'm covered. :-)

Oh and here is the embroidery that Leah requested. I really did stitch this - about 15 years ago (or was that a lifetime :-) I also used to make hand made quilts (as in zero- machine-stitches for a full-sized quilt) sigh. that was all pre-knitting flu. It was fun. My double boxes of embroidery floss and at least six plastic bins of fabric lay in waiting until I return to them.. perhaps one day when the knitting world runs out of patterns!
today I'm hooked on magic sweaters.
life is magical and wonderful.
don't read too far ahead.