Unsolicited Advice, Pron, & Sales - OH MY!

"A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose, the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph."

- James Allen

My brain seems to be going in a million different directions today.

Do I post about renewing my belief that our ultimate purpose is love?

Do I post about the fact that our true nature, no matter what, eventually rise to the surface?

Do I share with you the Quaker concept of "way" opening?

Do I post pictures of my latest guilty acquisitions?

Do I announce a sale?

If I find a way to tie all of that together, will it somehow make sense?

Or will it look like the cobbled up ravings of a would be Dr. Frankenstein?

The answer to all these questions is most likely a resounding "YES!" for all of life is one. And we are closest to God when we are most whole.

So I will take a deep breath while you pop some popcorn and pull up your virtual chair.

And I will share with you, dear reader, my inmost thoughts. Try not to run in horror...

Twice now, I have begun the design process for another aperitif and worked the pattern up a ways, only to discover the design is perfect for the Garden Variety Collection.

The first time this happened was in March. I was looking for a pattern for some luscious Fibre Co. Canopy in this absolutely breathtaking blue violet shade. Its final permutation is "Catch a Wave" but the original pattern will be the August issue in the GVC series - Delphinium.


This weekend, it happened again. I had this skein of Malabrigo Sock that was calling to me. I found this nifty little twist stitch and lace pattern. I cast on. I worked a couple inches. I looked at it and said, "It looks like the lattice on my grandmother's porch. The one that filled with Morning Glories all summer long. If I just added beads to the lace portion and added a vining pattern on the edges, it would be perfect."

It would also be a GVC pattern.

sigh...

It seems that GVC designs pop up everywhere, whether I will them to or not.

In the Quaker tradition we call that, "way opening." We believe that God speaks from deep within and when he does, we had best listen. Not that anything bad will happen to us if we don't. But we will fly truer and get farther if we pay attention to the headwinds (or should I say heartwinds?) as we set our course.

The divine wind is always blowing. We have but to trim our sails.

By heeding our soul's utmost desires (rather than our deceptive mind's) we discover our true calling: that which is born out of love.

Only when we are true to ourselves, can we reach out to others. Only when we operate from the deep well of love, can we love others.

Sometimes, I question my calling. It seems a small thing I do in my life. I knit. I write. I write about knitting. I love and am loved in return. Surely, there is more...

I should be clothing the poor, feeding the hungry, comforting the greiving, taking in the homeless. To paraphrase Dickens, "Mankind is our business."

But I have always found the true path to be where my heart leads. And, for better or worse, my heart leads me here. With all of you.

Mother Theresa once said, "We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." My way may be small, but it is true and it is done with great love.

Just like the GVC designs that keep popping up unexpectedly, the calling of my soul reveals itself every day in a million different ways.

Way opens. Had I not best step through the door? Had you?

*****

Last week, I could not resist the siren song of a few choice skeins of Malabrigo Sock.


I have been de-stashing for months now (I told you the stash was big - I mean talk about a Frankenstein - it had grown into a disgusting behemoth of a monument to my acquisitive past) with more yet to come (the stash is sort of like one of those fungi that manifests itself above ground with a few little mushrooms, but spreads for miles under the surface.)

So I guess it was inevitable that I spend a bit (only a bit, mind you) of my ill gotten gains on these lovelies. Not sure what they will be when they grow up. that's part of the fun, isn't it?

I finished up the design phase for Dragonfly, a little beaded scarf design I worked up for Ellen at Earthfaire (since I can’t give her any of the GVC designs - exclusive to Knitty Noddy)

The yarn is Schaeffer’s Anne, a yarn I know is immensely popular (always among the first to go in my Saturday stash sales)

When she is stretched out, the beaded areas will slope down on the edges and the reverse stockinette stitch will pull down into a more diamond like profile.

I named her Dragonfly because the iridescent beads remind me of their wings, and the resulting shapes look a little like scales (once blocked)

I know it is hard to see much in this state, but I think she is going to be lovely. Ellen has more Anne on order in similar colors, just for this project

Now back to knitting Rose and Mendhi, and invoicing my Saturday stash sale orders. Seems like I am forgetting something...

OH YEAH ---THE SALE!!!

Now that I have three of the Zen Collection scarves completed, I thought I would run a threefer (like a twofer, only better...)

All three patterns for $15, rather than the $18 they cost if purchased seperately.Go crazy...

And step through any doors that open to you today. You will be glad you did.