Monday, March 12, 2007

What to do, where to go?

Can you guess what this is?
It has more than 600 hundred stitches to start off.

I’m torn. There is the loom, there is the sewing machine, there is the spinning wheel and there is the knitting. (There is also the vacuum cleaner what I don’t want to think about right now, but whether or not I think about, its presence is very strong and it is very eager to get going…)

I’m torn because I would love to be working with all (except one) the above-mentioned equipments.

The blue lace is so delicate in my hands, its weighs nothing, I am trying to find few moments here and there to be with him, he is like a secret lover for whom I want to give stolen moments. (The lace shawl is my ONLY secret lover.) But there is the thrill, there is the passion and there is nothing but sweet love. (The beginning was difficult, there were three false starts but now everything is just perfect.) He does not demand anything, he is going to be something that I absolutely don’t need, but what pleasure and luxury he has to offer. (Because he is secret, it is quite difficult to identify him from the picture.)

The wheel is patiently waiting for the rest of the roving to be spun and plied but I think she is the one with most patience. She will quietly wait for her turn, she is used to it. She knows that when the time comes she will be treated with love and care and she will get the wholehearted attention. She does not lay any guild on me, ever.

The loom is empty and she does not like to be neglected. There is the threat of her losing her spirit if I won’t warp her soon. I would hate that to happen and have to be careful. Also I don’t want too many days filled with other tasks come between us, because it will be harder every day to get her warped. I can feel her staring at me, she wants to be in the centre, and she will get there soon, but not just yet. I wish she would be as patient as the wheel, but no.

I would simply love to be done with the sewing soon (I started the patchwork) and give the sewing all the time needed to accomplish that. It is so messy, the fabrics spread all over, the thread spools keep falling off the desk, the rulers and cutters keep hiding under the fabrics, there is this constant haunt for them going on, the ironing board with a hot iron is being set up in a very unpleasant place and I'm worried because the dogs and the cat keep walking near by… but I love the handle of the fabrics and the colour bursts they give to these otherwise grey days when temperature is a little bit over zero, the snow is slowly melting, but the sun just peeks occasionally through the woods and refuses to come out with her full glory.

Did I mention I would love to felt little birds? As a welcoming gesture for all the migrating birds that warm winds will hopefully bring here soon...

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous15:28

    I can't tell what that lace is from the picture and the suspense is kiling me! You know I have that thing about lace!

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  2. Anonymous15:42

    I wonder if the lace is going to be for someone special. I really think you have more than one secret love--you love all your projects! At the moment I am making mittens for my mother from a very simple two-colour slip stitch pattern, which looks very nice when finished. I completed the first one. Do you think the second one looks like the first? No, it does not, and I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. Unlike you, I do not love this project and I have ripped it three times. But, I cannot just give my mom one mitten so I will try again. I will try not to use bad language.

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  3. It's hard to be such a multi-talented person!!! You have so many gifts--talents for working with fiber and turning it into something beautiful. I am not so talented, but I decided not to learn to spin because I know that would take away from my knitting time. There are so many things I still want to make; I don't have enough years to finish everything. As for sewing, I sewed for many decades--from age 12 until age 36. I made nearly all of my own clothes and some for my children. Now, I primarily knit. It is more portable. But, I long to make a patchwork quilt someday....

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  4. I'd say: ignore that vacuum cleaner!

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  5. Having just vacuumed the upstairs and cleaned the windows (The Sun! The Light!), I have to admit I'm spinning with no sense of guilt :-)

    What a lovely thought -- a flock of felted little birds settling briefly in different rooms. Or outside, like jewels in the trees.

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  6. So nice to have back the Lene who is torn between too many projects(instead of the one a few weeks ago who wasn't sure she could begin any...)
    Your lace is always spectacular, I'm looking forward to seeing what this one is!

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  7. Anonymous17:56

    Beautifully said! It's just how I feel about my two knitting projects and my cross-stitch right now. But I definitely vote for ignoring the vacuum cleaner. :)

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  8. Oh, I know that feeling. So many ideas, so little time! It can be hard to choose sometimes.

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  9. I love your story of the 'secret lover' and your lace project!
    My DD used to pay her girls to vacuum, once they started wanting spending money - they might not have done it as well as their Mom, but it seemed to be fine and it still got dirty at the same rate!
    I look forward to seeing your felted birds!
    No one's grave stone ever reads "I wish I had spent more time cleaning".

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  10. Anonymous22:37

    My first weaving teacher, back in the previous century, always said that we should never cut a warp off the loom until we had the warp for the next project made & chained and standing by. I haven't always obeyed that rule, but it does keep the loom in action at all times--or at least, APPARENTLY in action. Isn't it wonderful to have so many fibery things demanding one's attention--absolutely one of the best reasons to get up every morning!

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  11. I'd love to hear about how you plan to make the felted bird...........

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  12. Anonymous00:40

    Each project has its own appeal. I say follow your heart on what to do and where to go. A little of your creative spirit will gently rest upon each project...just enough to keep them satisfied until it is their turn to be in your embrace.
    But let someone else deal with the vacuum :0)

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  13. Anonymous01:18

    Over 600 stitches...is it the Three-cornered shawl from Victorian Lace Today?

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  14. Anonymous22:04

    You make me see you as a tornado today...thanks a lot, I don't feel alone in this way anynmore...If you ever find some 48(maybe 36 would be allright...)hours/day somewhere on the net, I' m the next fo buying !
    Good luck and disregard the vacuum, just delegate or...delete ! clic !
    Esther

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  15. ah, the pulls we all feel - torn between our loves, with limited hours in each day - such a sweet dilemma

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  16. There are just NOT enough hours in the day are there?

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  17. It must be something from Victorian Lace Today. There's an Icelandic-looking triangle shawl that I nearly started one night, before realizing that the cast-on was going to be horrific. I wonder if that's the one you chose? :-)

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  18. I'm so glad you've been inspired by so many things! Must be the sap rising. Felt birds - what a lovely idea...

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  19. oh i read this post and see myself everywhere in it; so many tempting pursuits and not enough time to do them all adequately. sometimes i knit socks so as not to have to decide!

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