Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Dear,

How are you?

Our day is almost 22 hours along. This 22 hour long day makes it very hard to know when to call it a day and go to bed. Evenings, late evenings are very pleasurable, the wind often calms down and the light becomes soft and the lake is mirroring the opposite side. Last night I was watching the forest on the other side, it looked a bit hazy, not totally clear and although spring has been very slow this year there were already many shades of green to be seen. I was on my way to bed really and then suddenly I felt this little tickle. Happy little tickle and a moment later I found myself digging through the yarn stash in search for something light and summery to have on the needles. I found this green and quickly grabbed the 3½ mm needles, soon to discover that they were a bit big for my taste, and then later I changed to 3 mm and now I am very happy with the outcome. Sitting in the living room in the dimming light with the knitting felt good. I had already forgotten the feeling when the yarn flows through your fingers and I was finding this joy again. I am knitting Swallowtale Shawl (by Evelyn A. Clark from IK Fall 2006), something that I have meant to knit for a long time. I think I did cast on for it when the magazine came out but have long ago ripped the start. I am going to make this little shawl to a bigger size and spend many lovely hours with her. I can’t wait to knit the nupps!
How could I not knit for so many weeks, I wonder now, because this feels so right. Now I have to find some kind of a balance between my sewing life and knitting life. I want to keep both alive and well since they both bring so much joy. I find it very hard to keep schedules, I am sure it would not work if I would say that Wednesdays are for knitting, because by next Wednesday I probably would have forgotten all about it… and an hour for a day for knitting and the rest for sewing would not work either… So I will take what comes. The only reason I am bringing this up is of course a little worry whether these both can flourish in my life at the same time.

I love this season. I enjoy discovering all the joys of outside life all over again. First of all, my morning coffee… Already I have been sitting early in the morning on the kitchen steps that face the lake wrapping myself in an old quilt. It has been very chilly but it is such a good start for a day. I have been cleaning the yard from fallen branches and leaves and been planting flowers although this is a bit too early for this. But I just could not help myself.
It is June next week and all the compulsory driving back and forth between home and town are done for the next couple of months. And that, dear, means that I am going to have more time to my beloved handwork!

In love with little loops again,

Yours,

Lene

PS. I have really missed you a lot. A lot.

32 comments:

  1. Anonymous18:37

    Welcome back! We've missed you too.
    Finding a balance between knitting and quilting is not very straightforward.
    I started the swallowtail recently, too, and plan to make it larger. Orange mystery yarn (thin-and-thick maybe rayon/cotton blend?) from a mill end cone in a shop in a resort town near here. Maybe beads instead of nupps.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous18:50

    We've missed you too! That will be a lovely shawl, and one I have yet to make.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Balancing my crafty urges is one of the more difficult problems in my life. I love beadweaving, jewelry-making, crochet, knitting, sewn craft, soapmaking, maze-drawing, etc etc. I tend to get sucked up by one for a while, then another. Sometimes I think I've "given up" a craft forever and then find myself returning to it only a month later.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have a hard time going to bed sometimes and it gets dark by 9 p.m. in my summer time. Once I get knitting all the tiredness from the day fades away.

    The shawl pattern does look airy and springlike. You always find the most clever and artistic ways to photograph your work. I look forward to seeing how you present the finished product.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Welcome back dear Lene. It's always good to hear from you, and to see fresh new loops on your needles. Happy to hear you're well and enjoying your loooooong days.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hellooo, Lene! So good to see you! The flowers are so pretty, I've been planting a lot of white this year, it just seemed 'right'... and blues. and peach/orange...

    Aaaah, Ms.Swallowtail! I'm knitting another one right now, also using Zephyr (LOVE that yarn) in Cinnabar, I'm also making this one larger, :^D

    Enjoy your Summer!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful color for your swallowtail shawl Lene! The little loops. The little stitches. You can love both and they will probably ebb and flow with your mood just like your lake and seasons. Keep both in the way that makes you happiest. But I'm sure what would make you happiest is to have more hours in the day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello, I've been following your quilting, but am glad you found your knitting love again. Don't worry about which you do when, just enjoy both quilting and knitting and work on the one that fits the day.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice to see you again :-)
    I have faith that you will be able to both knit and sew at the same time. I bet you do two things at once in the rest of your life all the time, but that you just do not think that way in terms of your handicrafts.
    I do not believe the sewing will feel jealous if you knit (and vice versa). ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. So happy to see a new post. I've missed you too!

    I have been resisting the siren call of spinning, fearing I wouldn't be able to keep all the crafty balls in the air...but I think it's best to go with it. There's a natural ebb and flow to things, so it's okay that my interest comes and goes.

    Great to hear from you again.

    ReplyDelete
  11. lace knitting is so very soothing and satisfying. Following a chart rather than words--that makes the most sense to me.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is good to hear from you in the summer as well as the winter! I hadn't realized how much I missed reading about your adventures until I saw the new post! Thanks, and glad you are enjoying the sticks and string again!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'll join the others and welcome you back! I too am a knitter and a quilter. My knitting does something that my quilting never did, but like you, I am thinking more about quilting lately, especially during the daylight hours...knitting remains my cup of warm milk before bed!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wellcome back Lene

    I have also been inspired of your progress doing a quilt.This weekend I also do some applications of tulips.
    Have a nice weekend
    Ulla in the sunny north of Sweden

    ReplyDelete
  15. I, too, juggle more than one craft and find myself totally in love with one of them at a time. I knitted for most of the winter, crocheted for a few months and am now finding my sewing machine beckoning me. If you learn how to balance them, please reveal your secret.

    It is good to have you back, Lene.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Although I don't often leave comments, I want to tell you that I have missed you too, and am glad that you are back. I enjoy your stories and sharing so much!
    I agree that it is important to find a balance among all of the things that we love to do - coffee in the morning on the steps, knitting, sewing, gardening ...
    thank you
    Lise

    ReplyDelete
  17. So nice to read you again!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Good to see you back here, missed you too! Reading about your quilting is nice too, but different for me as a non-sewer (not yet).
    Your new project looks very promising and I totally understand wht happend to you. I know this too well. NOt knitting for some thime and when getting back wondering why I didn't want to...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous22:07

    I've enjoyed reading about all of your handiworks. I think that deciding which one to pursue is like trying to decide which family member to spend time with when you love them all!

    The green yarn is very pretty. Do you use shawls a lot during the summer? I expect this shawl will be as lovely and well done as the rest of your work.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello sunshine! What a delight to admire your knitting again. I am glad you are enjoying your fabric too. I need lots of sleep therefore I can't imagine how you stay awake so many hours but am happy that you fill them with so much fun; coffee, flowers, fabric and so forth. As a Mum, I am relieved it gets dark early...children use the light as a reason to outlast the parents :)in this house. Your photos are so lovely, take care.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous04:01

    22 hours! I have a Swedish friend who showed me a picture of a group of her friends out late in the summer evening. I asked her how they could manage with so little sleep. "We sleep in the winter!"

    I love the feeling of the rush toward the solstice -- the days getting longer and longer -- then the height of summer -- then the drawing in.

    When we lived in South Texas, where day and night differences are barely perceptible, the seasons seemed hardly to change.

    I love both your blogs.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Swallowtail is a delight to knit - and a perfect re-entry into the yarny world.
    Joyous spring to you too.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous06:04

    i missed you too!
    i love reading about your life in the north.reading about your seasons, about your long days. your photos are so evocative.
    we also have had a very slow spring, here in ontario,canada. but when it arrives...oh the glory of the trees and the first flowers.
    best wishes with the swallow tail, something on my list.i will follow your progress!
    all the best.
    helga

    ReplyDelete
  24. You're back! I love your posts.

    I'm pleased you are knitting again - and (by coincidence) knitting the same shawl I've just finished - I knit it loose and large in fingering weight and 4.5mm needles.

    22 hours of light? oh my.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous17:51

    I'm so happy to see that you are contentedly knitting again! And Swallowtail is an excellent choice. I believe I have read that if you want to make the shawl bigger, the magic formula is 5 extra repeats of the main body chart. But please do check Ravelry to be certain! ;-) It's in one of their forums.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've missed you and all the aspects of your life and talent that you share with us in your blog.
    I really enjoy looking at the new picture of your daughter's stocking feet and Kille.
    I am always inspired by you...and waiting longer between posts makes it all the more special when you have posted.
    Laila

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous21:37

    Dear Lene,

    I read your blog for a time now, I love the way you write about the things you do and the thoughts you have. It reminds me of a Pen friend I corresponded with in my youth, Anni Aaltonen.

    It is beautiful and inspiring, and so are the things you make.

    Love from Gerda in Holland

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Lene, It is lovely to read about both your quilting and knittting. Swallowtail is beautiful. Jane

    ReplyDelete
  29. what a beautiful post! I made a swallowtail and I loved knitting the nupps...

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous21:32

    I'm so glad you're posting here again! I'm enjoying reading your fine stitches blog, but I feel weird about commenting there--like I'm intruding on a private conversation between 2 people.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Even with 22 hours in the day it's hard to fit in everything you love doing. I do love that feeling when knitting makes sense and is so peaceful and enjoyable.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous04:00

    You have been missed greatly too! Occasionally, I check in on your quilt blog and you are doing wonderfully!

    Take care of yourself and your crafty yearnings wherever they may lead --- we will be happy to tag along as invited guests.

    ReplyDelete