Camping in Kodiak, Alaska
I took you on a camping trip & shared it in this podcast episode HERE. It was the first time I have been camping since arriving here on Kodiak. It was the first day the mountain tops were cover in Termination Dust. (At the end of this post is a link to my photo journal of my time!)
As you listen I share about these mitts I am knitting, which are now done and gifted to my sweet friend Janelle, who I hope to have on as a guest in an episode in the very near future. She has so many interesting things to share on topics from grading to food scarcity, which is a consideration to keep top of mind as we live on a remote island that has so many things flown and barged in from sources not on our island. There is a lot to say on that to mull over, but I will wait and enjoy that as future conversation to have with her and share with you.
Today let me share with you about these mitts, which really are wrist warmers, or “tubes” was my friend Kate Selene calls them. Of note: I show these to you in the video podcast I have below. They have been a delightful project to kick start my no-pressure color exploration, an adventure I am determined to take! I never want my life to something routine, something I seek to fill only with the comfortable. Now I do enjoy being comfortable, but not at the expense of growth. Does that make sense?
You probably know this already, but I naturally gravitate to natural colors: browns, greens, greys especially. But I also like the natural color of golden sunsets, and the pink and purple sunrises. The ocean has a sparkling vibrant blue that calls to me as well. Orange pumpkin make me happy, white clouds give me many things to dream about…my perspective on “natural colors” needs to become more realistic and encompass a fuller range.
Do you, my friend, ever think of your color wheelhouse as a “safe space” or more of a “routine confine”? If you were to look over your WIPs and UFOs (works in progress/unfinished objects) do you see common themes? What are they? I am interested in hearing!
• And in case you are interested, you can subscribe to the podcast from a variety of platforms! The most popular is Apple Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/encourage-better-knitting-adventures-in-alaska/id1534357882 (but you can go directly to this site if you don’t want to use Apple Podcast by clicking HERE! ) I would love it if you could give me a 5 star rating and leave a review AND IF I AM NOT hitting the 5 star mark, please email me your thoughts on what you would need to get to that point!
• My video podcast is available on YouTube HEAD HERE
• And if you want a completely different knitting podcast experience, A Knit With Me Story podcast is wrapping up Series 1 this weekend! Series 2 starts recording soon and will launch in the new year! (Looking forward to 2021! Anyone else?)
Thanks for spending time with me today. Let me know in the comments below your thoughts on where you prefer to visit!
A Better Week Challenge
Are you busy?
I want to invite you to A Better Week Challenge.
In December I was scrolling through Instagram as one does and when I looked up I realized a few things:
I had been on the app for 30 minutes without realizing it. And truth admitted that happened a few times a week.
When on the app and other areas of social media I noticed I was seeing such a beautiful variety of perfectly curated posts and my “Save For Later” bookmarking was getting far too full of ideas and very little implementation…and to be honest, overloaded on “insta-spiration"
I interacted with those kinds enough to comment on my posts, frequently visiting their feed to like and comment. And soon my DMs became a place of deeper connectivity. And when you shared it was often how thankful you were to hear from me. I discovered I was so happy to connect more intentionally too, but also aware that the exchanges were hit and miss and not at all intentional.
It is here I should admit, I am driven by intentionality.
When I share I have a purpose and it usually is propelled by wanting to connect and build community. I seek that out, the community I mean. When it is there I evaluate what I can bring to that community to help further it, and if it is not available I start to puzzle through how to create it.
This has been a 100,000 piece puzzle that I have been enjoying!
I love the community with purpose; focused on creative endeavors of making AND making better.
And so the idea I originally had was able to be worked behind the scenes a bit with a beautiful group of test knitters. It was a satisfying adventure and one that proved to me I am not the only one that values purposeful connections.
And so I rethought my first idea, changed it up, and thought I would share a bit of it with you.
For the next 10 days, I want to encourage you! To share short bursts of meaningful moments just with you and for the means of giving to you the only real thing I have to offer anyone: myself.
I am no more valuable than another human for sure. We have all been created with beautiful value. So hear me when I say I am not a prize to be excited about winning or anything like that. But I do know without a doubt that each of us has special gifting, and mine is that of encouragement and intentionality.
I am inviting you to spend a little over a week with me.
Let me use what I am hard-wired for!
No obligation, no cost, no time constraints. I will meet you each day when you have time. I simply ask you to set aside 10 minutes a day maximum.
I have a quick knit project that we can make. Fast and rather satisfying, which is what I have been trying to sprinkle into my knitting. I will also share more details about my Winston pullover that you could replicate if you have that pattern, or integrate into a simple pullover pattern you may already have.
I will be taking you to VERY remote places here on my island. I know many of you share how you are unable to get out right now for a host of different reasons, and I am mindful of that. So let me get you out a bit.
I will share a few additional things I think you will also enjoy!
It is 10 days, starting Tuesday September 8th.
It is free.
It is safe.
AND YOU ARE WELCOME!
It sets a great starting place for clarity. Less noise, no scrolling, all positive vibes, and encouragement.
I am inviting you to spend the next 10 days adventuring with me in our everyday lives!
A few highlights of what I am planning:
Yes, knitting! A simple free project that works up quickly and satisfies my desire to integrate easy to finish knitting within my larger project list. Completion drives momentum for sure I am discovering!
A deeper explanation of the Winston Pullover alterations I did which you can replicate if you have that pattern or implement in any simple pullover you may have in your library.
An excursion to a very remote area of my island! So many of you dear readers ask for more outside time as you are a bit limited for a variety of reasons to get out yourself. It is my promise to help you plan ways to incorporate the beauty of nature into your life as much as possible!
And quite a bit more…but I do love anticipating the unknown and hopefully you like surprises!
Interested?
Additional info:
This is totally free. No cost to you. Just me connecting with you each day. You can connect as you find time over the next 10 days. There is more information of that if you decide to join in the challenge.
I am using a secure app called Telegram. It is a small, secure messaging app. It is not affiliated with Facebook and it takes security very seriously. It is smaller and much more secure than Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. I will be connecting just with you via a link (provided above and here). You will not have to provide your phone number to me nor I to you. That is why I generated a link.
It isn’t an open chat forum, so you won’t be messaging others, or me. It is simple to manage and navigate. Like me text messaging you!
When you join, you can skip over allowing access to your contacts, unless you already have friends using the app or you want to do so. I joined and have used it before with many things and never allowed access to my contacts. But I don’t do that for any of my apps. That is just me. You do you!
On Shoes and Long Rows
Need life advice?
You've come to the wrong place.
(before you read any further I would love it if you read this and play the audio. I need you to hear my heart on this. Chances are you are going to hear float planes and me tripping over some words but let’s give it a go…)
Need life advice?
You've still come to the wrong place.
The expectation that what works for me will work for you is as promising as me saying "You need footwear? I will send you my favorite perfect pair of shoes that I love and wear all the time! I mean, they work for me and you trust and value my opinion so it'd totally work right?" Knowing nothing “shoe-helpful” about you, where you live, the terrain and temps...and of course your shoe size! I could pack up my most trusted pair and send them on their way to serve you and your feet as perfectly as they worked for me. Only right away I know many of you would bail because *hello! they are used shoes* (I get you, no judgement) For those of you determined to stick it out because you have faith in me--- well, you might be surprised when the box arrives, you open to discover I am a 5.5 or 6 US.
Moving forward…There is an alternative for those not wanting pre-worn shoes: What if I bought you a new pair of my favorites and sent them your way? Problem corrected, right? Hmmm… you are going to feel let down when you put them on, as I forgot to mention, and not intentionally, they were so stiff at first. My heel and a few toes were rubbed quite painfully until I broke them in.
The third alternative is you notice I wear the same shoes all the time. Thinking back, you further become aware that you can't remember seeing me in a different pair. I look ridiculous in some of the images your mind brings up as these shoes are worn with dresses, jeans, shorts, sweatpants... I’m pretty darn committed these shoes.
And so when you come to a point where you are considering it for yourself, you decide to ask me where I get them if you need further confirmation. Or you and I are close enough that you already know the shoes on my feet and just order yourself a pair.
Before I unpack the shoe idea into a simple sentence or two, I want to share one more thing. A true, happening-as-I-type-story, going on in a test knit group I am part of.
Also, thank you for hanging in here with me...
A group of us are test knitting a shawl. It is being worked in fingering weight and sport/dk (these details matter to knitters and crocheters reading, I promise). We gather our materials and excitedly await the first portion of the pattern to get cracking.
All enthusiasm at a promising new start...
And begin we do! Pictures of wee little starts are shared, and holy cow, these shawls grow and grow every few minutes it seems. From the first cast on of 3 or 4 stitches, we are all delighted in real-time at how quickly we zip through the first 30 rows! We didn't even get up to refill our coffee.
"Remember, this is not a race & there is no pressure from me to work quickly. Just enjoy yourself and take time to pop in and chatter with each other as you create." Those are our instructions.
"Each knitter can set their own pace. I know this test knit isn't your full time-- or part-time-- job." More instructions and words of affirmation.
We chatter and enjoy photos of the progress. There are some knitters that I swear must have gotten the pattern before it was posted, which I know is impossible, but they are progressing through color changes and stitch work with such ease… and I can't wait to join them there! I look at where I am and see I have more work to do, but I want to get there!
I hesitate to say: we all want to get there!, because in 45 years I have learned: I do not know what another human wants. Even when they tell me! What we as humans say and mean can be different things entirely, AND NOT intentionally misleading or dishonest.
Sidebar here for those of you still reading:
I say DOG. Your mind automatically goes to the sweet and loyal friend by your feet. But you, Dear Other Reader, call to mind that incident with the neighbor's pet that bit you. And for me, as I type I am remembering having to put my most loyal friend to sleep just a few months ago.
Dog. Same word. Different experiences behind that word frame how we react to it.
How about Ocean?
You: tropical getaway, languishing on the sand watching the waves fold in on themselves as they roll closer without an agenda. My Dear Other Reader thinks more energetically: mentally grabbing their surf board and paddling out to catch as many of the waves as possible! Me? I think of a tie from which I can't escape, and don't ever want to...the ocean has been a companion for so long, I keep glancing at her to my left as I type. But for the reader along the Gulf they see the word Ocean and think of damage, storms, rebuilding…
See how that works?
Ok…Back to the knitting:
The community of testers gets further along.
Excitement heightens.
Shawls are growing in depth and width.
But we’re at this juncture in the pattern that every shawl knitter with a bit of variety under their belt knows...
Long rows filled with numerous stitches that no longer fly by, but that we must devote time and quite a bit of dedication to see each through. Our lofty goals have shifted to “My plan today is to work two garter rows…lol! Fingers crossed!” (Non knitters: garter is wonderful, but it is code for rows of just work the knit stitch and that over 400+ stitches…BORING!!)
We are in the thick of it.
And if we want the shawl in the end, we have to press through these rows.
Those still on Row 35 are a little aware of what they are in for, still enjoying the way rows change through quick starts and finishes, turning work, and new beginnings.
We look back at them knowing they have lots of work ahead that they are going to need to dedicate themselves to... But as we press into Row 141 ourselves we have to be mindful that we don't belittle the progress these knitters are making. For they ARE making progress.
Are they pushing through a day at the office, tending to family needs once they get home and then stealing away to work on these stitches against time constraints and demands that we aren't privy to? They devote each moment to making this shawl bigger and moving through this pattern.
For other testers: do they have a variety of creative endeavors that this is but one of many? To them, they feel part of the group and do what they can and want, as they can and feel compelled. Should I not be mindful of the contribution they have made? For they have pointed out pattern discrepancies and number errors, even though their shawl isn't “growing.”
Does the help they bring look different? Yes. Is it still valuable? Yes.
And then there is me. See I wrote the pattern. My investment is different than theirs. Do I want to see them create a shawl?
Yes… And no… And maybe…
Yes, of course I want to see fellow makers knitting the shawl.
No, not necessarily as they can contribute in other ways. At first glance their contributions may not be as powerful as the creation of the project. But that is only true if I forget The PATTERN being CORRECT is THE GOAL.
And the maybe? You know, Folks were excited for different reasons other than making the shawl or fixing the pattern. There are tons of reasons I can speculate as to why they volunteered. But I don't know for certain.
I DO KNOW THIS: They are here in a group that I am part of and I can encourage them. And I can build in to them the same as I am doing with others that presently are more productive. For there will be a time when they have been set up to do more. Investing in others when we aren't seeing the immediate response we want is still a positive investment.
For the future them.
And for the right now community.
And for me.
I have more to share, as always. But know that none of these things are shared as ground breaking improvemnet ideas. They are observations in my life and are not subliminal messages to you and the world.
I will not try to send you my favorite shoes.
I don't know your size.
But most importantly, these shoes I wear are amazing because of each step I took to break them in myself.
I Peaked
Want to experience your knitting the best way I know? Take it outside with you! My knitting and I hiked to the peak of a mountain on Kodiak, Island (my husband and dog in tow). The stitches I knit into my shawl serve as a memory marker I get to keep. Why not let me tell you about it…
(Though there are several friends and loved ones who may tell you that actually happened some time ago…)
I actually mean I climbed a mountain just days ago and got to the peak. I want to share how it felt with you. You may be surprised.
The hike up Mt. Kashevaroff will get you up 2,204 feet and the view you are rewarded with is... well, it is what the following images show, but fall so short of really capturing...
This is en route up, about 1/4 of the way up!
Some moments along the trail were a bit of a challenge, especially snowy areas too slippery so I had to make a way around, waaaaaay around. We stopped for lunch at a place we hiked off the path to get to, partly to get out of the cold wind that decided to become a companion. It was hard to shake the unwanted friend, and not surprisingly when we ventured back on to the path to resume the hike, the wind had waited for us.
Best hiking partners (though I gotta say, I missed having Wiggles…
Somehow we missed the path leading to the peak and continued past it for over a half-mile on our way to Center Mountain and had to return and head to the top from the back side. Dennis (husband) and Sasha (dog) went ahead of me and disappeared from view. At one point I lost a foothold and slipped a bit. Not to be a drama queen, but I looked around and saw only mountains and space between mountains, and for the first time ever I became scared of heights. My hands held the earth and I just stayed there, pressing myself as close to the mountain as I could and feeling an unnatural fear. I knew I was actually safe, but I also knew I was scared to death.
We have all experienced that before haven't we? The grip of fear that is strong and cold and overwhelming. Have you ever been brought to your knees, literally? It is not what we are designed for.
And that is exactly what I told myself in the smallest whisper I could muster there on the side of Mt. Kash.
"I am going to get up. I am alone and I am going to get up." I heard my heart louder than my voice. I thought "I came all this way, it is just a bit further...but where is the top?" I couldn't see it. I couldn't hear Dennis.
Couldn't see him or Sasha.
"What if the top is even smaller than this?" I wondered looking at the tiny piece of island in the sky.
It seemed like a long time, a long, long time. In reality it was 5, maybe 10, minutes.
I can not stand up, I remember thinking. I really can. Not. Stand.
But I can just hold on to the grassy earth and climb this way. Please don’t let anyone see me.
And that is fear's good friend coming into the story: shame.
I have lived through many moments I wish I never experienced. Oftentimes I have heard people say they are thankful for horrible things they have endured as it has made them better, taught them more. I am not that way. The things in my life that have brought me to my knees in fear and shame are moments I would gladly, and immediately, forsake without any embarrassment or regret.
This moment on Mt. K was nowhere in the ballpark of those experiences and yet it crippled me.
And I suddenly was mad. How dare this moment of no consequence press down on me and make me feel small? I started moving upwards a bit faster-- still bent over like a child crawling on my hands and feet (no knees, just doubled over). But I was going up.
And when I got higher I came to a point where there was plenty of flat space, the top was not scary! It was the getting there that was.
And so I sat my butt down and knit.
I earned the view.
Also, my legs were wobbly and I had to get that under control, lol.
I should mention here that going down on the actual trail rather than a path we blazed as an afterthought because we missed it...well that trail down was *not* scary! It was cake. And I am looking forward to heading back up Mt. Kashevaroff again hopefully in a week or two. (Cope Mt. and Sharatin Mountain are next on the list before we circle back around to Kash)
You and I were created to be amazing. And we are. We were not created with a spirit of fear. Own it when we feel it and then squash it.