Jerry

Jerry was one of Patrick's closest friends. Today should have been a celebration of his 26th birthday, but one month ago tomorrow, he killed himself. Ironically, 19 months to the day after Patrick's death. I have no idea why there is so much tragedy among the young people we know and love....I'm always feeling like there is something...something... we should have known to do.

My son Shaun and I created this birthday memorial for Jerry using a picture taken by my daughter....so this was a creation of love for Jerry from Patty's family. It ran in the newspaper today.

I hope it honors him in the way I wanted to honor him.
And I hope it comforts his friends in the way they need comfort.

I know it brings me a little measure of peace to have worked on this with Shaun and Molly, out of love and respect for Jerry and who he was for Patrick.

Bless your soul, Jerry, even if you believed you didn't have one....I think you were wrong about a few things....peace, peace, peace -

Bowl for Sky Meditations

Bowl for Sky Meditations (2007)
Wool roving, hand-dyed, wet-felted, needle-felted, found feather

Namaste,
Zann

Stitch Markers!

I've been thinking about making my own stitch markers for ages. I even have this wild idea to do some sort of Clapotis Knit-Along or workshop and have a component be the making of the 18 stitch markers one needs to do the full pattern. Or make and sell sets of 18 for such a workshop. Who knows? My ideas tend to stay fun flights of fancy (ooh, say that five times...)

When I was at the bead shop the other day arranging the private workshop for Raven and myself, I picked up a packet of 24 head pins and went home determined to finally make stitch markers. I began by looking very closely at my favorite stitch markers made for me by SP7 Peacock, and it turned out to be pretty darned easy. I made 3 sets of 6 and some one of a kind.

I switched out the old markers from Clapotis 4 (Silk Garden 84) in progress et voila:

Having personal stitch markers that are aesthetically pleasing and make me smile when I see them just adds to the remarkable peace and pleasure of knitting.

Of no less significance is how good it feels to finally use some of the bead/wire/beading & wireworking tool stash I've been accumulating. I'm hoping for some real relief on that front when Raven and I have our class and I actually do some bead and wirework!!!

Namaste,
Zann

Clapotis! Clapotii???

Finished the Found Clapotis (#2) and made another (#3) and have started one more (#4)...

Here's #2:

The details:
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert, free at Knitty.com
Yarn: Silk Garden #87 (almost 7 balls)
Needles: Denise circulars Size 9

I followed the pattern exactly in number of stitches and pattern repeats. And it makes a lovely sized wrap. I love the way that, in wearing it as a wrap, each side also falls with the pattern lines running in different directions, a very nice recapitulation of the clapotis effect.

I wore this to a meditation/spirituality conference last weekend and it was cold in the facility, but I felt cosy and warm and spiritual. Well, in a rather lively way. People kept coming up to me to comment on clapotis and I saw again how knitting is as good as a baby or dog for meeting people. And no diapers or feeding required, though knitting (mine anyway) does require the lugging about of much Stuff.

Clapotis #3:

Details:
Pattern: Added one pattern repeat
Yarn: Claudia's Handpaint Sock yarn (5 balls and just made it to the end with maybe 3 yards to spare)
Needles: Denise circular #7

Really enjoyed knitting this - I know some people have found Clapotis to be somewhat monotonous, but I love knitting-as-meditation, and I find this pattern perfect....repetitious, rhythmical, and just enough pattern to maintain mindfulness instead of inducing sleep, but not enough pattern to require forehead-scrunching concentration.

I had some trepidation about doing such a big project in sock yarn, but it was fun and the end result, light and very soft, well worth worth it. I haven't blocked either one of these clapotis, but I may do so with the Claudia's.

And now you must go to one of my favorite places to send Clapotis People or potential Clapotis People .... a poem about Clapotis based on the Wallace Stevens poem "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" -- you can read both! And there's pictures! As a poet who knits, I am both filled with joy and envy at author Cari's cleverness.
Namaste,
Zann

Me and Sophia

A long time in coming, this picture of a smiling Sophia with Zannma.....

For some reason, for the longest time, granddaughter Miss Sophia (Miss Raven Zoe's sister) tended to burst into tears at the sight of me. I did manage to get a smile back in January with an EZ Baby Surprise Jacket, but that was rather too labor-intensive to be practical for ongoing attempts to win her over.

I began to ply her with little boxes of raisins and handfuls of dried raspberries and innumerable readings of King Bidgood's in the Bathtub and the wonderful wordless The Grey Lady and Strawberry Snatcher. And now these days I have the sublime, honey-in-the-heart experience of her running toward me with arms outstretched and a big happy smile.

We read books and sweep and play "office work" with stamps and index cards and hole punches. And one day I shall teach her to weave and knit and crochet....