2025 is fast approaching and I am looking forward towards a calmer year, with less sadness and more joy, with more opportunities looked for and more chances taken.
Now sure where this month went. It has flown on by since my last post, which was the first of the month and now it is close to the end of the month.
I turned 65 this month. Not sure what that means to others, but for me it is a reminder that life is getting shorter. (I have been told that it means I am old! LOL!) So, If I want to try something new I should do it sooner, seek it out, rather than waiting for it to show up! It also doesn’t mean quitting working, it does mean changing how I work. I am lucky to have a job I love. The same job I have been working for the last 24 – 25 years. Working at Mad About Ewe Fine Yarns in Nanaimo, helping, teaching other knitters to stretch their skills and take the chance to create what they want. Teaching, sharing my knowledge and experience of working with different yarns, to help others chose the best yarns for their projects. And always playing, there are always new tools, needles and yarn to try.
Working at Mad About Ewe has brought so much joy and so many opportunities. While working, I was encouraged by my customers to try new things as well. I joined Ravelry thanks to Liz who thought that my teaching patterns would work well on Ravelry! She had to suggest it more than once, and she brought in her friends to add their support of the idea, as I was reluctant.
Liz and company were correct. Through posting my patterns on Ravelry and the feedback garnered there, I gained confidence and continued to expand my designing reach.
I entered competitions and expanded my reach in that way. One competition lead me to designing for Vogue Knitting and another started me designing for the Buffalo Wool Co. Others offered up only experience – sometimes the best of the options.
I want to do more, try more, and work with more yarns. I need to reach out more, take more chances. I started in a small way this year – next year I will try more.
I have been asked if I will retire, not yet, perhaps never! Retirement – who needs retirement – by some standards, doing the job you have always wanted when you retire – I have been retired for the last 25 years! One change to the job is that I only work 4 days a week instead of 5. That was supposed to give me more time to knit! But life this last year had other plans!
I will never stop knitting – so working in a vanguard store – one that brings me new yarn and opportunities is not something to give up.
Next year – I will add more things, more ideas, more plans!
I didn’t walk much this year – that will change. I will make the time. I found I really missed the walking and the grounding it gave me.
This morning Tom and I went for a walk around parts of Bowen Park, mostly around the Millstream River. We wanted to see how the heavy rains had affected the flow! And had they ever!.
I have wonderful friends, many made through my work. One friend, Angie, did this fabulous sketch of Sophie, from one of my photographs. I had it framed. Thank-you Angie. Such a wonderful gift.
There has been a lot of knitting this month, mostly gifts.
December is the month that I devote to the gift making part of knitting life. Not everyone gets the gift I want to give, sometimes, most times, I have to pick and choose who gets a knitted gift. I make many hats and small accessories, and I love to make Christmas ornaments. This year I am making Shetland Stars.
It is a lovely little lace pattern by Elizabeth Williamson. The yarn is Shetland Ultra.
I wanted to make a garland for my daughter, but I have only made a few. So I will make a few more next year.
Stars before and after blocking.
Have you noticed that there is never enough time to acknowledge to ones you care for in a way that means something to you both?
I think that the best gift is time. It is the hardest to find and the most expensive to give. It is also the gift most treasured by both the recipient and giver! Oh for more time!
I hope that you have had a great year. I wish a wonderful year ahead. I wish you the time you need. I wish you nothing but happiness!
Be Well.
Lynette
The bench – for when I am ready LOL!
