Thursday, March 16, 2006

Shawl Meditations

It may come as no surprise to you peeps, but your hostess with the mostess, Lady of the Linoleum is not quiet of mind nor of spirit. My cerebrum plays host to an almost daily raging and raucous par-tay where wine flows freely from the tap on the box (just kiddin’…kinda) and ideas shake their groove thangs until the wee hours of the morn. Needless to say these obnoxious idea partiers oftentimes keep me from sleep and definitely provide me with a healthy dose of sensory overload much of the time. Seriously, psychotropic drugs are not needed here, thank you very much. Timothy Francis Leary, move ova! This is your brain. This is your brain on LadyLinoleum. Ahem, I digress…

Various attempts to quell the screams of the par-tay goers and quiet my mind via traditional meditative practices basically result in me not speaking, sitting on a pillow, legs crossed, staring off into space and thinking about vegetables with beards, or how to make a crocheted spaceship give off an electrical glow, or even wonder whether two mermaid bodies chopped off at the waist, torsos discarded, then pushed back together at the waist would make a good shawl…um, yeah. However, all is not lost because recently I found a meditation that seems to work for moi, effectively shutting down the idea ravers continual confabulations, gray matter staid, psyche soothed.

What is my meditative masque inquiring minds want to know? Makin’ shawls. Yes, you heard me correctly. Making shawls is akin to a trip to a day spa for my mind. I like to knit ‘em and crochet ‘em. The more complex the pattern the better, whether it be my own or someone else’s. Making shawls is immersion therapy for my addled mind. And folks, I am hooked. Can you tell? Totally strung out on these fantastic fibrous wonders, happily channeling my Inner Granny.

First, I made this lovely bat-wing inspired little diddy using a free pattern from Elann (pic from Elann's site).



Mine is a stashbuster made from four hanks of black Cascade 220 (legacy from a paranoid purchase that consisted of double digit amounts of black Cascade 220, hey, you just never know about store supply levels and I need to have black wool around...save yer judgments...I've seen your stashes posted on yer blogs). At any rate it's a lovely and warm retro goth kind of item, imho.

Next up was a crocheted wrap which I will unveil in another post. It is a vintage Monster Crochet design which is sure to delight. Stay tuned for that one!

After completing those two projects I was in need of more shawl eye candy to tempt my needles to clicking so I purchased this book, which I LOVE and HIGHLY RECOMMEND if you find yourself in need of some knitted wrappage and want gorgeous patterns that levitate above and beyond the norm.



My future shawl making efforts will also lead me to explore this pattern and this one as well as a few that I plan to design myself.

So here I sit, completely content, quietly contemplating but not frantically cogitating, working hook and needle through the loops, breathing rhythmic, the world receding...life is good.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Life, indeed, sounds good! Us artistic wannabes wish to have an ounce or two or your creativity. We're not worthy!

LadyLinoleum said...

Oh puuuulease Sue! You guys make amazing stuff!

FinnyKnits said...

Wow -- that lace shawl is amazing. When you produce that baby you will officially be my fiber hero.

Damn yer good.

Toni said...

Shawl away! I don't wear 'em but do love making 'em. Folk Shawls is excellent (I've made the Highland Shawl and have the Fir Cone in my queue). Another good one is A Gathering of Lace.

Anonymous said...

I was smiling when I read this because when I "meditate" I am usually just daydreaming about how to combine fabrics or how I should increase to back a toque look "bubbly." But I totally know what you mean about when you're actually clicking along with the needles on a big prject with a pattern. So calm. So nice.
And pretty shawl patterns too!

Ellen Bloom said...

Shall I sign you up for the Seraphina Shawl club? Let me know and I'll send you the "easier" directions!!! You know, I like making these things with sock yarn, using a size "H" hook!!!
http://ellenbloom.blogspot.com/2006/02/yabba-dabba-doo.html#links

MonkeyGurrrrrl said...

I never appreciated shawls until I started knitting and realized how truly beautiful and intricate they are. Lace scares me, but that is something for me to look forward to, once I learn how to read charts.

I can't wait to see your new creation.

Susan Schwake said...

the shawl must be beautiful and
all i can say, is that hey.... aren't those voices just the mostest?
hee hee, that is the best two paragraphs i have EVER read on the internet.
thank you lady L!

Anonymous said...

I hear ya on the standard meditation attempts. Any time I tried that I'd either end up on extended mental rambles or get all jittery and hyper. I am constitutionally incapable of clearing my mind.

Anonymous said...

Lucky you for discovering what calms a fevered mind! I haven't found it yet.....I'm always amazed that people have to take drugs to get to this state - um, yeah, whatever! That Knitty shawl is sumptuous, can't wait to see your version!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Now you'll guilt me into finishing my shawl. ;o)

Vera said...

You can do it all. The shawl is awesome!!!!

Soulknitting said...

Love your shawls!!! I love knitting them too. You might try some 'milky oat' tinture for those times the crocheting of a shawl doesnt work.

Gina said...

Wow, cool!

Crafty Andy said...

Meditation is a matter of discipline or what I call tricking the mind into being quiet, i.e. entertained to the point of being without words. Crochet and needing does that for me, chanting does that for me as well. I wanted to tell you how glad I am that you are in my life , thanks for your creativity and inspiration, it always brings a smile to my spirit. Love to you always

LG said...

The shawl is wonderful Regina! and I'm waiting to see the other one!
Knitting and crocheting are good for our health! I know what you mean. Doing something repetitive, enables to create a similar headspace to when meditating! It's an effective therapy!

natasha said...

on dharma tradings website, they have a glow in the dark neon dye. that would make it glow...2 hours it will glow...interested?

Rebecca said...

the patterns for meditations shawls you have chosen are great! i LOVE the leaves and waves - wow... now, to be able to find some yarn to make that *sigh....

Anonymous said...

Oh lady, the depth of your talent and person amaze me always. I am so happy to have found your site. (Even though I never got around to entering your contest... wah!)

Anonymous said...

am loving the retro-goth batwing shawl :-)

Just A Knit Wit said...

There is a Folk Shawls KAL blog. I'd be happy to send you an invite if you'd like.