| Author |
 Topic  |
|
RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
 Posted - 03/06/2006 : 7:45:10 PM
|
This was forwarded to me in an e-mail:
Knitting is a peaceful activity. Sheep are archetypically placid. When they cross a road that you are driving down, there is nothing to do but wait. It never crosses your mind to honk the horn or try to drive around—where I live the sheep graze in fields so rocky that you’d pierce your muffler if you tried—you just turn off your engine and admire the ungainly woolly lumps brushing past your front bumper. Knitting starts with the sheep.
I like natural yarns that are full of lanolin. That way I can feel the life of this animal that needn’t give its life to yield up this wonderful product that I use to knit. I fondle the yarn and start to rack my brains and my library for inspiration. My knitted things have no borders. I use a Swedish wool to knit mittens using a twisted Eastern stitch. The mittens turn out not to be warm enough, so I knit mitten liners out of Chilean alpaca. The hat on my head is of Japanese yarn, knitted from a Norwegian pattern. I knit my hat in the round from the top down, and once I passed the awkward double point stage and worked onto a circular needle, I slipped into the meditative state that arises when I knit stocking stitch in the round. My mind wanders, first to my work day then, eventually, to the private part of my day, my family, my friends, the wild thyme that the sheep graze on in the rocky fields up the road. I become part of a world bigger than that enclosed by the ends of the sofa where I sit knitting. My mind wanders through the world that has led to the knitting in my hands and because I am knitting, engaged in this quiet, peaceful activity that starts with the placid sheep, my mind wanders through a peaceful world.
Knitters radiate peace. When I see a stranger moving a pre-natal sock around and around a ring of double points, he is engaged in creating warmth for someone he cares about, an expression of peace. When I see a friend with a lap full of grey alpaca, lovingly being worked in moss stitch for her new baby, her quiet handiwork sings peace.
I would like to channel this peacefulness. On March 21, every stitch that I knit will be dedicated to peace. I would like to invite everyone who knits to join me on that day. Will it stop people from hurting and threatening and frightening each other, the antithesis of peace? Who knows. When I knit on March 21, I will be saying with each stitch that peace is possible, that human intelligence and compassion can triumph over fear and greed, that terror and war can give way to discussion and peace.
Knit for peace.
* * *
Randy Sklaver
Visby, Sweden
knitforpeace@yahoo.com
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
|
|
marfa
Permanent Resident
USA
1876 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2006 : 11:45:39 AM
|
How do.
What an interesting email you rec'd.
Amie, I'm surprised that so many people have read this post & yet no one has responded before me. Am I missing something?
Thanks for sharing this & I'll remember it on Tuesday, 3/21.
As the line from the powerful song says, "Let peace begin w/me...".
Martha
http://marfasmewsings.blogspot.com |
 |
|
|
clarelight
New Pal
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2006 : 11:47:41 AM
|
I've got it on my calendar. I like that it's on the equinox, equal days and nights, equal peace for the world. I like it!
Stitch lightly, it makes ripping out easier |
|
|
|
Brooke
Warming Up
89 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2006 : 5:00:03 PM
|
I will definitely keep that in mind. That is a special day for me. My dd was born on the day and will be 2 this year. She was more than a month early but how beautiful she was and is and to be born on the first day of spring - she is definitely special and to think of peace that day will be as natural as breathing for me. Thank you for giving me another reason to think about peace.
Brooke
http://oklahomaknitwit.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
autumns daughter
Chatty Knitter
267 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2006 : 6:43:14 PM
|
Oh boy, will I need peace on that day- exactly a month before my junior recital. I love this beautiful idea. Thank you for sharing it!
autumn's daughter
bloggy blog:
http://autumnsdaughter.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
|
yarn forever
Chatty Knitter
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 06:51:50 AM
|
Count me in! Wool, peace and love, baby!
I will try to make an "international" project on March 21st.
Roxy
www.roxyyarns.com/store |
|
|
|
Sabrina
Chatty Knitter
USA
341 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 11:00:57 AM
|
| I think few responded right away because it was a thoughtful piece that makes one (made me)retrospective ie; externally quiet but internally...well that's another story. |
|
|
|
RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 11:05:04 AM
|
The responses here are nice, but it's the response in our hearts that matters most.
that what you're trying to say, Sabrina?
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
|
|
|
marfa
Permanent Resident
USA
1876 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 12:57:50 PM
|
How do.
Sabrina, I agree w/your take on this post from Amie as being a tho't provoking & reflection-producing piece. Yesterday I was number 60 to read it & it struck me as unusual that no one had posted before me.
Amie, I agree that the response in our hearts matters. I was not trying to be critical about it - it was just my observation.
Martha
http://marfasmewsings.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 1:00:42 PM
|
No critique inferred, sweets. 
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
|
|
|
donncoop
Chatty Knitter
111 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 1:07:46 PM
|
A favorite quote of mine is " there is no way to peace, peace is the way."
I too will mark my calendar and knit for peace.Thanks for passing it on. |
|
|
|
marfa
Permanent Resident
USA
1876 Posts |
Posted - 03/08/2006 : 4:12:27 PM
|
How do.
Amie, thanks, hon. Appreciate your comment - just wanted to make sure ^..^
Donncoop, good quote.
Martha
http://marfasmewsings.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
sandrasingh
Seriously Hooked
USA
740 Posts |
|
|
booglass
Permanent Resident
Costa Rica
1987 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2006 : 09:55:35 AM
|
I'm in!! Even if it doesn't change the world, doesn't it a little bit since all of us will be thinking about peace in the world on that day. Sometimes even something as small as intention can create big changes.
bonnie
Check out my blog:
Tropical Knits
http://www.booglass.typepad.com |
|
|
|
sandrasingh
Seriously Hooked
USA
740 Posts |
|
|
comfybev
Chatty Knitter
USA
256 Posts |
|
|
Stephknits
Chatty Knitter
USA
125 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 10:00:12 AM
|
| Well I'm glad I saw this before it was too late. Count me in.--Stephanie |
|
|
|
woolwoman
Warming Up
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 1:14:17 PM
|
This is wonderful and I have passed this along to my dearest knitting friends. Hope I can recapture the peace I felt just reading what Randy wrote.
Thanks for passing it along to Knitter Forum! |
|
|
|
janev
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
444 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 4:22:41 PM
|
Knitting for peace tonight- with all my heart!
Jane
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!"
www.janevdoviak.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
|
|
RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 03/21/2006 : 5:20:32 PM
|
On the page that shows the subject lines, it tells you how many responses, how many views, and who was the last to modify the thread. http://knittersreview.com/forum/active.asp
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
March 21
