Yarn Ball Boogie

Wham Ba Lamb

My favorite knitting story happened like this:  I was hanging out between classes, and I encountered someone asking about classes. No biggie.  As I talked to her more and more, it seemed it would be a challenging lesson. She wanted to bring her 87 year old mom with her. I couldn’t tell if it was her or her mom that needed the lesson. She said her mom used to knit, but had had a stroke and didn’t knit anymore. I thought, “Hm.”  Well, the lesson was set up, and at their appointment time, they both walked in, Mom using a walker. I thought, “Hm.”  As it turned out, this woman, Betty, had knit for most of her life, but because of the stroke, had “forgotten how”. Truth is, she hadn’t forgotten.  She only needed someone like me to jump start her again. In fact, she was showing ME how to do another type of cast-on by the time the lesson was over. I actually witnessed the moment years of knitting came back to her and registered on her face. What a blessing.  I literally cried. Her daughter subsequently filled me in on the whole story, the short of it being her mom had a stroke and the whole family thought the stroke had yanked the desire and knowledge to knit from their mother, and that they would be forever indebted to me for teaching her again. I cried. I thought, “Please, I should have paid HER for this lesson”. A very powerful one, indeed.  Betty hugged me when she left and thanked me profusely. I cried again.  The next “lesson” we had, she just needed a quick reminder on this, that, and she took off again. She even did her hair and make-up for me. I think Betty is good to go. I’ll always remember her. 

Cally Forn I A.

I'm doin' the Knitty Gritty thing again.  I'm happy they asked me back.  I just finished up what I'll be doing on the show and all I can tell you is I'm in love.  I can't show pictures, so, well..you know. 

The following is an excerpt.  From me to you.  I hope it inspires at least one person.

I've been drawing again.  Doing the art thing.  I went to art school and I have many fond memories. I have some pretty sad memories, too.  My partner died during my time there and much of my work depicted what went on in my life at the time. Which was some pretty ugly shit.  But if I have ONE regret in life it is this:  I threw every piece of art I ever did in the garbage.  I don't know why, (I don't remember exactly what I was thinking that day).  So I've started building my portfolio again.  It's awesome. (the act of building it is what's awesome)  I took a workshop last night with a live model (so much better than the dead ones), and I had this moment where everything in my brain made sense.  I had music in my ears (This Mortal Coil's "Blood"), pencil in my hand drawing a naked man, and gorgeous muscles that are the human body in my eyes.  Those are the moments that illustrate perfectly what my heaven would look like.   Then I catch myself floating.

I'm starting to understand why starving artists just keep on starving.  There's a series on Sundance called "Iconoclasts".  They put 2 famous people together and blab about why they do what they do.  I saw a commercial with Quentin Tarrantino where all you catch of what he says is "I just HAVE to do this!" (or something like that)  I don't even know what the fuck he's talking about, but I picked up on it and it's been my mantra.  I've been so afraid.  So vulnerable.  So indecisive.  I'm believing in the voices in my head.  They are mine.  Fear is paralyzing.  Fear alone can decide FOR YOU if you can't  move yourself to do it.  I might hold my breath for the first few minutes, but I'm taking plunges.  Cross your fingers.........................