Knit, Purl, Knit, Rip

 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb."

Psalm 139:13

Knitting a baby hat should not be so difficult. For whatever reason, the little blue hat I am attempting to create for one of my sweet expectant Mommy friends is not working!

I am trying to create something without mistakes but I somehow get my counting off... or I purl when I should knit... or I drop a stitch and screw everything up when I try to repair it. The tutorials on You Tube make it look so simple. (That extra loop~what in the world?...)

Adding to my frustration is my kitten who either tries to interrupt by jumping in my lap, or he "plays" with it during the night if I forget to put my project up on top of the refrigerator.

When he was a tiny kitten we found a masterpiece downstairs one morning and thought he was brilliant. Now his obsession with yarn is just annoying.

I have started and stopped about four times over the last five days. I've been about ready to give up, say "forget it!" and put my needles down. But then I remember... I am trying to create a gift AND hone my skills so I'll be ready for the future. Plus, I don't want to be a quitter.

In my family there is a tradition. When a baby is born, the Grandma hand-knits a blanket and a special Christmas stocking. My two older sisters and I were given stockings that were crafted by my Grandma Grace Young and they still hang at my Mom's each December. They are beautiful!

Each of my four children still have their blankets that my Mom made them, and each year I treasure hanging up the stockings that she lovingly knit for them. (She has 9 grandchildren; that's a LOT of knitting she used to do!)

Somehow I didn't take a good picture when all four where hanging this year. My TJ and his wife Katie were in Europe over Christmas, so his stocking was not taken down and filled this year. We missed them!!

Can you see how BIG and intricate those stockings are? Can you appreciate my apprehension at the thought of replicating those for future little ones?

But special things require time and attention.

Giving up on knitting isn't an option. Learning how to correct mistakes and continue is vital. I heard a great song the other day which is a reminder about fixing things. Listen to Matthew West's Mended.

"When you see nothing but damaged goods, I see something good in the making. I'm not finished yet."

Lots of people who have done helpful, amazing things, weren't successful at first. They did not give up! I need to persevere. Perhaps I need to check EVERY row for mistakes before continuing; especially if I'm also watching TV or a show on Netflix.

The God who knit each of us together in our Mother's womb made us perfectly. I believe that when we make mistakes or sin, which damages his "original design," he lovingly mends us.

And so by golly I am grabbing those dang needles and starting again! Granted, the baby this project is for might arrive before I finish... but I will create a hat!

What have you been struggling with lately?

In His Grip,
xo  Jane