knitting intentions

I have seen discussions (mostly online) that talk about knitting in good things, or by accident bad things into our yarny goodies. I've mentioned joking apologies before on this blog when a project has given me a spectacular amount of grief that I worry for those who are receiving it, that they might fall prey to bad headaches or illness due to the level of cursing and frustration I knit into the item.

While I have heard of prayer shawls, I have never really bought into it. I never really tried to knit good vibes into my work before.

Over the last 2 weeks however, I had a very odd knitting experience.

First, I worked like a fiend on my Hat Attack 2 hat. The intention of this particular knitting was simple: Take out the knitter that it's intended for. All in good fun, but it does have a knitterly dark side...to "kill" someone with a hat.

It's a pretty hat, but it will take out my target, meaning she does not get to play the game anymore.
(Yarn: Berroco Inca merino/silk blend. Lovely to work with)

I think it goes without saying I was not knitting good intentions into it. I cursed my way through the fiddly pattern with its odd ribbing. I was so relieved to be done the damn thing and have it on it's way before my own death hat arrived (Which it has, I was taken out Wednesday. My hat is two shades of purple and made with Therapi, very pretty).

My other knitting experience was the first time I actively tried to infuse my knitting with goodness.

My mom asked me to make a sweater and bootie and hat set for a woman at her work, who is expecting her first grandbaby. I was all sure, when do you need it by? She gave me the details, which I tucked away in my head and moved on with my day.

It wasn't until I went to cast on that I started really thinking about it. This baby is going to be born early. Without going into details, this baby and his mama are not doing so hot. And this baby is going to be a preemie, a small preemie at that.

I found as I started to knit that I was thinking healing and loving thoughts, and I was careful not to get frustrated, even going so far as to set the knitting aside when I was frustrated by my spouse or children. I worked on it mostly during the daytime, setting it aside for other projects if I was watching an episode of Law and Order or CSI. I am even surprised by this attempt, but I want this baby who is going to have a rough start as it is...to have a sweater fill with love and warmth. No negativity.

It's unlikely I'll ever see this baby in his gear, nor am I likely to meet this tiny new person. But I get to send my love to him anyway, in the form of buttercup yellow cotton wool



Yarn: Serenity Tweed, Cotton Wool blend. Colourway "Buttercup"
Sweater: From "Patons Early Arrival" booklet, Cardi Set. Size 5-8lbs. Likely it will be too big, but hopefully he'll be big enough when he comes home and will have lots of time to wear it over the winter.
Hat: Improvised design, using the "umbilical cord hat" as inspiration for the knotted top.
Booties: Charlie's Wiggle Socks, from New Pathways for Sock Knitter (Cat Bhordi), preemie size.