Purling Sprite : A Little Sunshine

As I sat at my computer two days ago, I realized that although the sun was shining outside and the world around me seem very happy, I wasn't with the world. I had been cooped up in this room typing away and looking at chunky and bulky weight yarns. My hands missed the feel of slick, speedy needles and thin yarns. In the spur of the moment, I grabbed a skein of Misti Pima Cotton/Silk and put it into a center pull ball, next thing I knew I was sitting in my couch knitting away, oblivious to the world ~~and my kids~~.

What was I knitting, no idea, I just sat there and knitted a test swatch of 28 stitches. The yarn passing through my fingers, the feel of the slick metal on my hands and eventually the warmth of the needles was too intoxicating to give up. After finding my gauge, I quickly casted on 130 stitches....what for, no idea, I just went with my gut feeling. What started as a garter stitch edging, quickly grew into a feather and fan pattern. Still, my mind was blank as to what I was knitting. Next thing I knew, I was decreasing at each side and realized that my mind was working a pattern--I had always wanted a sundress for little Nyah and while I had not planned to make one for her, my mind, my hands, and my heart knew what I wanted to accomplish.

The pattern had been developing all on its own...my hands just felt at home with the needles and the yarn. Even the feather pattern design that I tried a few months ago just popped into my mind without even having to look for the stitch pattern or stitch count! Dare I say it...I may be a real knitter!!!! If you know the pattern stitch count, you may know that I casted on 2 stitches extra, but I just shoved one at each side of the "project" which helped quite a bit in marking the beginning and center of the work.

I must admit, work (both house work and looming work) has been neglected, but if the Knitting Muse is on your side, you shouldn't leave her there screaming at you, let your fingers do the work and let the yarn glide swiftly through your fingers.

I don't know how this would look on my little princess, but I am hoping for two things:

1. It will fit

2. She likes it!

The dress will have a ribbon through the eyelets. It will close with buttons by the shoulders. I need to pickup buttons and ribbon to finish it....and of course finish knitting the front!

May the Knitting Muse continue to be in my home for at least one more day, so I can finish the A Little Sunshine!

Sky pictures were taken thinking of Sandy. I took them one afternoon last week when it was about 9pm and the living room all of a sudden had an orange/red glow. I had to get up and see what was going on. Nature is so divine and every day we have special moments like these two pictures...sometimes, we are too busy to notice, but they are there for all of us :)