Vertical Stripey Skirt: Crochet Goddess that will not quit.

wrap-around skirt.

Messages from far-away Bloggersville.  Wither, Unencumbered Woman?  Has life up and dished a whole load of weight to bear? Or has the simple maintenance of a hobbyist blog become one more obligation, worthy of being ditched?  Who knows, but if I were to point my gnarly finger in any single direction it would be toward electoral politics, both near and far.  But let's not get into that Right Now, dear friend, because I have yarn work and fun to share!

recycled yarn.

One of the themes of 2016 is about using what I have, getting rid of stuff, and organizing everything left sitting around.  As per yarn projects, I've recently committed myself to finishing more yarn art pieces than I begin. Yes, my friends, I'm talking about a spending freeze on yarn, and to fellow fiberistas we know how punishing this diet can be. I'm stuck in a vicious cycle of completing all of the half-finished projects and repurposing old yarn for newer projects, while the joy of imagining new yarn, new pattern, will have to wait.  And so, at least two skeins of this rainbow fingering weight wool blend were purchased for a not so lovely pattern that fell by the wayside over a year ago.  Meantime I sat with a friend who was noodling around with a knit pattern that involved diagonal variegated stripes and I figured that this yarn would be a hit for an invented crochet skirt, with bold stripes.  I embarked on my own diagonal (okay, now it's vertical) stripe pattern, working three strands throughout: rainbow, grey, black.

double, triple crochet, three strand fun.

I've been carrying this one around for a while, and as I put the finishing touches on it, I felt sort of satisfied.  It's a long triangle, formed with simple double and treble crochet, edged and wrapped-cinch! A light blocking, an extended wrap around belt, and I've got a spunky look.









Funny, a few weeks ago I was talking to a friend and I guess I suggested that I was planning to make another crochet skirt, to which, he replied: "Karen, you don't need another skirt!"  I just about fell off my seat laughing.  It has never, ever, occurred to me that there would be an end to the hand crafted yarn skirt.  What would be more essential to a clothing diet than this? But then, maybe he was hinting that it's time for me to make him a skirt!  Maybe so...but for now, I'm dressed up in my new skirt, just in time for lighter weather.

There's always a new skirt.

Lighten the Load

One of the great things about helping other people organize their stuff and get rid things is that when I come back home, I have a renewed sense of commitment to making sure that my own home isn't clogged with objects that will block flow.  Not everybody knows that I've taken on a few clients to help them organize their space.  As things go with all things unencumbered, I really want to give this a gentle nudge, instead of gunning my engine and saying "GO!" But,  for years I knew that it might be something that I couple with my *life coaching* expertise and bring increased flow and sanity to peoples' living spaces.

And this, exhibit A, is my own quiet work/typing space.  Not always spic and span, but at the end of a purging cycle and vacay, we're ready for the (too soon to imagine) September freak out!  In regard to ones' own work space, or desk, I can only say….don't let anybody else near it.  For those of you with younger kids and cats, good luck.  If it's clean, I want it to stay that way, and if it's a mess, I don't want someone else to see that errant bill/ticket/note that is not meant for their eyes.  I've strategically placed my random pile of papers on the antique sewing machine right outside of the viewfinder.  Have faith, it's a pretty tiny stack, because I sift through the whole thing almost regularly (two days ago).

Exhibit A: Heywood Wakefield desk, clean and beautiful.

 Exhibit B?  It's the room with a door that my roommate inhabits, when working/computing.   What I'm pointing out is the collection of albums, memorabilia, files etc..that are stacked, carefully in the corner of this room.   I sat on the floor just a day ago and sifted through two or three large collections of cards, letters, and photos from Mom and Dad that I was holding on to.  I looked at a few things for the last time and made the decision to let go and re-stored the photos and cards that I will keep, for now.  One of the important parts of purging is that we don't always know what we want, why, and for how long.  If we keep everything, then, eventually, we throw it all out, without enjoying any of it.  If we keep nothing,  we risk unnecessary loss.  As time passes, we have to look at objects and ask ourselves if and when other people are going to want to see these items. Some are private enough that we'd rather get rid of them (you know, that embarrassing note scrawled out on a bar napkin at one am?).

Exhibit B: even photos, letters, cards need to be curated periodically.

 And yes, I'm in the same boat as all of those parents who are constantly wondering how and why so much stuff barges into the house.  Why do we EVER buy gifts for a child?  Please, I rant and rant and rant, but it still gets in here.  But alas, as I've long contended, after (sometimes) great use, it gets passed on to a neighbor, a friend, or thrift agency that will make it useful.  There is a point, however, where the sheer mass of stuff in our offsprings' rooms is so overwhelming that we quietly enter with a giant trash bag and do the inevitable.    One remedy to the angst-producing trash bags of stuff is to purge more often, which, of course, requires time and energy. Pictured below are two of the real keepers that we're hoping find a lovely home among friends.  Both dolls are Gotz, although they're most likely draped in AG apparel.

Exhibit C: Gotz dolls in their finery on a daybed. 

So back to my endeavor, to not only clean my own home but to support people who are ready for change.  The great thing about having some experience holding a space for is that I know that not every one can handle equal amount of chaos/stuff/purging/papers/etc…part of helping somebody else purge their space is knowing that it's a process.  I'm always in process here at home.  When things get bumpy, or when things get quiet, I start to go at a section of the house.  It helps me find my own center.  Then again, there are times when I'm perfectly content with a large mass of items taking up space.  I'm a collector, after all.  I savor the objects as much, if not more than others.  So I get it.  I get the desire to collect and derive meaning from objects, I also get the desire to create space for new paths and energy.  I was chatting with a friend who I hadn't seen in quite some time, and the only thing she remembered about my new endeavor was the charming name I stumbled upon, she laughed, "Lighten the Load!"  I love it!