Stitches East revisited
Friday March 21st 2008, 12:00 pm
Filed under: "Wrapped in Comfort",Friends,Knit,Life

Fleece Artist merino fingering weight(Picture taken with my camera phone while that was all I had that was working. Pattern is the smaller version Water Turtles, knitted on size 6mm.)

I blogged awhile ago about the bright red cashmere yarn that Karen and her daughter Amy told me I had to buy when we were together at Stitches East last October in Baltimore. About my reluctance to buy something so expensive so very much not my color vs my internal struggle in thinking how perfect it would be for my friend Marguerite (but it wasn’t her turn!) and finally just going along with the peer pressure and buying it…not knowing that Marguerite had been diagnosed with breast cancer three days before and had told not a soul other than her husband.

Sometimes you find out fairly quickly like that. Sometimes it takes awhile longer.

The second day we were there, I saw some Fleece Artist merino fingering weight yarn that was just lovely, and had a hard time choosing between two colorways; I was only going to spring for one shawl’s worth. What I wouldn’t do now to have bought that bright blue and green in cashmere, too, though I don’t remember seeing any in stock there. So, sitting there debating and debating, I finally asked Karen, with the booth owner’s permission, to take one skein of each colorway and walk about 20 feet away from me. Karen walked towards a solid black curtained-off area, which made the perfect backdrop. As soon as she did, it was instantly clear: *that* one. Emphatically. Sometimes you need a little Claude Monet effect and to look at it from a distance.

Later, another friend saw a nearly identical merino yarn in another booth and nearly dove headfirst into it, much to my amusement. She totally loved it, exclaimed over it, fondled it–and then reluctantly put it back, saying something about budgets, it being the end of a day at the overload that is Stitches.

Heh. Guess what I had. I recently finished knitting it up, thinking how perfect it was going to be for her. I’d seen her reaction to it.

And then every time I went to the post office, intending to run multiple errands, I kept forgetting to take it with me. Dumb. I mean, really dumb. What was wrong with me on this one?

Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm I got an anguished email. Masses. I reminded her of Marguerite’s five masses, and how only one had turned out to actually be cancerous and that despite all that they had expected, it had not spread. I think everything’s going to turn out okay for her, too. If I have any say in the matter! Knitting as cancer cure! (Hey, it’s not biopsied yet. Might not even be what they think.)

This time, when I went to the post office, there was no question and no forgetting. And maybe I see why I did before. The timing now was right, the comfort it could provide was perhaps more intense by sending it now.

Steve, one of the clerks, waved hi and then looked at my face and asked, “Having a hard day today?” That surprised me; I didn’t think it was showing. I took a deep breath, knowing that he would want to know (I’ve lived in this town awhile, I prayed for him during his recent surgery) and explained to him what was in the package and why, and pleaded, “Please get it to her quickly for me.”

Priority mail, cross country, and this morning, a day and a half later, I got her email that it had come.

Go Steve go. Thank you.

Made me cry.

I think she did too.


7 Comments so far
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I believe fate is really nothing more than us allowing God to do what He does best. You sure do seem to have a knack for allowing God to control the flow. Perfect timing for the perfect gift.

Comment by Channon 03.21.08 @ 12:50 pm

Each shawl you knit is more stunningly beautiful than the last one, you have magic in your fingers. And you have a truly loving heart which perfectly matches the beauty of your shawls.

Comment by KarenAK in Oregon 03.21.08 @ 12:52 pm

Once again you touched someone exactly when they needed it. You have a gift, and a wonderful spirit.

Comment by Sonya 03.21.08 @ 4:05 pm

I’m crying with you. It is so comforting to matter enough to someone else that they reach back when it’s most needed. Not only do you reach back but, you give tangible, meaningful, beautiful, lasting mementos of that gift of care…and this shawl is gorgeous…it will always be meaningful…a wonderful, warm, and tangible memory of your care, love and understanding…and thanks to Steve too for getting it there in a hurry…
Best wishes to your friend,
Abby

Comment by Abby 03.21.08 @ 5:32 pm

Forgetting to bring the shawl with you all those times wasn’t dumb – it was an angel whispering in you ear to hold on to it till it was really needed for the love and hugs it brought. And it was sent at the perfect time!

Comment by rho1640 03.21.08 @ 9:23 pm

Nothing’s better when you’re scared and facing surgery and no one knows what it is than a shawl. I wore my green exploratory laparoscopy shawl for my kidney surgery (before and after–they wouldn’t let me keep it on during) and the socks I’d knitted up to match, and it really helped with the chills and the cold, bare hospital room. I firmly believe in “cancer capes,” as a friend of mine calls them. They are healing things. May you be blessed for knitting them for friends who need nothing more than to wrap themselves in warmth and love.

Comment by Carina 03.22.08 @ 8:55 am

Life is Good…made better by Friends…We are definitely all in this together 😉
You are a good friend!

Comment by Sheila E 03.23.08 @ 8:11 am



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