Holiday Presence :: Day Ten

I'm sure I'm supposed to be posting only holiday things here aren't I? I mean, this is the whole thought behind the Holiday Presence project...but I just finished something monumental...

Yes.

The epic knitting project is finished.

I am proud to say that I am officially done with the Clap.

Over I say.

I started my project at least 3 weeks ago with my beautiful cohort in knitting...and finished it in a laughing round with another beautiful friend last night. This is the project that I have hauled from Foolsewoode to work, from work to knitting with my mother, from here and there to the Airstream, it has been a part of me, and a constant companion wherever I've gone...this knitting has never been far from my hands. I haven't picked it up or worked on it straight through, or I would think it would have been a quicker project.

I worked on it through more life realizations...and I feel like it's been with me through good times and bad...it's heavy olive merino and silk goodness resting in a pile in the middle of my lap while the cat tried to sit on me...But, it couldn't be both the knitting and the cat on my lap at the same time. There just wasn't enough lap space for both...and the combined weight made my legs fall asleep.

There were times when I thought I wouldn't finish...I sighed and laughed my way through those times, reminding myself that I had all these beautiful skeins of yarn that were just itching to be made into their potential...

When people inquired into what exactly it was that I was knitting...I found myself replying,

"a shroud."

"a body bag"

I got a lot of laughs.

I wasn't kidding.

I ssk my last two stitches together, unraveled my last row of dropped stitches along the length of the scarf, and didn't even hold it up for Dina and I to see immediately, because we were in the middle of a long story and giggle fest. I almost didn't want to see my finished piece.

When I held it up I was completely in awe. I am in awe of such an amazing bit of knitting. This is a huge accomplishment, even with a couple of minor mistakes. I wrapped it around my neck, twirling it around my shoulders, using it as a shawl...spreading it across my lap...draping it across my head like an organic hooded traveller, and peeking out like an immigrant from the past...Dina grabbed it to run her hands over it, to feel it. She said it smelled like me, that I smell good.

I am giddy with myself.

I love it, and I find myself smiling uncontrollably in the wake that is the Clapotis.

If you want to find me this winter? I'll be the red headed gal who is totally cozied up and completely engulfed in a large scarf...the girl with the very warm neck.


Thank you Kate for the inspiration...