the...not so simple... things Liz Pacey June 27th 2025

 

More than Writers  June 27^th 2025    

 What a frenzied and chaotic world we live in. And how wonderful it can sometimes be to take time out and appreciate the simple things in our life. Small token gifts for example. Two of my friends recently returned from Benidorm. One brought me a fridge magnet. supposedly a picture of the three of us. And I wasn't even there... That made me laugh out loud. My other friend gave me a notebook. A thoughtful and useful gift.

Today, I’m thinking about squares… the woolly variety. What could be simpler than that… If you don’t know what I’m talking about, well you just haven’t lived. Squares (first knitted and then crocheted) have been a part of my life for many years. Basically, knitting a square is a great way to use up oddments of wool left over from bigger projects. Then sewn together can make blankets for various charities.

I used to work for Hull and East Riding Institute for the Blind (now known as Sight Support). I had a bit of a reputation as a knitter (even though this was some years before I officially became a Knitwit). My boss decided to encourage some of our clients to take up knitting again and started the square project. Unfortunately, something like a marathon game of Chinese Whispers took place and the message of encouraging build-up of confidence through skills they thought they’d lost was translated into ‘HERIB needs squares’. Every knitter in Hull heard the call. Or so it seemed. We were inundated. And guess who got the job of sewing them up. Thankfully a colleague helped me. To this day she goes pale at the mention of the word square.

Thankfully I am made of sterner stuff. Now don’t worry I haven’t strayed into the wrong blog here. But I am passionate about bringing my woolly adventures into my writing and I just want to share with you some of the ways that can work. Humour is one of my strong points and I can usually make people laugh when I give my charity knitting talks.

Recently I was trying to write a pattern to knit a square. A corner-to-corner variety. And I thought I’d done rather well. Till the various interpretations showed up at my church’s Fun with Wool group. So… write about what you (think you) know. And try not to cry when it all goes wrong. I’ll give you good notice when my book: ‘Square Pegs in Round Holes: creating the perfect square’ is due out. Only kidding… well… maybe just a little truth there. I always wanted to be a fiction writer but have increasingly realised God has other plans. But… Debbie Macomber, Maggie Sefton, Sharon J Mondragon all write knitting related fiction. From cosy crime to feel good stories, some with a very pronounced Christian message. I love it all!

So far, I’ve written articles, retreat type events, prayer cards, meditations. Now my life has ordered itself somewhat I’m planning on doing simply more. Keeping it simple. Just more of what I feel God is calling me to. My knitting / crochet related writing recently has mainly consisted of Knitlines, a newsletter for the St Columba Knitwits, started in Covid but still going strong. I tried to give it up, but it won’t give me up. I think that that is a pretty good sign that God is at work.

 You will rarely find Liz without a crochet hook, a pen and notebook, knitting needles or squeaky dog toy in her hands. Sometimes more than one of these at a time. English literature,  Theology and Ministry graduate. Former nurse, midwife and home visitor for the visually impaired. For many years a regular speaker at clubs, churches and groups, Covid and personal circumstances led to a break.  But…. She is back.  You will rarely find Liz without a crochet hook, a pen and notebook, knitting needles or squeaky dog toy in her hands. Sometimes more than one of these at a time. English literature,  Theology and Ministry graduate. Former nurse, midwife and home visitor for the visually impaired. For many years a regular speaker at clubs, churches and groups, Covid and personal circumstances led to a break.  But…. She is back.