Of hearts and square bunnies

I was talking last month about the dangers of a knitting retreat day. One of the dangers I wasn’t anticipating was the no show of one of my  key project patterns. It had decided to be a pesky out of line duck, and it stayed at home. The pattern was for knitted and crocheted hearts. The palliative care unit in my local hospital takes donations of pairs of identical crafted hearts to give to patients and their loved ones. This of course is an ongoing project. Which makes me feel better. But not much.

Of course I could have googled it and asked the office nicely to make me some copies. But I chose to go with plan b. Square bunnies. Well… who knew how successful they would be… Read on for more about both these projects and lessons about writing I learned from them.

As I started thinking about how to start this post a song appeared in my head. As they do. Possibly my favourite Cliff Richard song ever (duet with Cindy Kent of The Settlers). ‘Love is more than words’.  Anyone remember it? So… I had to google it. And up came this picture. Anyone familiar with Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’ and her take on synchronicity will understand my excitement.

So, I’m thinking I didn’t have the heart patterns on the day, but I am already bursting with ideas how they might be the star of the show in future. I’m planning a chapter in my knitting meditation book based on hearts. I bought wool in all colours of the rainbow. When I remembered what they were. Richard of York giving battle in vain helped me win that fight.

‘Nothing ever wasted in God’s economy’. Well worth remembering. Not specifically a writing related quotation, but very encouraging when we don’t get our words right first time. Or even more so when they are rejected by others. And definitely when our overworked and overstretched brain forgets something that seems really important at the time. Writing is always so much more than words. Especially for us Christian writers.

Now, I know you are longing to hear about the square bunny. I can’t claim it as an original idea. https://josoandsew.wordpress.com/tutorials/knitted-bunnies/  But I love it so much!! You take a basic garter stitch square, do a little running stitch embroidery. Pull the ends and hey presto…. A few more little tweaks, possibly involving a creme egg, and you have the bunny. After all my weeks of preparation it was the bunny who saved the day. Someone gave me a different tail idea. Someone crocheted a version. Sometimes all we need is a very basic idea. A prompt. maybe a bit of fun. and just look what God and our creativity can make of it.

We can give ourselves a pat on the back that we know God’s love is more than words. But he gives us words to work towards the spreading of The Word

And... finally... for me and my Forgettery,  he gives me these words; Psalm 92: 12 – 14

12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,

This will be my last post on this blog. I have so enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you this last year. And been so thankful for all your comments. I feel I have learnt so much about blogging and I now feel knitspired (yes, that's a clue to my next steps) to go in a bit of a new direction. I hope in the fulness of time to 'meet' some of you again. With many thanks and best wishes, Liz

Liz is a Reader (Licensed Lay Minister) at St Alban's Church Hull. She writes prayers and daily Bible notes and enjoys talking and writing about knitting and crochet nearly as much as she loves doing them.