The Master's - The Process is the Destination

It has been a very busy last 30 days what with one daughter turning 25 and the other married last Saturday, being offered a space to set up a weaving/fiber studio in which to work and the acquisition of a community garden plot.  Seems like it has been one long party and not a lot of time for The Master's Hand Knit endeavour but I have managed to knit a few swatches here and there.  Okay, actually I have managed to knit the same damn swatch a gazillion times and I still can't get the decrease stitch to not look elongated.  I am going to try knitting it while standing on my head and chanting "Ommmm" next.

I have taken a lot of classes, workshops, certificate programs, and formal academic studies in my life and I have been reflecting on some of the things I have learned or am discovering in the Masters:

1.      It is no "give me" process.  This is course work which will make you really think about your knitting, you will gain a much better understanding of how fabric is made and how to get the look you want when you want it.  It will also frustrate the hell out of you.  But it is no meaningless achievement to complete all three levels, and I have some really meaningless certificates kicking around in folders.  You will earn every bit of it.  Being a completely illiterate knitter I came to the table and hit the floor stumbling. 

 2.     Being somewhat dyslexic is not helpful in understanding the structure of knit stitches since it requires a certain amount of spacial ability I apparently don't have - so things take me longer to understand - probably why I love color knitting and hate lace.

3.     It is non competitive only if you don't count yourself.

4.     The support from TKGA and Raverly is phenomenal, they do want you to succeed but they won't do the work for you.

5.     The long tail cast on creates a series of "purl like bumps" on the first row if you knit it.  Generally I have always assumed the first row would be a knit and therefore the "right side", but you get a purl like appearance.  But if I purl the first row it looks much more in sync with the cast on edge.  This may or may not work depending on pattern, row counts, etc. but I still prefer the smooth side being the knit side.  Did I just learn something or am I making myself crazy?  Only time will tell.

I think we have all heard that it isn't the destination but the journey that matters.  I have come to the conclusion that the journey is the destination; they aren't separate things.  Each moment is both journey and destination with life as well as in the Master's.