Still cruising along on my Assigned Pooling adventure. Still endlessly entertained. Still addicted. Making progress, but not as much as I’d like. (This isn’t the only thing I’m working on. I’ve picked up another “deadline” project I have yet to blog about.)
This shawl has a lot going for it. The yarn is really lovely. The pattern is simple. The “floret clusters” (or “rust-blobs” as I prefer to call them) are simple to execute. Once I caught on to the general flow of the pattern + technique, it’s just pick-up-and-go. Because the yarn sets the tempo for this knit — and it tells me when to “rust-blob.” The rest is simple, rhythmic knitting.
It’s actually the kind of knit that gives me plenty of time to think. And I’ve decided that Assigned Pooling . . . is a metaphor for Life.
Like Life . . . this Assigned Pooling shawl is generally a rolling-along kind of project. A nice, neutral, dependable background . . . with bits of colorful fun and joy thrown in for a pleasing experience.
Until . . . POW! An unexpected . . . event . . . Must Be Dealt With. In Life, unexpected events happen regularly, and we don’t always see them coming. In my Assigned Pooling project, it’s that rust section of yarn in the midst of all that neutral that needs dealing with.
Life . . . and Assigned Pooling. Wherever you are, and however nicely you’ve been rolling along, you must shift gears – immediately – to deal with The Situation. Whatever The Situation is.
So I’ve decided Assigned Pooling is kind of . . . a visual roadmap of Life. Sometimes the blobs just keep hitting in a clump with no rhyme or reason. Sometimes they stack up right on top of each other. Sometimes one will show up in the middle of nowhere, all by itself. Sometimes the blobs fall in places that are not . . . opportune. Or tricky. Or they land in . . . difficult places where you’d really rather NOT have another blob, thankyouverymuch. Sometimes they end up perfectly formed. And other times a little wonky.
But Assigned Pooling doesn’t care. And it won’t take NO for an answer. Yes, we’ve got a pile-up here and there. Deal with it. No, it isn’t perfect. Who cares. Don’t want another blob on the edge? Well don’t try to fudge it, because . . . sorry. You won’t get far.
Like my Life, I’ve got enough “real estate” now in this Assigned Pooling project . . . that I can see it will ultimately come together in the way it comes together. Sometimes it is nice to knit a project where YOU (the knitter) get to decide how to make it do what you want it to do . . . and look the way you want it to look. But that’s not Assigned Pooling. And it ain’t Life, either.
My project will end up . . . unique, interesting, my own. Random, troublesome, imperfect rust-blobs and all.
Yeah.
Very much . . . like my Life.
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How about you? What are you working on (and thinking about) this week?
I like the kind of knitting I do because it helps turn my brain down so I don’t Think Too Much, but I can see the attraction to just following the yarn. It’s the pileup of blobs that gets to me in life, but we don’t really have a choice except to just deal with the blobs the best we can. Enjoy knitting on your metaphor-rust blob project!
Yes! Exactly all of this!! And… those blobs are an excellent reminder that the blips in life also don’t last forever. I have been thinking about that a lot these days. The This Too Shall Pass mentality that is not always easy when you are in the midst of the This portion. Thank you for this fantastic reminder (I have not picked up my assigned pooling this week… I want to get that darned Shakerag off my needles!)
I hope you can hold on to that philosophy during tough times. I find it is easy for me to think I will not resist until a lot of blobs appear, and then I spend energy on things that don’t improve the situation. Pema Chodron is at the top of my book pile these days. I am looking forward to seeing your shawl when it is finished!
My daughter likes to say Plot Twist! when those moments show up. I always enjoy your perspective.
I wrote a long-ish Comment then clicked on the wrong button and it disappeared. So just saying your Assigned Pooling project is sounding very intriguing. Looking forward to the result. And Plot Twist is so apt! We’re the plotters, the twist is Life.
It’s lovely – rust blobs!! A good way to look at life. I also like Juliann’s daughter’s term “Plot Twist” – perfect!
Life can be full of those rusty blobs. Drat it anyways. However, the knitting is lovely and I am glad you are enjoying it – mostly.
Assigned pooling is sure a great analogy for life. As much as we want to control the things that happened to get the outcomes we desire, it just doesn’t work that way. It’s hard to accept but with age comes wisdom (and real estate) to help us understand and learn to go with the flow.
You’re SO RIGHT!! (about Assigned Pooling and many other things. xoxo)