Camaraderie in COMMUNITY

“And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18) Neither did God think it was good that a woman should knit alone, so He made a community of yarn-and-needle-minded souls to help and inspire her, and simply to share in the fun.

I'm grateful for the same that I'm collecting around me, gathering them like project ideas I pin on Pinterest, references I can turn to in times of need or buddies to sit and knit a bit with when we have the chance to get together. They consist of family members, friends, and even total strangers I have connected with over the checkout lane in the grocery store in which I work. I've noticed a customer wearing a pretty knitted scarf, asked her if she made it, and suddenly opened a door to new avenue of fun and fellowship. The joy spreads as the lady next in line overhears the conversation and joins in, and the one after that, the same...till my day is brightened and my load lightened simply by talking about a subject I love.

A good place to find fellow knitting enthusiasts is in your local yarn shop. Luckily for me, Lambikin's Hideaway is nestled in a old building on the outskirts of town on a road I travel by on a regular basis. I love pushing open the old door, stepping onto the creaky wood floor and entering a world overflowing with beautiful yarns and project ideas. Surrounding a table in the back I always spy a group of ladies, chatting away while the needles click busily in their hands, knitting friendships as well as sweaters and scarves. It turns out they have a regular Monday night knitting circle and issue an open invitation to any who might want to come and join them. Sarah urges me to do so; my introverted nature has used my unpredictable work schedule as an excuse for not having done so to date. I know I lack courage rather than time. But I haven't closed the door completely on the idea. The entryway beckons me; one of these days I may still climb those crumbling concrete steps, push through the fear and enter a whole new level of knitting enjoyment in the companionship of others who do the same.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another...”

(Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV)