Workmanship

Well.

I finished my infinity scarf.

Sorta.

I mean, it's finished ... just don't look too closely at it.  Especially that back part that I intend to hide under my crazy curls or stuff in the collar of my coat.  And that missed stitch there in the middle ... the lone loop that sticks out and says, "Oops!" ... just look away.  And the way that the left-hand side is a bit wobbly?  Well, let's just say that it lends itself towards adding a handmade touch.

The truth of the matter, is that I didn't follow a pattern and I didn't really have a plan.  I looked at a similar scarf that my sister had and I thought to myself, "I could do that."  Without any actual directions or blueprint, I just started knitting.  I cast on twenty-some odd loops (see how specific I am?) and began.  

Knit across.  Purl across.  Knit again.  Purl again.  Knitting.  Purling.

As the length of the scarf began to drape across my lap, I found myself at the end of the first skein of scarlet yarn.  I held up the fabric and bit my lip.  Hmmm ... how long does it actually need to be?  I draped it across my shoulders and decided it wasn't yet long enough.  I knotted on the next ball of yarn and continued.

Knit across.  Purl across.  Knit again.  Purl again.  Knitting.  Purling.

Finally, as I stood up, the scarf cascaded down past my hips.  I imagined the ends knitted together and guessed that there would be enough there to twist and loop back over my head.  With excitement, I cast off the scarf.  It was finished.

That's when I ran into some trouble.  It wasn't until I had knitted my way off the needles that I began to consider how I was going to knit the two ends together.  What exactly was my plan?

After contemplating the two ends of this scarlet scarf, I finally resorted to doing a little research.  A quick Google search for "infinity scarf how-to" led me to a few unfortunate revelations.

1)  This type of scarf is typically created on a set of circular needles.

2)  I shouldn't have cast off the scarf.

3)  I should have consulted a pattern before I invested several nights in this pile of red yarn.

4)  I was in a spot of trouble.

Poor Brett sat next to me as I grumbled and mumbled.

"All that work ... and now I'm stuck.  Grrrr...."

Eventually, I hodge-podged a solution to my un-infinitied infinity scarf.  By de-casting-off the end of my scarf and attempting to catch all the original loops, I managed to re-cast both ends together, alternating loops from the top end and from the bottom end and then the top and then the bottom.  Essentially it was a loopy, droopy mess, but I persevered.  When I had all forty-something loops stuffed onto one knitting needle, I proceeded to complete the final process of casting off.

When the scarf was finally free from the needles, the seam actually didn't look to shabby.  And as it turned out, it is in fact long enough to loop over my head a second time.  And it's warm.  Oh my, is it warm.

As I fumbled and mumbled my way through this masterpiece-wannabe, I was filled with gratitude that while I might create things on a wing and a prayer, God doesn't it.

The God of the universe Who knitted me together had a plan.  

¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14)

He saw me as His finished masterpiece long before I was made.  He didn't "oops" and "woops" His way through His creation of me.  He set His hands to work and I am who He intended me to be.  I am made with a plan and a purpose.

¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

And you are, too.