Love: a definition

My knitterly resurgence has brought about a lot of learning moments - challenging projects, the making of yarn, and perhaps the occasional leap without looking.  I've taken on a plethora of knitting projects for other people, and each one has taught me something about the measure of love.

Love, it turns out, can be measured.

Love looks a little like this:

• Five inches of mohair lace, ripped back because I found an error.  Mohair.  (And this project was finished a while ago, and given to it's intended recipient, but seriously - mohair.)
• Grey lace, knit at dusk.
• Two-at-a-time socks, converted to two magic-loop socks.
• 470 yards of laceweight, hand-wound into a ball, with the knowledge that there are three more skeins where that came from, and I still have to figure out this whole life line thing.
• A sweater, when I offered socks, and there's an owl sweater I want to make myself.  Owls!
• Double-pointed needles and complicated instructions, for something I don't know for sure that you'll wear.
• Sheer certainty that another someone will be getting a gift card, because the number of projects on the needles is approaching insanity.

And since there are people reading this who will, come Christmastime, know the lowest point of a project, I'll also add that there is the giddiness that comes with each one:

• Beauty.  And the pride that comes with both the first lace and the first serious repair.
• A delightful fabric, and a lace pattern finally memorized that's become a blues night regular.
• Two new tricks learned at once, and one discarded as less practical.
• The pure joy that comes with knowing I've found the right yarn, the right color, and the right pattern for the recipient, even if the timeline is less clear.  You won't mind if I wrap it still on the needles?
• Appreciation for blind faith in my talents.
• Hope that I've finally picked something that this someone will wear...
• Hope that another someone will like their gift card.

I'm a little stressed with the sudden advent of October, which comes with the knowledge that December isn't really that far away.  I went a whole week without knitting last week, and just think about all that wasted knitting time!  But I've been excited about the prospect of giving these gifts since I conceived of them, and the low points in each project makes each one that much more special at the end.  Each project represents a new lesson learned, and who doesn't love learning new things?

But a swift, ball winder, and set of interchangeable needles are all on my Christmas list.  And perhaps a lace chart magnet reader, since an iPad just for the knitting apps seems excessive.