What gives you the right?  The right to stand in front of a group of knitters and present a workshop. Or the inner authority to publish a pattern for sale? Who says your knitted items are good enough to give as gifts? What right do you have to publish a blog post about knitting? Why would you think it’s okay to wear a funky shawl? Who allows you to pick up yarn and needles on a subway and knit?

Profound Knowing Equals Inner Authority

There are factors like confidence, arrogance, courage, and daring.  Also, circumstances such as supportive comments and folks demonstrating a demand for you or your ideas can give you some sense of confidence. And yes, there’s also fear, and worry and imposter syndrome that seem to belie your inner authority. But when you really put yourself out there, you exhibit an inner authority that expresses that you are worthy.  A solid knowing of who you are and what you present.

You may not realize it, but whenever you present yourself and/or your work, you do so with a significant core of your being stating, “Yes, I have the right.”

This comes up for me when I sell my knitwear at craft shows.  It also shows up every time I stand up in front of a new men’s knitting retreat demanding the attention of the 40 or so guys. Or when I present a workshop or take out my knitting in public. There is not a question in my mind that I don’t have the authority.  That profound knowing of who I am and what I’m capable of emanates an unquestioning authority. It doesn’t rely on what others think or say or do.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are many times where I don’t act in a way that’s consistent with an inner authority.  For instance, I conform to what I think is expected of me in the way that I dress. At this time of year, I guess at what gifts I think friends and family will like. I rely on trial and error…on seeing if someone is pleased or not with how or what I present.

But there are definitely times when I know who I am.  When I own the space around me in a way that’s unwavering and unquestionable.  It is that profound knowing that lets me go forward unconcerned about reaction.  Or more accurately, knowing that all reactions are perfect and I can handle them all.

Where in your life do you have an undeniable inner authority?  Is it in your parenting?  How about your cooking or your art or your writing? Is it how you manage projects or people at work?

Current Knitting

Now that the pressures of knitting items for sale at craft shows are over, I still find I have three new knitting projects I’m working on.  Well kind of new. The first one is a scarf I probably started over 5 years ago.

I’m not sure where the yarn is from (probably Michaels of JoAnn’s). Years ago, I made a few of these acrylic, tufted color scarves to sell at craft shows and that last one just sold this past weekend. So I’m finishing up this scarf I started knitting years ago.  It won’t take long.

This past weekend I also sold the Chantal Silk Wrap I knit a couple of weeks ago. So, I’m replacing that as well.

The second hank of Chantal Silk is a slightly different colorway than the first, so I’m alternating two rows of the old hank and two rows of the new hank in the Old Shale pattern stitch.

Finally, I started a new Chevron Striped Scarf as a donation to Easton Mountain for their New Year’s auction.

I’m using a Madeline Tosh yarn (the purplish colored yarn) call 80/10/10 (Merino Wool, Cashmere, and nylon) and a couple of other random yarns for which I have single skeins. I’m going to need to knit a hat as well.