Fishing for Answers

My sister lives in Germany, and the minute I found out she was to become a grandparent, I compulsively picked up my knitting needles. Time to get busy. With a few other projects simultaneously in the queue, I had to keep this simple. In my stash of yarn, I found this Caribbean blue cotton from St. Tropez called 'Holiday.' (The St. Tropez brand, unfortunately appears not to be available any longer. Can a fellow knitter confirm its retirement?)

Have you seen this label around lately?

I knitted a short sleeve number, and added, to its brilliant sea, an exotic underwater inhabitant. But....something just wasn't right. The sweater still felt a little plain to me. As much as I wanted to stuff it in an envelope and send it off, I couldn't just yet.

First attempt

So, I took a drive. It happened to be a spectacular day and the coast was unusually clear. I pulled into one of my favorite places in the world, beautiful Point Lobos State Reserve. This park, such a special place for me and my family, never fails to inspire.

As I listened to the waves ebb and flow on Gibson Beach, my mind drifted back to the  sweater. (I know these conundrums must also haunt my fellow artists...). The blue-green Pacific looked inviting and I dipped my toes into its bracing cold waters, retreating as the waves rolled in. And, there it was--my answer.

Sand dusted off, shoes on, I raced to the car. Okay, actually I ambled as quickly as I could up a set of precipitous stairs, side-stepping the nature trail and the ancient tree roots growing through its uneven dirt paths.

Yes, there was something missing.

I picked up my needles and started over from scratch, adding pearl stitches in an asymmetrical form as I went along, thinking of the movement and conveyance of water. Those waves. Those staggering, enduring,  heart-pounding, reassuring waves. That's what was missing!

Rippers and rollers knitted with easy pearl stitches finishes this second attempt off right.