Travis Scholl, in his book, Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God, writes, "beneath the surface, walking the labyrinth is a profound discipline in listening, in active silence, in finding movement and rhythm in the stillnesses underneath and in between every day's noise" (14). That's a really good description of what contemplative knitting is like. We use movement and rhythm to create, yes, but those can also help us find the stillnesses underneath (Scholl 14). In describing using a labyrinth for prayer (which he makes a great case for), he describes so much of knitting. We go back and forth or around and around, following a path set down before us of some sort (either one of our making or another's), and we can use that time to contemplate how all of creation is interconnected and to connect with the Divine.
While I am still working on the sampler for the labyrinth shawl (and have already found one mistake far back), I'm finding the slip stitch mosaic to be helpful for contemplation. I don't have to worry about a really complicated chart, it's all garter stitch, and so far, it feels good to do. The shawl just might work out after all. I do have to re-do a chart (not labyrinthine in just the right way), so this is after quite a bit of ripping:
While I am still working on the sampler for the labyrinth shawl (and have already found one mistake far back), I'm finding the slip stitch mosaic to be helpful for contemplation. I don't have to worry about a really complicated chart, it's all garter stitch, and so far, it feels good to do. The shawl just might work out after all. I do have to re-do a chart (not labyrinthine in just the right way), so this is after quite a bit of ripping: