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I’ve been knitting. It’s been hard but I’ve been picking it up again. I’m still halfway in my reading binge. It usually takes me a while to “wake up.” When I read, I try to immerse myself in the story. Usually if I read more than one book in a row, this immersion begins to be difficult to come out of. I usually finish a series, go back to the beginning and start reading it again. I’ve now finished rereading 2 of the 3 series I read over the holidays and I am starting to go back to my knitting.
I say it’s hard to knit but I am still trying. I don’t think you should knit if you don’t want to. Life is too short for that. What I am doing is making myself knit because I know it’ll make me feel better. I have been having some anxiety and general gloominess which is why the whole reading binge even started. I hate winter. It’s cold and wet and dark and it makes my plants die and it makes me even less coordinated than my usual clumsy self. (Freezing rain is my nemesis.) Knitting is one of the ways that I can make something creative and colorful out of the gloominess.
This week I have been working on some WIPs for my friend Mary — a pair of socks and a baby blanket. The baby blanket is out of Spud and Chloe Sweater and not surprisingly I still love the yarn. It’s making a beautiful blanket. She loves it and I’m just happy to be working on something that makes me smile. The socks were almost done when I put them down. I just started the cuff — I think I’ll make it 2-3” and bind off.
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I’m now trying to find inspiration. I knit my gauge swatch for my sweater. I still need to wash and block it to make sure it’s going to work, but at least I’m finally making progress on it. I really want to make something colorful. Something that screams. I cast on the Inara Wrap by Ambah O’Brien awhile back and it’s super colorful. It’s going to be lovely if I ever work on it but it’s not speaking to me right now. I have some neon yellow sock yarn that I think needs to come to life. We’ll see if I can find an appropriate application!
One day at a time, one row at a time, this winter will eventually end. I will be warm again. I will have a beautiful summer because that is why I live in this crazy city. You just can’t beat a Chicago summer. I will continue to hate the winter and live for the best summers. Tomorrow is another day.
Hugs to all who are feeling a bit gloomy. I hope your knitting is keeping you warm.
-S