Loose Ends

I've been at loose ends with my knitting for a bit now. I am knitting but I seem to be taking it slow. I usually have two or three socks on the go and something bigger or more complex on the needles. I finished the year with the knitting slate clean and was in no rush to cast on anything. Quite unusual for me and a bit unsettling. You have seen my bouts of Startitis. Now it is like I have Nope-itis. Maybe it is just that we have enough socks. I have so many and D has almost that amount. I have gotten so desperate to knit for friends. Yes that is right there are three sets of feet not married to or sharing DNA with me that have socks knit by my hands. I know I'm shocked too. I mean it does make me happy when a cold spell hits and they send me pics of themselves enjoying my socks. I really enjoy those pics.

Maybe it is mid winter slump in a very sunshiny place? Is it possible to have Seasonal Affective Disorder in the opposite way? I mean this is peak knitting weather/season why has my mojo left? Maybe it is tucked in a mountain cabin drinking hot chocolate and reading by the fire?

Maybe it is living in a post Covid world, which really isn't post at all. How many times can we tell ourselves it will be better in a year? I mean in a lot of ways it is better but in a lot of ways we are just living with four years of smushed up and elongated time and trauma. Now that I have said the thing that we don't talk about lets get back to knitting.

I've let myself feel my feelings and thought of ways to get myself in gear again. 

First I cleaned up my desk in my knitting room. You'll notice I didn't say cleaned off, because a clear desk is an abomination in my eyes. I don't believe in putting everything away because I know that just means I will be pulling 15 other things out to fill the space. I think I could get three things put away as a kid before I found the most amazing thing I ever saw to play with. I fluffed some stash and stared longingly at it both in real life and on various screens. Did you know I take a lot of pictures of my yarn? When I buy it, when I wind it up, when I'm working with it? So many pictures of my yarn!

Finally my brain picked one out and said my friend that likes blue will like this. So I texted to make sure then I cast on. Finally a sock on the needles.

Mellie recognized that a little encouragement goes a long way and hopped up to give me some warm lap might as well knit vibes.

I even dug out a kit I bought in 2021. You know big yarn, big needles and lots of color changes make for some mesmerizing knitting. I finished a lovely cowl in only five days. I started some matching mitts but they need some work.

While my knitting room is never going to look like this again, not just because we sold that house, a bit of dusting off and organizing can help calm my mind and redirect some knitting mojo back to finding my next projects. 

So keep on finding ways to boost happiness and creativity, even if it involves dusting something, yikes!