For the past year I have done little to no knitting. I know. I know. I used to dye yarn/fiber and knit (or spin) all the time. Then I just stopped. I carried some projects along, but didn’t knit. I would meet with a few friends and carry my knitting projects with me but didn’t knit, just hung out. I can’t specifically put my finger on it but I know it’s related to post-partum and quitting smoking. It just didn’t work for me and I just didn’t have interest in it at all, even the spinning was put away. I just excessively focused on Nuggy and nothing else.
Slowly my mind has rallied and I’m feeling more and more normal. Not the same obviously but normal again. My friend wisely said that it just took me a while to find my new normal. I think she is right; it took me a while to find my new normal and then learn to live with that normal.
That same friend also has been gently poking me to come out to knit night at a LYS, Four Purls. She would mention it or text me. I just could never commit to it. Then one day I felt I was ready. Ready to go to knit night. I packed up my everlasting bagstopper WIP that I had started using natural colored cotton (not the noveltyish yarn; I’m getting to that) and headed off to knit night. I walked around, fondled yarn, and oogled the wonderful selection. I also knit of course. And laughed to the point of tears. I also found that to my surprise I was attracted to the bling yarns and in particular some really soft recycled sari silk yarn. It was bright jewel tones, soft, and slightly fuzzy. My idea of a Novelty yarn. Probably not really novelty yarn, but it is to me. I didn’t buy it that night but it haunted me. 2 days later I had a Doctor’s appointment a couple of blocks from Four Purls. It just happened that this Dr. appointment took no time and I had an entire afternoon to spare. Somehow I happened to go to the LYS and somehow I bought 2 skeins or the silky goodness. **ahem**
A recycled silk yarn handspun from silk weaving mill waste. I decided to do a rather thick bulky version of the Wisp.
That yarn and that scarf could be considered my gateway drug. I have since bought the yarn for a sweater and 2 hats. It’s only been 7 days since the first purchase. 7 Days. I should probably be a little ashamed, but I’m kinda not. I’ve got 3 more projects that I badly want to knit. Yep, the knitting mojo is back. Seriously, I’ve had to place a self-imposed limit on myself. 1 project for the car (traffic lights and trains = many stitches knit), 1 sock to go anywhere, 1 large project, and 1 just for fun.
Here’s the breakdown: 1 project for the car = the bagstopper. Its big needles and mindless pattern make for great red light knitting. 1 sock to go anywhere = I’ve been knitting on one pair of socks for over a year. Shameful. First sock is done, I’ll be finishing the second soon. 1 large project = Sweater (see below). 1 just for fun = um, I had to fit in the wisp somewhere since I had already started it with the silk wonderfulness. 4 projects at one time. I can’t cast-on until I finish something. Of course as most of you know I have several projects that have been chillin’ on the needles among all my WIPs for a long time. One of which is the Noro blanket. I’m not taking off the needles, but I’m just counting it either. I’ll get to it, but cut me some slack; it’s a blanket after all.
Oh, the sweater. It’s the Flared Bottom V-neck Cardigan from Cascade Yarns. The original version was knit using Cascade Venezia which is a great wool/silk blend yarn. I used it to make a sweater that I will not discuss at this time. All I’m saying is “felted”. You can probably guess the rest. Anyway, I decided to knit this sweater using Cascade Sierra a cotton/wool blend. Not as much sheen as the Venezia, but soft and will have great drape. Within 4 days I had 5”, not much as compared to what I used to knit but pretty good considering I can only really knit once Nuggy has gone to sleep.
To wrap up this post…The knitting/spinning Mojo is back. Oh, I didn’t even talk about the spinning…next time.
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Yay! Yay! Yay for the mojo!! So I guess I will see you on Tuesday then? ;-)
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