Knitting Sooths

Knitting sooths my soul and brings peace to situations filled with turmoil or busyness. When I’m most stressed I feel the greatest need to sit down and create which comforts and applies purpose to situations that seem too chaotic and “twirly,” as one of my dear friends suggests. But what also happens during these crazy times is that I begin several projects in order to satisfy that need. Currently, I have a shawl to finish that I’ve virtually ignored for months. I also have a pair of socks that are quite pretty and stem back to August when I decided to complete all the socks in the Master Sock Knitting book. I’ve only completed one pair and this is the second. So much for that personal challenge! I also have started two summer sweaters. I know that sounds like an oxymoron but I hope it actually works. I’m knitting them in cotton and linen blends, neither of which I really use all that often. I also have a beautiful skein of Madelintosh that was given to me as a gift that I want to do something special with but can’t quite figure out what. The wonderful thing is – I can take my time or set a deadline to finish these projects – whichever sooths my soul at the time!

UFOs

I’ve decided that if I die, I want to make sure my house is clean and that I don’t have any unfinished projects. Or, at least nothing that would be too crazy to finish. A few days ago, I sewed the seams on a sweater that I started and perhaps even finished the knitting on 5-6 years ago. There are many things wrong with it - the stitches are too loose and I’m pretty sure the sleeves are too short for any real child. However, it may fit an especially chunky child. When I started knitting the sweater I was learning how to do Intarsia and Fair Isle and was practicing on sweaters for teddy bears but this one was for one of my nephews, who are now 10 and 13. So now I have a few options: I can save it for when I have grand children or I can give it to charity. My daughter has clear guidelines on the types of knitted projects her future children will wear and I’m pretty sure this doesn’t meet the specific criteria she has dictated. So, if you ever see this sweater on an especially chunky child with short arms (or long arms hanging out of the sweater), you will know its origins.