Too stressed to knit: what’s wrong with this statement?

Posted on March 25, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

This week I have been overwhelmed with work. I am working long hours. When I’m not working, I am stressing about work. When I am not working or stressing about work, I am stressing about not working.

I am also not knitting. I keep saying to myself “I am too stressed to knit.” Really? I think that perhaps I need a little reminder of why knitting is good for me. Perhaps you need one, too?

Here are some of the reasons why knitting is good for me:

Knitting is fun.
Knitting is peaceful.
Knitting contains rhythmic bilateral movements; these are good for the brain.
Knitting gets my creative juices running.
When I am knitting, I can zone out the world.
I often solve all sorts of problems while knitting, even when not thinking about them consciously.
Knitting can be a lovely solitary task.
Knitting can be a lovely social task.
The knitting community is warm and welcoming.
I love to wear garments and accessories that I have knitted myself.
I love to make hand-knitted garments for my family.
I get a kick out of seeing my family wearing things I knit for them.
The clothes I knit are way better than purchased garments – they last longer and fit better.
Knitting is a craft that has a long history; by knitting I become part of that history.
Knitting allows me to challenge myself.
Knitting allows me to explore ideas.
When you make a mistake, knitting can be easily ripped out and done again.
Knitting feels nice to the hands; it is a pleasing tactile task.
I can express my personality through my knitting.
Knitting allows me to be part of the community of makers.
Knitting gives me a vocabulary for discussing art, creativity, colour, shape, texture.
Knitting gives me an excuse to be quiet.
Knitting keeps my hands busy.
Knitting makes me happy.
Knitters are cool.

Have I missed any? Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Pattern Radar: March 2022

Posted on March 20, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

I have been strongly tempted this month by some great new sweater patterns. Here is a short selection.

Elderberry by Renée Callahan

I saw this on an email from The Fibre Co, where they were advertising the start of a KAL (knit-a-long) of this sporty pullover. I love the lines on this, and think it looks really sharp and fresh. It is knit using The Fibre Co Cirro, which looks like a mohair, but which is composed of 40% camelid alpaca suri, 40% cotton, and 20% merino wool. I received a skein of Cirro as part of a goody bag at the knitting retreat I attended in the fall (blogged here) and it is pretty lush. A sweater like this, knitted in Cirro, will weigh next to nothing and be soft and fluffy without having any potential problems with itchiness that mohair might lend. I love Renée’s work and I think she really scores with this one. Here is another shot so that you can see how great the contrasting lines are:

Kari by Natasja Hornby

I have been waiting for this pattern to be released since I saw the first test project posted up on Ravelry. I love this! I am always looking for a classic jacket pattern that will look effortlessly stylish at work, but still have the comfort level of a favourite cardigan. This one looks easy to make too – knitted top-down, without seams, and with fantastic mosaic stitchwork for the sleeve detailing (Two of my all-time favourite projects are knitted using mosaic patterns – my Ormolu pullover, blogged here, and my Sofi Jacket, blogged here.) The only problem I see with this pattern is trying to decide which colour combos to use – I love it in black and white, but could easily see it in a shocking pink and lipstick red. Which would you pick?

Blum by Rachel Illsley

Rachel Illsley has been turning out one knockout pattern after another these days. This one came out in February and there have been two others published since then – all of them lovely. My biggest problem was deciding which one to show you here. Her patterns incorporate engaging rhythms (many are based on instrumental works) and have a dreamy look reminiscent of watercolour paintings. Plus, surprisingly, there are only two colours used here – no ends to weave in at the end! Brilliant!

Octopus Slippers by Elizabeth Elliott

I fooled you, didn’t I? Yes, I – Miss “I-don’t-knit-socks” – have fallen for a sock pattern. (We shall ignore a semantic discussion of whether slippers are socks; they are both worn on the feet and that’s good enough for me.) Aren’t these fantastic? On the pattern page, the description reads: “Have you ever thought, “You know what these feet need? More octopus.” If you have, or if you’re just thinking that now, then these are the slippers for you.” I love that, too. And if you are not convinced yet, just look at the soles (below). I dare you not to smile.

This weekend has flown by. I hope that you managed to catch it before it zoomed past.

Teaser

Posted on March 13, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

I had a grand plan to write a newsy post this weekend. And then I decided I would rather knit than write. But I will show you a teaser photo of my new project:

I have finished the front and back, and washed and blocked them. Now I have the sleeves (which will be short – this is a tee-shirt) and the neckline ribbing and finishing to go. It is super fun to be designing a sweater myself; I haven’t done that in a while.

As Porky Pig says: “That’s all, folks!”

Woodland escape

Posted on March 10, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t turn down a 5-minute virtual woodland escape right now, especially when it involves gorgeous embroidered sculptures. The Guardian published a pictorial article called Embroidered sculptures of woodland treasures – in pictures a few weeks ago, showcasing the beautiful work of Amanda Cobbett.

Photograph: © Amanda Cobbett, from The Guardian, February 26, 2022

Isn’t this exquisite? Both the attention to detail and the execution are superb.

The article quotes the artist:

“When you’re out in the forest, it’s the tiny detail that makes me want to be there as much as the bigger picture,” she says. “It’s really important to take note of these things, because if at some point they disappear, and we don’t know that they exist, how will we know when they’ve gone?”

This statement really resonates for me right now!

Below is another piece, and you can see more in the article linked above. And if this captures your fancy, then you must check out Amanda Cobbett’s webpage, here, which is gobsmacking (although be forewarned that this will expand your 5-minute virtual woodland escape into a veritable holiday of crafty goodness.)

I hope that you enjoyed a short break and took the time to take a deep breath and to appreciate both nature and craftsmanship.

Knitting and doomscrolling are incompatible

Posted on March 5, 2022 by knitigatingcircumstances

I’ve talked on this blog before about mental health and knitting (for example here, here, here, here, and here). This week has acquainted me with yet another reason why knitting is good for me: knitting and doomscrolling are incompatible. Physically, you cannot engage your hands in creative pursuit while at the same time using them to endlessly scroll through frightening news. And mentally, you cannot engage in creative pursuit without allowing the mind a bit of respite.

This week, I am more thankful than I usually am (which is a lot), in the gift that knitting brings me. Have I stopped doomscrolling? I wish I could say yes. But I have moderated it, and that is good. To all of you who instead of endlessly refreshing the news and thinking negative thoughts, have instead landed on this page for a respite – for some fun, chatty words about knitting – I am happy to accommodate you. Let’s have a short chat about knitting and put everything else aside for a bit. Then we can face life with more fortitude and think about how we can impact and engage for good.

I have been super focused on my new project, which still remains a bit of a mystery: I will reveal all when it’s done. I gave a teasing photo of it in my last post, repeated here:

Every time I pick this project up, it makes me smile. I started it on the 12th of February and am whizzing through. I am knitting it with Ulysse, the sportweight yarn from Gilliat, which I think is likely to become my go-to sportweight wool. I love it, the colours are rich, it feels good on the hand, and it is comparatively inexpensive.

I have also done a bit of work on my Gresham Wrap since the last time I posted a photo. Here it is today:

This is going to be a very generously sized wrap which means I still have a lot of the cream middle section to knit. Unfortunately, this section is not as much fun as the coloured sections on the ends. But it is good TV knitting and moves along fast.

Emma has been stuck at home with Covid (boo hoo), and in between bouts of feeling really crappy, she has also been knitting. She sent me a photo of her project, which I will share with you below. Seeing my kids enjoying knitting and other creative pursuits makes me happy, too. (And look at how fantastically even her stitches are!)

I have also been engaged in planning new projects. Just yesterday, I discovered this yarn which I had purchased last year and forgotten about:

Now that I’ve found it again, the wildly beautiful blue is really speaking to me. It feels peaceful and calming, while at the same time it sparks. I am planning to knit Flores, a design by eri shimuzu:

To change the topic from knitting to books and illustration, the incomparable Shirley Hughes died this week. Given that she died at the age of 94, this is not a sad story (I promised you a respite from sad news), but instead had many of us remembering her work with incredible fondness. I think that her classic book Dogger is most often cited, but for me, I love the Alfie books and most especially, Alfie Gets in First. I read this so many times to the kids when they were little, and we spent many happy hours just looking at the lovely, detailed illustrations, so very full of life: