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January Catch Up

 

Many apologies for long absences. I’m having a Hard Time. I’m not sure what in particular is causing it, although some work related stress and driving lessons (which I hate.. but am persevering with) probably don’t help. I’m in a general funk and I can’t describe it well, about the best I can come up with is you know how you feel when you’re really stressed and sad and about to cry? I’m feeling that all day every day at the moment. It will pass, I always get affected by seasonal moods and I’m going to amp up my vitamin D tablets to try and counteract it.

Of course nothing becomes interesting when I feel like this. I’ve been going to work, driving lessons and to the gym (straight after work or I wouldn’t go) and then home and bed. Even watching TV doesn’t interest me – I’ve still not seen last weeks broadchurch!

Before this struck, and since we last spoke I’ve managed to do some things though

 

This is Milfoil by the wonderfully talented Rachel Coopey. My first pair of socks for the year! The yarn is Drops Fable and it was my first time using it. It’s nice, not the softest, but for the price certainly worth it. Rhys is my willing as always sock model – I pay him in chocolate!

Milfoil

I made two modifications – I used a 2.5mm needle rather than a 2.25 and I made both socks identical. The pattern has one lace pattern on the top and a different one on the foot – sock 1 is supposed to have A on the leg and B on the foot. I’d not paid attention and turned the heel before I realised I was on the wrong set of stitches – so rather than B on the leg and A on the foot I ended up with identical socks – I loved them too much to be bothered with ripping them back to work them as pattern so I just continued.

 

Acrossthebeach

I’ve also managed to slog through the edging of Across The Beach – I’ve never done a bottom up shawl before and boy does it feel like this is taking forever already! The mental funk has also meant I’ve not been up for concentrating on lace knitting so this has been taking a temporary break for a while.

 

ChristmasTreeSkirt

Finally a long term project. This is part of a Christmas-along. It’s a skirt to go under the Christmas tree next year. It’s split into 11 repeats of this chart – so the plan is one a month and it’s ready by the end of November for the tree in December. It’s a big depart from my usual work – it’s 9.0mm needles and 2 strands of chunky yarn but it’s a nice treat. I initially bout the E-Book from Amazon but had to return it and buy the hard back as the chart was too small!

In non photographed things I’m working on a African Flower Dragon for Rhys…. all in black! I’ve got part of both legs done so far.

For easy mental knitting I also started a 10 stitch blanket last night from sock yarn scraps. I have plenty to get on with so hopefully that can always be something to do if I feel like not knitting.

It’s Saturday, so I’m going to try and decompress, knit and relax. Tomorrow I get to pick out some new socks for year of socks!

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