Apparently, quite a few people knit and crochet to cope with stress. So do I. In fact, when I’m stressed because I have so much knitting and crocheting to do for work, I cast on more knit and crochet projects to cope with it. Yes, that is ironic. It’s also quite factual.
As you can see, I haven’t made much progress on my Federkiel mitts even though the makealong these are supposed to be for is over tomorrow. And yes, I blame the stress. It’s a fabulous pattern, truly. I’ve never seen anything like it, and Tanja uses so many clever techniques to deliver a polished and unique FO—techniques which my brain is incapable of executing correctly at this time, as I’ve spent the last few weeks crocheting a few rows and then having to pull them out.
I know it’s me and not the pattern because the same thing is happening with my Autumn Dahlias MKAL shawl, which is actually one of the simpler things I’ve knit in a little while. (Spoiler alert—though this only shows through Clue 2 and Clue 4 is already out.)
Y’all, spontaneous generation is possible. I know because it happened to me last week, when I somehow created 3 extra stitches without noticing until 4 rows later. And this was after spontaneously generating an extra stitch or two multiple times throughout the course of Clue 2. Reader, I unraveled a few rows so I’d have the correct count and rolled with it. I still have no idea how it happened, but the shawl looks fine. This thing is supposed to manage my stress, not create it. So I’m not gonna stress.
Then there’s the fact that I took on a test knit, in spite of running several test knits of my own at this very hour. In my defense, the pattern is going to be a gift for a friend’s birthday, and I was going to make her something anyway, and I’m pretty sure it’s exactly her style. So I’m doing it. The designer is Mary Hunt, and this pattern is a stranded colorwork cowl with moths on it. Mary is a scientific illustrator, so her charts are mind-blowingly detailed. I’ve just gotten started, and I’m smitten. A complex, non-geometric stranded project with long floats is just what I need to keep my stress down. Okay, I’m being sarcastic. But I’m also still doing the test knit, and I like it.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you think I’m off my onion. I may also choose not to listen. I’m trying to keep my cool, y’all. Gotta keep my head down…
Hey Ruth,
You’re NOT off your onion! Remember, onions become a lovely color and have a depth of flavor when cooked. So keep cookin!!!!—Katherine
Whew, that’s a great way of looking at it! Thanks Katherine 🙂