These two hands have been making a lot of lovely things lately, and I wanted to share! I saw this Pin the other day, and thought it was wonderful. If you don’t want to click over, the text is “I need to make things with my hands every day”. I think it’s absolutely true for me. I’m not always making something beautiful – it could be as simple as writing a quote down in my journal or stirring brussels sprouts until they brown (I’m obsessed, sprouts + eggs is such a great meal!). But using my hands to create is wonderful, and I’m sure many of you would agree.
I read a great op-ed in the Globe and Mail when I was home over the break, about knitting! The piece quotes Chuck Palahniuk: “My working day involves jotting down ideas while doing a seemingly mindless physical task”, and the author of the article turns to knitting as her ‘mindless physical task’. While I had never thought of knitting that way, it made complete sense to me – it’s fairly mindless, and I get to use my hands to make something. Win-win. I’ve knitted a lot lately. It’s been fun. I’ve knitted so many things + subsequently given them away before I even had a chance to take a proper photo of them! But that’s okay. That’s the spirit, anyways.
I made both my beautiful sisters striped cowls for Christmas. And I saw both of them wearing them at some point in the weeks after, so success! They ended up being slightly big, but plush and cozy nonetheless. If I make the pattern again, I’ll be casting on less stitches to start. The grey cowl I’m wearing in the above photo is one I totally improvised because I was desperate for something to wear around my neck 24/7, and wear it around my neck 24/7 I certainly have! It’s my favourite. It’s seed stitch (learn how to do it here) that I made on US #10 needles with not-quite-chunky-enough yarn, but I love it anyways. I went on a hat craze, so far I’ve made 3 – one for my mom, which is pink and white pinstripes, the solid band version for myself above, and a green and white pinstripe one that is currently making its way through the mail system to a good friend who lives far away! Surprise! The knitting bowl that my sister got me for Christmas has been life-changing, or at least knitting-life-changing. Yes, I have to re-wind all my skeins of yarn into balls but it is a small price to pay to have an easier time knitting! Also there is no longer lint and dust all over my yarn from dragging on the floor. Yay.
I’m currently tackling another hat for a friend of mine, then I want to make myself another cowl, and maybe learn how to make gloves! Luckily, since I’ve gotten some new needles, I can make projects properly, and that makes me very happy. I haven’t lost the spark yet, and I’m going to exploit it for another little while yet, until it runs out until the next cold season. For right now, I’m going to make cozy things for winter with my own two hands.
