Dear Blogville,
I’m not handling this time well. I keep baking. I’m putting all of my mental strength into keeping the kids days as normal as possible. I don’t have the mental energy for difficult knitting.
I usually have a lot of rules around my knitting. I cast on my scheduled project every month. I don’t have too many cast ons. I knit with my normal color palate and don’t stray from that.
In the time of COVID-19 I’m letting go of that and just knitting what I want to knit. For some reason what I want to knit is a pink and orange tweed hitchhiker. To say that the yarn is out of my wheelhouse would be an understatement. The pattern, a shawlette, is something I won’t wear. Yet it is all I want to knit.
I had a lot of trouble getting started with this project. It’s not difficult, and under better circumstances it would have been a breeze. I texted Jess a lot of questions, because I remember her knitting about 8 of these shawls. On a zoom call last week I mentioned that she had made tons of hitchhikers. She told me she had only made one. I was way off, but it did make sense why she seemed to be confused I was asking her so many questions.
What are you doing for yourself in these difficult times?
mildlygranola 
With everything being crazy right now it seems normal that you’d want to knit something a little crazy:) I think your Hitchhiker looks great.
I knit a lot of shawls and to be honest I don’t wear them. I think of them as a way station for the yarn. I knit as much of the skein as I can and should I be in need of yarn someday (unlikely with the size of my stash) I can just rip out the shawl and knit something else. Or they make a nice gift if I need something in a hurry.
I am eating way too much sugar. I had Corn Pops cereal for breakfast followed by a Pepsi and a handful of peanut M&Ms. There is ice cream in the freezer and chocolate cake on the table. It’s a good thing I’m getting out for a walk everyday:)
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I really like the idea of shawls being a way station for yarn. I’m going to borrow that idea. Your day sounds delicious.
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I capped my day (after doing 10,000 steps) with a piece of cake and a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream. I told my husband I was having a party.
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For me, everyday feels like a Saturday. I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but staying at home suits me. My yoga instructor has moved her sessions on-line, and I am working hard in the garden, so exercise is not a problem. I’ve stopped looking at the news since it’s just the same old thing every moment. To distract my mind, I am watching tutorials and listening to classical music. Like everyone else, I am organizing my craft room. Just discovered today soooooo many UFO’s. You will read about these very soon!
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I look forward to reading about your UFOs. I think I would be handling this better if my kids were older and able to entertain themseleves much more.
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Yes, you have your hands full with two little ones.
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Seems I am baking bread every three days. Normally I only don’t once a week. As for my knitting, I am trying to finish up my High Effects Feather and Fan shawl so I can move in to other WIPs. The temptation to cast on lots of items is real with me. I am trying to hold back though. I love shawls and do wear them often when going out and about. Our Arizona desert weather is perfect for shawls in the cool evenings and in air conditioned buildings. I prefer shawls to sweaters hands down.
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I love big shawls, especially worsted weight shawls. Tiny shawls just bug me. Good luck finishing the shawl.
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I took a little break before I gave to go back to work at 6. I started the heel flap on my sock but I’m pretty sure I’m knitting the pattern wrong. They aren’t clear about where to hold the yarn when slipping stitches. I think I need a nice plain top down sock pattern.
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What pattern are you using? I’m sorry you have to go back to work.
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Hermione’s everyday socks. I think I’ve got it now. Almost ready to turn the heel!
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I changed the heel on that pattern because it bugged me. So I join you in cursing the heel.
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On my Hermione’s socks I leave the yarn in the back when doing the slipped stitches on the heal. I love the tidy look that way and the cushioning is on the inside of the sock. Probably too late now as you’ve said you’ve switched.
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No that’s what I figured after I’d done it wrong at first. Thanks for confirming!
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Lovely colour. Did you purposefully paint your nails a similar shade 😉
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I am going to lie and say I did, because it makes me feel fancy.
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I’ve knit 3 hitchhikers and 2 of them I did the final edge alteration you can find on this person’s Ravelry project and it gives you the teeth bit on the final edge.
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Amanda2127/hitchhiker
I’ve also done the islets on 2 of them as well, from this one
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/cniotalai/hitchhiker-8
Meanwhile I’ve also been baking too, made a gingerbread loaf today that has to be kept in a sealed container 24 hours after baking to allow it to go sticky, so we are counting the hours until we can tuck in tomorrow afternoon. I’ve also made a decision on Void, to just finish the tricky pattern and move on to the garter stitch band and then icord edge, so it will be a mini shawl not the humongous one I’d never had finished.
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YOU ARE AMAZING! I really wish I would have known about the lace version before I started this hitchhiker. I might add the teeth, but I’m short of yarn so probably not. Please let me know how the gingerbread loaf turns out, it sounds wonderful. I’m looking forward to catching up on Sunday!
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I have been doing just a little knitting, which I will finally post tomorrow, and finishing a quilt top. Your toes match your shawl, nice touch!🙂
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Oh, sweetheart. I keep young parents in my prayers each day. I can’t imagine the mental drain you must be experiencing. I don’t have young ones any more, but I am not able to knit anything too complex. I think your Hitchhiker looks great. I love the combination of color (I am craving neutrals right now) and your pink toes are adorbs!
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Hope things have perked up a bit by now. I can’t imagine doing what you’re doing, to keep young kids happy & entertained. Baking seems like a really good comfort tool–you can feel good in the process, but also feel good that you’re providing delicious food for yourself and your family. Like most people, I imagine, I’m eating too much comfort food. And enjoying my wine!
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I’ve started wearing jeans until noon, because I need something to keep me in check a bit. I’ve been eating so many carbs. And oh my gosh, I’ve had more to drink in the past two weeks than I have the rest of the year.
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LOL I often wear PJs until noon, then I’ll put on jeans for a few hours. It is nice to feel more “normal” in real clothes sometimes. I hear you, with the carbs. You’d think with all this time I could fit in some exercise, but man, that just doesn’t sound fun.
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I’m knitting simple stockinette sweaters that allow me to just knit without thinking, and I’m back to binge watching “Call the Midwife” on Netflix because I can’t handle anything more stressful. I now know why silly comedy became popular during the depression and WWII. I should mention that I am also baking and consuming way too many carbs lately, too.
I love that yarn that you are using. So cheerful and hopeful. Hugs, and stay safe!
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I should try Call the Midwife. I’ve heard so many good things about it, but I’ve never tried it.
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I am trying to avoid baking, but I have eaten everything baked that was already in my house.
I have gone with the do whatever I want during this time and all I feel like doing is knitting!
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I’ve been really lazy. I’m still getting my walks in, but I’m eating way too much. I need to get my head in gear.
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I’m definitely fallen off the healthy eating wagon. Figure once I’m back into a work routine I will tackle that
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My days aren’t too much different. I am trying hard not to start baking! I did make a caramel apple pie last weekend that turned out really well, but otherwise resisting the temptation. I am hoping to do some organizing this weekend, but I may well just wind up knitting!
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Don’t start baking. Trust me. I ate half a pan of brownies in 24 hours.
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Forgot to say – love your new shawl! Even though it’s outside what you would normally make or wear, try it when it’s done! Maybe you just need some bright color right now 🙂
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Lotta reasons but I can’t seem to be interested in anything but my 2 puppies right now. It doesn’t help that my kitchen is torn apart & plastic blocking me from it. Tile was put down despite pandemic & I was petrified. After a week of that I cloroxed everything even studded walls (who knows what they touched) and could use my stove and LAUNDRY! That was a long week, my husband, despite pandemic uses every undershirt he owns. Towels, sheets, omg. But now I must wait for the carpenter to MAKE & install the cabinets (on that side of the kitchen! We had planned on working it in stages so we could use the stove, fridge, dishwasher. No one counted on Covid 19. I’ve been working on a baby sweater, hat & booties for a month. Usually I could get this done in a week. With everything so uncertain it’s hard to even want to knit. I love your scarf & the color is such a great pop to an outfit.
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