I am Knitter!

I am a knitter!

(Let me say this again,

with feeling,

stamping feet on the ground,

slamming fist on the table,

raising voice loudly)

I Am A Knitter!

... there, that is better.

.... that kind of knitter.

At least until 18 months ago!

Since beginning knitting (1997), my most productive knitting year ever was 2009! It was "The Year of Me!" Everything I knit was for me. I completed about 9 projects that year - 4 of them sweaters. That was the year when I told my knitting group they could also knit all their projects for me, too. :-)

... ahh, they were kind, smiled, ... they are such a tolerant group!

But the period of the "great unravel" started in January 2010. Little to no knitting.

No problem, I said to myself. Everyone is off their game at some point. But "off game" extended into June 2011.

The "why" of this knitting wasteland escapes me. Yes, I know, stress has been a constant companion in the last year, but normal knitters turn to their knitting to relieve stress and to settle their minds. Knitting is a calming, mediative practice. Knitting relaxes. Knitting distracts you from stressors.

Well, not for me. So something was serious out of whack.

Time to cure myself. And it has been a struggle.

First I tried other distractions thinking I could jump-start my crafting life again. I have tried my hand a spinning and weaving. Loved both. But ...

This summer I literally forced myself to sit down and pick up knitting needles. I started and completed a few simple projects. Mostly hand towels and face clothes. No complicated stitches, no patterns. I could feel my normal self returning.

This partial sweater, that I had about 5 additional inches on, I frogged (ripped out the yarn). I stopped knitting that sweater about 12 months ago, and I had lost my mojo for that project. Beautiful, yes, but it wasn't the right yarn for the pattern, it required too much thinking, it was too big for my shrinking figure ... it had to go.

I finished up a pair of simple green socks I started in January 2010!

Finally I was up to date. Time to look forward and cast on.

Tomorrow!

New stuff on the needles. New yarns. New projects.