In Which I Decide to Knit More

I've had a busy summer, as you can no doubt tell from the lack of posts lately (can this really be my first post of August when I used to post twice a week)? Mostly, I've been playing Gaelic Football, and have been involved in the organizing end of it to a large degree. (Which reminds me, the last tournament of the season: The Jack Bell Cup will be played as a sevens tournament on September 8th, at St. Francis Xavier High School, 10:30 am). This has put me rather behind on my knitting.

Now, I haven't had much in the way of deadline projects, at least, not really. So how is it, I asked myself, that I consider myself behind on my knitting? Reminding myself that I enjoy knitting and find it calm, pleasant, and relaxing, how could I find it stressful that I am behind on it? Should I let myself think this way?

Then, after a friend of mine commented as I stitched that I must get through a lot of knitting, and I answered well, not lately, I realized something. If I am not spending enough time knitting, then I am not spending enough time relaxing in one of the best ways I know how. While I am knitting, I am often also visiting with friends and family, watching a video with my husband in the evening, or just relaxing on my own.

So, it's not that I'm behind on knitting so much as I am not making enough time for knitting. That extra time can be found among the things that are keeping me too busy, or in the time that I am wasting, as I will not take more time away from the kids (football organization has, this year, crossed the line a little that way, so I will work hard at remembering to delegate the next year so that that doesn't happen anymore. Also, I will only be on one committee instead of two. I think that should help).

I've found the same with gardening this year. I started a fair number of seedlings, only to forget them at crucial times when they needed watering, planting, and other care, thereby losing all of them here and there. Luckily a few things seeded themselves, like this sunflower, a few snapdragons, and an aster that is nearly ready to bloom.

Yesterday I made some time for the yard, and the kids and I enjoyed the weather (the kids also made a little picnic in the backyard).

I feel so much better about my yard after tidying it a bit (OK, taming the jungle of grass with a lawnmower anyhow), so I should get out and enjoy that more often. There's still plenty to do, even with fall approaching so quickly, so I can make that a promise for now rather than a promise for next year.

Renewed knitting began and is already bearing fruit; I have finished socks for both my husband and myself, and I have started a back-to-school sweater for my eldest. Here are my husband's Argyle Socks by Veronik Avery, not really being Argyle so much as Argyle-esque.









Once I finally figured out what size to knit, these were quick enough, save for all the embroidering. Once I found a bit of a rhythm for it, and once I actually focused on getting around to it, that wasn't quite so bad either (OK, the purple took forever, but the tan was quick). Weaving in ends was a pain though. My husband is delighted with them though!







I also finished knitting my new socks in Knit Picks Felici, Time Traveller. I knit these toe-up for a change, using a Turkish toe cast-on, a Dutch heel, and a lot of knitting and unknitting to get the tops just right when I was running out of yarn and/or not ending in the same place. I used some leftover of a purple that nearly matches to finish off the tops; I think it works not too badly. Unfortunately, these fall down easily. I should either re-knit the tops again a bit snugger, or just sew some elastic in there somehow. I'm favouring the elastic in all honesty; I just want them finished!

Now, for the sweater:

I'm at the knit-until-it's-long-enough stage of the Tomboy Cardigan by Elena Nodel, to be followed by sleeves, collar, sewing buttons, and weaving in ends. I supposed it's not actually completely impossible for me to finish it in a week, but it's unlikely. I'll keep working on it so it's ready for the chilly weather by the end of next month at any rate, but I'm pretty tempted to pull out all the stops and see what I can do to get it done on time anyhow!