Checking In - How Are You Doing?

It seems like now would be a good time to share photos of my dog, hanging out with yarn and wearing a spring chicken clown collar

It seems like now would be a good time to share photos of my dog, hanging out with yarn and wearing a spring chicken clown collar

Hey, friends. How are you feeling? How are things at home?

I know this sucks for all of us. I also know I’m incredibly lucky to have a job (that I love) that’s entirely remote so I can continue to have some semblance of normalcy as we deal with COVID-19. Because I’ve been WFH for nearly four years, and because I have enough wool to rival sheep farms and grew up with a love for reading, this adjustment hasn’t been too rough on me - yet. And I know that’s a huge privilege.

That doesn’t mean I’m not struggling. I think we all are (except for those in denial about social distancing and I hate every single one of you). But I’ve felt an incredible urge to check in on friends and networks I’ve been part of, regardless of how active I’ve been in recent months, and make sure we’re hanging in there.

Projects

Here are projects I’ve gathered to work on while all the breweries are closed (hey, maybe I’ll lose weight?)

Dedicating most of my free time to working on my giant stash of WIPs - except for this newer “Starflake” shawl I cast on a couple weekends ago.

Dedicating most of my free time to working on my giant stash of WIPs - except for this newer “Starflake” shawl I cast on a couple weekends ago.

  • Stephen West’s Starflake: This oughtta keep be busy for the foreseeable future

  • C2C Blanket: My boyfriend picked out the yarn for this over Christmas break and I’ve been crocheting it when I need a mental rest (which is daily anymore).

  • Heel Toe Do Si Do Socks: Scott also got yarn for me to make socks over the holidays so I’ve been picking at them at game nights. Now that we can’t do those anymore, they actually stand a chance of getting done.

  • A bunch of cross stitching that runs the gamut from super basic to Christmas ornaments I’d like to hand out as gifts this year (if I’m allowed to see anyone by then)

Resources

I also wanted to share resources I’m using to help me shut my brain off every night, when everything gets overwhelming and I panic:

Fritzy would like to play virtual Libertalia with mommy and Uncle Scott’s friends, please.

Fritzy would like to play virtual Libertalia with mommy and Uncle Scott’s friends, please.

  • Libby by Overdrive: If you have a library card, you can check out ebooks and audiobooks from your local library (it’s free!)

  • Scribd: Download ebooks free for 30 days

  • Feminist Book Club: My favorite book subscription and hosted entirely online, so no need to venture into a public space to chat about issues close to your heart. Renee offers both digital and physical book options, as well as a variety of subscription services to work with the way you read.

  • DuoLingo: No better time than a global pandemic to brush up on my French, oui?

  • JQBX: If you have Spotify Premium, spin up playlists with your friends and take turns DJing. Great for those of us who are working from home in a different environment (ie: one that’s almost completely silent).

  • Day One: I’m feeling like now is the time to record our bizarre day-to-days. Although my daylight hours are still pretty normal, my evening and weekend hours are quite different. I’ve been spending more time documenting what I’m up to with Day One - not necessarily going into extreme detail about how I’m feeling (although I’m sure that will come) but photos of what we’ve gotten up to to help busy ourselves and attempt to stay sane.

  • Animal Crossing: Because I’ve noticed I can’t focus on anything worthwhile so I’ve just been building a deserted island like a maniac, collecting eggs for “Bunny Day” so I can craft a floofy Easter dress I could only dream of IRL

  • Board Games Arena: Scott and I played Libertalia and 7 Wonderss with his friends on this site last night and it wasn’t half bad. We did have trouble with the in-game audio so eventually switched to Zoom for chatting but otherwise, it was really fun.

I’ve been trying to catch up on my TBR (To Be Read) shelf, as well, which spans the entire length of my house and/or lives in giant boxes in my basement (a touch of Tsundoku never killed anyone… I don’t think). So far, I’ve finished Followers, written by an author local to me, and I’ve picked up The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle at the recommendation of every book group I’m in, which I’m plugging my way through when my brain decides to concentrate for an hour. I’ve found myself having difficulty sleeping at night cuz of this whole COVID mess, and maybe that’s because I’m so stressed out that I need to take naps in the middle of the day, but the best time for reading (for me) has been after Scott falls asleep and I stare at my Kindle from 1-2AM.

Virtual brunch with one of my lady friend groups

Virtual brunch with one of my lady friend groups

My friends have been amazing. I don’t know if it’s because my life was 50% virtual prior to this thanks to working from home (so it hasn’t been a huge adjustment) or if I’ve just been lucky enough to choose a great group of people to bunker down with during a global pandemic, but my social calendar has been busy catching up with folks. With virtual game nights, virtual craft nights, and virtual brunches, I’m - in a way - grateful for our current situation because it’s forced us to slow down and connect with people in a way we’ve been too “busy” before to enjoy. Previously, if I wasn’t working on something that initiated income or was perceived as productive, I would opt out. Now that we’re all home, I don’t feel guilty about indulging in hobbies and people that I enjoy.

Also, a friend of mine posted this article about how a lot of us have been returning to “old-fashioned” crafts and it’s seriously worth a read. First of all, it’s from The Atlantic, which is one publication I read regularly (that and Scientific American take up a lot of data storage on my phone and space on my coffee table). Second, it gets into why our crafts seem less frivolous right now because of their mental health benefits:

To spend a pandemic making soft and pretty things may seem silly in certain ways—frivolous or impractical, maybe, and certainly a privilege when my life and livelihood aren’t (yet) directly at stake. Handicrafts such as crochet, knitting, and embroidery—traditionally practiced by women and by the elderly—carry passive associations that defy most American notions of bravery. I think of Jo March, the heroine from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, lamenting that she can’t fight for the Union Army in the Civil War but must “stay home and knit, like a poky old woman.” And yet that dismissal belies the quiet strengths embedded in every stitch. Counting the movements of hooks and needles, row after row, over the hours or days it takes to complete a project, requires patience, focus, and persistence. And these cognitive skills—to say nothing of the proven mental-health benefits of crafting—are just the ones needed to weather a disaster that’s defined by waiting.

And listen, maybe this is a good segue into mentioning I had a call with my own therapist yesterday, which isn’t something I talk about on my blog but I feel is worth talking about right now. It’s important that if you ever feel isolated - especially considering we are literally isolating ourselves - you know there’s something to talk to. I found Allison (who I typically meet with locally but, ya know) by searching for specific expertise on Psychology Today. She specializes in setting boundaries, which is something I’ve needed to work on for years and the lack of which was doing horrible things to my mental well-being, but you can search for whatever it is you need at this time. Don’t be afraid to reach out; there’s no shame in doing whatever it takes to get you through the next few months - or ever.

Overall, I think we’re faring okay over here. Scott’s moved in since he’s essential and we wanted to cut down our risk, so we’ve been getting by with movies and videos games (HBO has a bunch of free content available, by the way, and re-watching Teen Mom with my MTV subscription from Hulu is probably why I haven’t gone nuclear yet). Work is still going strong so my daytime hours haven’t changed but I have to wonder how long that’ll last as the economy continues to tank. Otherwise, I’m just driving myself insane watching a bunch of people not take this seriously or claim it’s some global conspiracy to postpone the US election. If you’re one of those people, please stop reading my blog immediately; I am ashamed of you and don’t want to share my words with you.

How are you getting by? How are things in your neck of the woods? What are you working on? I want to know!

Finished: Washed Out

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So you know how I’m finishing all these projects I started a year ago because a solid chunk of my 2019 was absolute hell on earth?

I hope you enjoy hearing about them cuz here’s another one.

I know I started my Washed Out a year ago because it was my pre-Adobe Summit project (for those of you not in the know, I’ve been a speaker at Summit since 2017 so this time of year is incredibly stressful but exciting for me). I remember chugging brunch mimosas at The Bayou as I knit the first lace section, wondering why my palette was purple and attributing it to Summit because our annual motto is #bleedpurple.

I also remember literally starting this at the bar in Steelgarden on St. Patrick’s Day because that’s how you celebrate as an adult, I guess.

Washed Out is similar to all the fade patterns that have been popular the past few years and the yarn (by Ramsey Yarn Company) came in a kit that lended itself well to any three-color fade. It’s almost like this pattern that had been sitting around in my library and the yarn were meant for each other. If you’re looking for a fade but don’t want to lift something off Ravelry’s front page, Washed Out is a great alternative with a few surprises thrown in. The shaping is simple, as is most of the construction, with alternating blocks of lace for a slight challenge so you won’t get bored. The most tedious part is the final lace block, which I’d consider stereotypical lace knitting, but the pattern comes with the lace section both written out and charted so you can choose whichever method is easiest for you.

I’m glad to have this done, although I enjoyed working on it so it’s not like it was a struggle; it’s just fun to finally wear it. It’s huge, too, so the fact it’s fingering weight doesn’t interfere with its warmth - perfect for this time of year. Just be prepared for blocking the end results because it will take up all your space and your cat will try to eat it.

Details:

If you want to learn more, I’ve kinda sorta resurrected my Beer Knits podcast, which you can watch here:

It’s been a long time since I last podcasted (I think spring 2017 was my last video) but I’ve missed interacting with you guys and nerding out about yarn and actually feeling relevant about something I’m good at so I brought it back with a pretty milquetoast episode that will hopefully get me back in the groove.

That’s it for this post, although I considered shaming everyone into staying home until this coronovirus thing is over. People are freaking out and other people are saying it’s not a big deal and both reactions are 100% wrong. It’s not doomsday but it’s here and it’s going to spread. My advice (as a highly educated art major with an MBA who spends her days coding if/then logic so basically I know nothing) is to follow the science people. Stop reading news outlets and Facebook memes and instead check out Scientific American or one of my personal favorites, SciBabe, who will slap you in the face with facts and scoff at your anecdotes. Also, now’s a good time to start washing your hands like you just ate a bag of Cheetos before knitting with pure white yarn.

In the meantime, I’m also:

  • Reading: A Discovery of Witches

  • Knitting: Heel Toe Do Si Do socks

  • Mourning that this year’s Adobe Summit is going virtual (thanks, COVID-19!) because I want to see my friends in Vegas and get VIP swag

Finished: Campside Shawl

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Even if you haven’t had a productive year, blogging makes it feel like you did when you wait almost 365 full days to talk about it.

That’s what happened with this Campside shawl that I finished last April after having a doozy of a winter.

Let me explain. For those of you not in the know, I’m going through a divorce. My soon-to-be-ex-husband and I officially separated in May of 2018. I spent the next six months reveling in my newfound freedom and loving on my amazing friends - it was a great time. Last winter, however, reality hit; it was really hard for me because even though I know it’s all for the best, it’s still a major life adjustment. Although I won’t get into details here, I will say it’s tough feeling like you’re alone, or that divorce is shameful. It’s not something people talk about for those reasons and everyone’s “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality doesn’t help, either.

(Here’s some unsolicited advice for those of you with friends or family members going through divorce: don’t treat them like they just need to pick themselves up by the bootstraps. Because they will want to strangle you with said bootstraps.)

Anyway, I wouldn’t say I’m “fine” now but I’m much happier. Great things are happening and I firmly believe you can’t experience true happiness without acknowledging the bad, versus shoving it aside (in fact, if you’re interested, there are several articles citing the positivity movement as being… well… negative). Sometimes, you’ve gotta wallow in your crap if you ever hope to get out of it.

As a result of being happier, I’m back to being a ferociously obsessed knitter who updates her blog. Which means there’s a lot of catch-up coming my way.

One of my finished projects that’s been longing for its own blog post is the aforementioned Campside shawl by Alicia Plummer. The pattern isn’t new at all and had been sitting around in my Ravelry queue for ages. Toward the end of last February, and while I was going through all the emotions, I decided to throw myself into the fire and finally get it done.

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Details

Pattern: Campside by Alicia Plummer
Yarn: Knit Picks Capra, Magnolia Heather

Click here to view the project on Ravelry

The pattern is written clearly and easy to follow. If you’re new to shawls and basic lace, this would be a good project to practice your increases and yarn-overs. For us pros, it’s fantastic potato chip knitting. I barely had to reference the pattern after awhile so it was perfect for working on in the background during work meetings (what - it helps me concentrate) or if I wanted to escape my life through garbage TV.

I also have to talk about how fantastic this yarn is. For years, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Knit Picks. For example, I love Felici and have used it for more socks than I can shake my fists at, but I hate that it doesn’t hold up to wear and tear. In this case, however, Capra has been soft and durable. It was dreamy to knit with and blocked beautifully. You don’t get a lot of yarn in the ball and I think I ended up using six or seven for the shawl but it’s sold at a reasonable price point and is worth the investment.

I legit wear this thing all the time. The yarn used isn’t super warm but because Campside is so big, you won’t be cold. Which also makes it perfect for springtime or early fall wearing, as well, if and when you need an actual wrap.

So in case it’s not obvious, I’m back with a vengeance. I’m connecting with old friends in the industry and continue meeting new ones along the way. I’ve been knitting or crocheting almost every day for the past few months, completely the opposite of last winter when I hoped I’d just get zapped into outer space. I took a lot of people, including myself, on a wild and whacky ride for over a year so I hope everyone involved can forgive whatever the heck that was.

PS: I’ll be rebooting my Beer Knits podcast by recording my first show since 2017 next weekend. I’ve received so many encouraging messages from my Instagram followers since getting back into the swing of things and I’ve missed waffling about yarn for 20-30 minutes on a regular basis. Stay tuned!

Read My Article in Knitability!

It turns out I’m absolute trash at updating my blog these days. Part of that is because I wasn’t knitting for the longest time (my life doesn’t just explode; it goes nuclear) and the other part is that I’ve been more taken with Instagram. There’s instant interaction over there and a greater sense of community than on my own blog (and blogging about the things I make makes me feel a little self-involved, as if anyone would care to read what I have to say about… well… literally anything).

But it turns out I still have the writing bug and from time to time, I whip out the occasional article or two - when prompted. Earlier in the year, Dan from the Bakery Bears podcast reached out and asked if I’d like to contribute to his and Kay’s Patreon-only digital publication, Knitability. I couldn’t say no.

I wrote about my experience as a younger knitter in the fiber world. Although I don’t feel so young anymore, I clearly remember what life was like when I’d try to knit in public or purchase designer yarn while practically looking like a high-functioning infant and the correlating judgment thrown my way. To some degree, I still battle that now, although most people will come up to me and ask what I’m making or tell me my hobby is cool.

Still, it’s been interesting to “grow up” during a time where a once-stereotypical woman’s hobby is now either generally accepted or I’m so jaded by the universe that I simply don’t care what others think when I’m knitting at the bar.

Regardless, you should check out the latest issue of Knitability for articles that are written better than mine by more worthy people, for sure.

Don’t forget: Knitability is for patrons only so you’ll have to subscribe (you’ll thank me later).