A Crafters Keepsake

When asked why I make things for other people I generally don’t have a response. I make things because I can. I want to be able to share something that I love to do with someone else, and they always love it.

One of my many joys is gifting my fiancé with a new scarf or sweater that he can’t buy anywhere else. He doesn’t love it because its unique or one of a kind, he loves it because its from me. When I gift friends with blankets and shawls, I get the same response. It’s always cherished from the heart.

I believe I’ve already mentioned that I love to knit. When I complete a project there’s always a sense of accomplishment. Especially when I’ve spent 300 + hours on it. That’s just a mute point when I’ve made hundreds of things that I’ve spent that time on.

This summer I had myself convinced that I was going to whip my sewing machine out and start on a personal project. I swear I promised this, and I haven’t gotten around to it yet. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever get around to it, you see… I have something called ADHD.

ADHD is something, that when you like to accomplish anything, you better make yourself a chart, and give yourself a set deadline or it will never happen.

Now this personal project is a sewing project that I’ll finish in a week, maybe a few days… but here I am dragging it out.

Here’s what I did instead:

*Went to the gym. (I needed to get back after covid… I mean I gained the covid 40, ya hear?!)

*Finally finished my peacock blue shawl. (This is an accomplishment because it’s taken 2 years and I’m wearing it in my wedding.)

*Started knitting the yoke of my first sweater, and the colors are magnificent. The yarn is called Scottish rose, and I swear I will write more about it later.

But I haven’t started one thing, the thing I said I was set out to do… it’s sitting in a plastic bag on my bedroom floor.

This past year my friends have all been pregnant, so I’ve crocheted many little baby blankets. It can be time consuming, but eventually I’d like to create a block of time that I can dedicate to all of it.

When I decide to fully immerse myself in a knitting project, I like to set myself a daily block of time to just sit and focus on just that. If not, I won’t meet any of my goals for completing.

Back to my sweater… this is my first one, and quite possibly the largest project I’ve ever started on. I’ve made blankets that consisted of easier to follow patterns, and they were mesmerizing to work on. This sweater however, is not. You see… this sweater is knitted in a round, and I’ve already ripped out 17 rows of stitches twice now. If you knit, then you understand the heartbreak that follows ripping out 17 rows of stitches.

Rules to follow:

1. Don’t bug me when I’m counting.

2. If I’m counting, don’t talk to me.

3. If I’m counting stitches anything you say sounds like the adults on Charlie Brown… I won’t comprehend any of it.

Fortunately my fiancé is well aware of my project ADHD, and we have an unspoken pact to never bother each other while I’m wrapped up with my current work in progress.

So here is my plan for the remainder of my summer. My plan is to pace myself with my projects. That way so I can complete what I want to have finished sooner. Life can wait for my knitted sweater, but I need to make other deadlines happen.

Much love to all! Remember to stay crafty, and create when you can.