Over the past few weeks I’ve discovered that I sometimes use stitching and knitting as a diversionary tactic to stop myself thinking. How did I discover this? Well it seems that I’ve developed some kind of problem with my hand and arm that has made it very difficult to embroider and knit as much as I normally would. Before you ask, No, I haven’t been to the doctor yet. I thought I’d let it fix itself. Not such a good plan as it turns out. I’m going to try and make an appointment for Friday.
So I couldn’t do anything at all for about a week . But I have been slowly reintroducing the crafts. I have spun a little from the dyed alpaca. It’s very soft and fluffy and only requires the lightest pressure to draft so I thought it wouldn’t hurt my hand too much. The colours are a little less grey. Very soft blues and greens. I think I’m going to make a lace scarf out of it…or a lace kerchief depending on how much yarn it makes. I think I’ll make it a 2 ply, although it’s tempting to navajo ply it so I can keep the colour intervals clear – it’s just not my favourite technique.
I found that knitting with larger needles was easier than with smaller ones. My hand cramped up less. So it was the perfect time to start the Sienna Cardigan with yarn from Wendy. The yarn from Wendy was a generous gift, a thank you for my podcast, and it’s very much appreciated. It’s taken me a litte while to find just the right project for it, and I had to finish my jumper for my Mum first. I didn’t have quite enough for full sleeves, so I made it into a shorter sleeved jacket. I like it very much and it’s perfect for the slightly breezy, cool but not cold, weather we’ve been having lately. I also played around with the collar a little bit so it’s a little smaller than the original pattern.
Hubby took the photo’s and we both tried very hard to do the best interweave styling that we could manage. I particularly like the hand on the collar shot 
5 comments
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May 4, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Emily
Glad you’re managing some knitting – very interweave shots, you both succeeded there!
Sorry the hand/arm thing hasn’t just resolved. Hope the doc can sort it fAST
May 8, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Zann Carter
Love the cardigan and the color combination!
I find it interesting that you use your embroidery and knitting to stop thinking. I also sometimes consciously use knitting for meditation, where one wants to achieve that sort of no-thought state. However, I usually think a LOT when I’m knitting or spinning, it’s like some part of my brain does get quiet, but allows another part to be heard, a more focused, possibly more creative part. I often make sure I have a pad and pen beside me in order to jot down thoughts that occur, connections I make, appointments or to-do’s I suddenly remember.
May 14, 2009 at 10:34 am
Tim
I loved your beautiful jumper, and I think the photographer did a good job.
Have you thought of getting a weaving loom?.
May 24, 2009 at 4:10 pm
tenar72
Dear Cat,
I’m so sorry to read this about your hand. Take care and get well soon! In a similar situation I didn’t go to the doctor in time and as a result struggled with arm an shoulder problems for 2 jears and almost gave up knitting. I so hope this won’t happen to you.
June 28, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Susan Lenz
Hi!
Thanks for the nice comment on my blog. Having a milestone birthday is significant no matter what number it is. I think such occasions give us time to pause and think….and plan….and dream….and focus on the future. I hope your health restores you to the arts you love. Also, trying lots of new things can help establish the direction in which your work will head. When I was forty I finally had to admit to myself that I wanted to be an artist. I had no background, no experience, and really wasn’t creating anything. Up until that point, I’d stitched only kits….and that was a rare thing for me too! I spent all my 30s building a business, earning money, and working….all the time. There hadn’t been any time for anything artistic and I didn’t even dare to fantasize about making art. Life changed at 40. Of course I had to “try new things”….until that phase was over! Just about two years ago I tried to do a “month of backgrounds”….experimenting with all sorts of things I’d found on-line and by reading other blogs. I couldn’t do it! I had no heart in it. That’s when I learned that I really was more comfortable working a series, focusing on entire bodies of work, making installations, and being selective about the time I now have for art (which isn’t “full time” but is tremendously more than I had ten years ago….I forcibly downsized my business!) Anyway, don’t wait for inspiration to come….give yourself permission to do anything you really want. I’ll bet it won’t take much time until your heart tells you both want you really want and what is really possible! Good luck! Thanks for the kind words too!
Susan