A Year Winding Down

If I seemed a little down the last few days, I am sorry.  I'm not, not more than usual at least. I have been preoccupied though. If you find yourself feeling sad, do listen to this most recent episode of the By the Fibreside podcast.  It is a beautiful reminder that feeling sad is part of us, that it isn't negative or bad.  It just is.


I have been pondering and thinking about ways to end the year and start the new and that lack of decision is showing.  Yesterday took care of that.

I did go through all my WIPs and sort my boxes.  I took out the lace and looked at it but it didn't inspire me.  Go figure.  I picked up a thing that I put aside to frog and dealt with that and sputtered and meandered till I made it to the box with the Sock Monkey Blanket.  

That felt very right and I settled to knit it.  It was a huge relief to just knit.  I sort of decided that I would give it to Amy's folks, but Amy said that if I give it to her to pass on to them, it will never make it.  She adores it and she knew right away what it was.  This pleased me.  I may find myself knitting another just because she instantly understood Sock Monkey Blankets.  This never happens with my knitting and I am completely charmed that it did.

Then the landlord came home with the mail.  Mail is generally a chore, but if you knit and order online, mail is quite often filled with delights.  

My copy of Downton Abbey  the movie.  This feels like what getting a copy of Serenity would have felt like, if you had been a huge fan of Firefly.  I am saving it for this evening, to watch it as I bring in the new year.

Next up, my order from Yarn Canada.  I am so excited to get this because Isaac needs a new scarf and we consulted on yarn and colours.  We picked two options and he thought about them and ended up going with the brilliantly lit Bernat Reflective in neon orange and a gorgeous, rich peacock.  I haven't quite decided if it will be squishy brioche or a patterned something. Either way, I can't wait to start it and to see the colours developing with each other.  Just how reflective is it?  Very good.

And then there is a box of a little something for me.  I recently found that layering my wrist warmers overnight has made a significant difference to how I sleep and the way my hands feel after a big knitting day.  I have a feeling that heavier socks will make a difference too.  I have also been debating the need for a series of specific socks, just for sleep and bed.  I still want superwash and I hope this yarn delivers.  Otherwise I will need a worsted weight which may be too heavy for all night wear.  Yes, that does happen.  Sometimes socks get kicked off.

I started them first thing this morning. I love how it is turning out.  The colours are taken from HBC Point blankets. I really adore the felted HBC inspired slippers from River City Yarns, but I am looking at socks, not slippers so...I couldn't see foot wear with white or natural colours looking good for long so I went with a strong charcoal gray. The gray looks great and should be a bit better at withstanding stains.  Who knows.  Heavy socks may become my regular wear.  

So that is where my head is today, wrapped in a fun little project, thinking quite happily about tomorrow's first project of the new year.  Delivery so perfectly timed, is a lovely little gift from the Post Office.  As a way to wrap up the year, it is not so bad at all.