Tuesday, February 22, 2011

This always happens...

After all that talk about how deeply, deeply smitten I was with my wee strips last week, would you believe I didn't even look at the sewing machine all weekend?

I can hardly be blamed, of course. I was (and still am) in the grips of full-on Lace-obsession-itis, a debilitating ailment that always seems to strike me when I'm holding onto my sanity by the skin of my teeth.


Now, over the past few months I've really noticed that, to put it plainly: my knitting helps me stay sane. It's soothing and repetitive and a process that can't really be rushed in any way. Knitting is orderly, precise, and - perhaps most importantly - entirely under my control. I am the boss of my knitting. Me. No one else.

So when I'm under stress, I (naturally) want to knit. Once the kids are in bed I'll pour myself a glass of wine, sit on the couch with my legs curled up under me, and pick up my knitting. It always amazes me how it only takes a few stitches for the tension to leave my body. It's like I've been holding my breath all day, without even noticing, and suddenly I can exhale. Doesn't matter what I'm working on, as long as I'm knitting SOMETHING, I feel better.

Of course, when things start to get really hectic (like, say, my daughter had a brain-tumour kind of hectic?), I don't just want to knit something. I want to really KNIT. I want something that requires concentration, precision, something I can really sink my needles into. I want to knit lace.

I've known it was coming for some time now, this desire, no, this need to knit lace. I've been trying to put it off, arguing with myself that I've got the Bohus going on, those perfectly lovely socks, not to mention 2 more baby gifts, and did I think those things were just going to up and knit themselves? I gave myself a stern talking to and said "Now is not the time to cast on for another project. You've got responsibilities here. You've made commitments to these other projects. Be a grownup and just suck it up".

And then I snapped out of it. I ran upstairs, rooted through the stash, pulled out some magnificent Tanis Silver Label Mulberry Silk that Kate (that Enabler one) gave me for my birthday last year, and cast on for a lace shawl (this one) faster than you can click your 2.25 mm needles together 3 times.

I remembered that grownup responsibility has no business in MY knitting. Who da' man? That'd be ME, thankyouverymuch. Pass me the laceweight.


Happy Knitting, Everyone!

14 comments:

Maryse said...

Looks really pretty so far! Gorgeous colors!

Caroline said...

Ooooh I love the yarn, your shawl is going to be stunning.

I also went through a lace phase but the problem was that it was a lace yarn phase, not a lace knitting phase. Now I have lots of lace yarn that I will need to eventually use :)

kate-the-enabler said...

ooh. that's a magnificent pattern - I really love how it's turning out...and BOOYAH you. You Da-man, dayamn! You're right, and so enjoy that intricate project (and salut!)

~RaenWa~ said...

That color is gorgeous. I can't wait to see if all finished. I enjoy knitting lace occasionally.

DawnC said...

That is simply gorgeous!

Dad said...

.....but my mitties are wearing out from constantly being outside and,....and....and that is truly beautiful - okay so my fingers freeze and fall off they will be comforted by the beauty of cast-on lace and cast-off cares and worries. Love you!

Sinéad said...

Oh my. That is stunning! What a fabulous pattern, and the yarn actually made me gasp. The sheen from it is just gorgeous! Happy lace knitting.

Cynthia F said...

Wow, it's looking amazing- of course!

Jennifer said...

I LOVE that you're shooting off a breezy line about the time when your "...daughter HAD a brain tumor". :) It probably isn't in your household day-to-day, but it's nice to feel like the terror has calmed somewhat. Yay for Spring rebirth (and yay for birthday lace!)

Celia said...

Wow! That's beautiful! If it weren't for knitting I would be in jail or an asylum.

Laurie said...

Ah yes...that one...#71 in my queue. Yours is looking wonderful. What a great choice of yarn! I used to tell people I knit because it kept me off heroin. Then one day...someone believed me. Eek. ;-)

Dawn said...

Wow, I can see why you didn't listen to the grown up voice. I wouldn't have either! That yarn is luscious!

Sereknitty said...

What a fabulous colour of yarn and pattern. Yarn reminds me a bit of the "Nova Scotia" colourway in handmaiden seasilk I recently treated myself to. I'm currently in a 'fingering' phase, myself.

Knit and Purl Mama said...

I agree with you on how knitting makes me feel too. Relaxes me. It's therapeutic.

Gorgeous yarn. Can't wait to see that shawl finished!