Balance

Life is all about balancing things, managing the tension between two extremes. Some days I'm better at it than others, but what I've learned is that something, inevitably, has to give.

I can't have a clean house and knit. Some people can do that, but not me. Something has to give (and if you've ever been to my house, you know what that is).

Thing is, I'm ok with that. I've completely accepted that I'm not going to be good at everything. I'm human, not some sort of superwoman. There are days my house is a mess, and nights I choose to watch tv when I should be sleeping, and I do break down and yell at the kids now and then.

But those things don't define me as a mother or wife or person, I don't feel the "mommy guilt" like I used to. I don't strive for perfection, but for consistency and balance. In fact, slowly I've been able to come to a point where I don't compare myself to others, where I don't feel useless, where I'm actually proud of myself (at least most days, no one is perfect, right?)

I'm not sure how this change happened - wether I got fed up or grew up - but I'm glad it's changed.

Not about knitting

I know, this may come as a surprise, but really the knitting posts were just to get me back in the habit of making posts, organizing throughts, writing things down. I hope blogging will again be a semi-regular occurance (even tho it's compeltely lost popularity, I'm either a hipster or commpletely uncool....or maybe those are the same thing....)

I find it interesting to go back and read my old blog posts. I laugh at myself a lot, somtimes I get nostalgic, sometimes I feel a little sad that I got all cynical and am not so....passionate....as I used to be (and this will probably be one of the posts I laugh at later, I'm not mentioning that some of my old posts are also a bit melodramatic).

The thing is tho, I can't be the same person I was. I can't be the newlywed fresh out of school ready to take on the world. I can't be the new mother so sure and scared at the same time. I need to be who I am now. Thankfully, I'm really happy with who I am right now, so that part isn't so hard.

I feel like I'm at a point where I can take all the best parts of who I've been and put them together. I've let go of a lot of the bad - there's been healing and forgiveness, growth and learning. Also, snark.

So once again this will be a catalogue of my thoughts and ideas and life. As well as regular updates on my knitting. Since I've started doing that I've been super prodictive (and still manage to at least sweep once a day, so it's not even a bad thing!).

WIP Wednesday, week 3

I realize that this time of year I should be finishing up Christmas knitting, but i have a confession to make - I'm not really doing Christmas knitting this year. I do have that one thing that is slightly less than half done, but that's it.

Instead, this is what I've been working on:

Barter Mitts:

A friend of mine is going to help me decorate for Christmas, and in exchange I'm making her some cozy mitts and a scarf. Just need the thumb on the second mitt.

Perspective Socks also got cast on this week:

Green with coloured stripes or coloured with green stripes? This is going to be a slow going project - managing 4 balls of yarn isn't as fun as I had hoped (can't stand tangles!)

I'm also still working away on Ben's sweater, but it looks pretty much the same as last week (even tho I've added about 5" to it).


OTW:

Haloween Handspun:

I know, a little late getting to this bag of orange and black fluff, but at least it's getting done now, right? This is going to be some super fluffy/underspun two ply. I've got the first bobbin finished, maybe I'll get the second one done this week.


Recently Finished:

I actually got a couple things done between last week and this week!

The Tardis Socks just need to be blocked and sent off to Jen. My friend Krista did the last detail for me (embroydering Police Box on them) and I am eternally greatful.

I made some cowls for the kids too

It's cold here, and scarfs are a pain. They both love these and they took practically no time to knit. Hana was thrilled, she loves mine and wanted her own, except pink (of coruse).

Weekly WIP

Ok, so I missed Wednesday.

Recently Finished:

Handspun Cowl!
Made with 100% merino yarn I spun at this year's Martime Spinner's Retreat. It's a chunky cable pattern and I'm in love.

OTN:

These are bound off, but not quite finished. I need to put the details on the windows and "Police Box" across the top of each TARDIS.


Ben's Sweater:

This is a Christmas present. It's not a surprise tho because it's hard to measure a grown man without him getting suspicious.

OTW:
Same as last week. I'm sorry to say there has been no spinning so far this week, but I plan on fixing that tonight - doing a lesson with a friend of mine.

WIP Wednesday

So a facebook group I'm in does this, and I think it might be fun (and good motivation for me to finish things instead of just starting them).The other benefit will be taking pictures of things and keeping my Ravelry projects updated. We'll see how that goes.   So here is what I'm working on right now:

OTN (on the needles):

My Vlad that I started on Monday. I'm one repeat away from the transition chart, then I'll have until next Monday to do the edging. I want to get it done for knit night next week because I'm crazy.

Tardis Socks for Jen. These literally only need about 3 more inches, and have taken me FAR too long to do (sorry Jen!). When I am done the shawl (or when I need a break from lace) I will work on them.



The next one doesn't have a picture because it's super top secret (mom, don't you dare click that link! I am not responsible if you do).Needs to be finished by Christmas, will take about two week. I've been putting it off because I have to reverse the chart, and only last week realized I could mirror it and save it as a new file.


OTW (on the wheel):

Super soft 100% merino that will be a two ply lace weight. Honestly I haven't worked on this for the last couple of weeks, but I really want to get back at it.





OTS (on the spindle)

BUNNEH! This is my bunny fluff. It's a long, ongoing project that will eventually become a shawl. I've got 130yds done - doesn't seem like a whole lot, but I'm not working on it very often.