Reducing the Number of Knitting Projects

Yesterday I realized that I really need a day of rest each week. I forget to do that, since I'm not driving to teach anymore. I go nonstop with my blogging and Etsy shop, and often forget what day it is. When I was a professional dancer, we always had Mondays off each week. We really looked forward to the "dark nights" at the theater, and so did our tired bodies. As a dance and yoga teacher, I scheduled my classes five days a week. I had my two off days split up, which I really liked. It was a relief to just cook, rest, read, and relax. The body needs down time, so does the mind.

I realized after my last post that I was getting bogged down by having too many knitting and crocheting projects. I looked over the pattern of the knitted knockers, and noticed that I had made an error. I repeated the second row, and you are supposed to alternate the first and second row. So, I ripped it out, and balled the yarn. That's one less project for now. I can start it again, correctly, later in the week. I really breathed a sigh of relief, subtracting that  project.  I didn't realize how those unfinished items were affecting me. It's kind of like having too many pets. I read an article once that said one of the characteristics of bipolar people is that they have lots of unfinished projects. Now I can see why. It's so stressful.

I blocked the pieces to the cotton sweater, and started working on the hand seaming. It's a clever design, with a neck band that you graft with kitchener stitch in the back. I use this technique to seam  the toes of my socks, so I'm familiar with it. I listened to a podcast yesterday while sewing in one of the armholes. That was a mistake. I went on automatic and accidentally did the backstitch on the right side. When I realized it, I felt very disoriented. It surprised me, because I have knit numerous sweaters. I really need to focus on what I'm doing, though. I also misunderstood the pattern, and sewed the front pieces on the wrong sides. It looked correct, but it wasn't. So, I spent a lot of time yesterday backtracking. Ripping out backstitch with this thick and thin yarn is a little tricky, but I did it. I'm not going to do any more knitting until I finish this sweater. I have sneaked in some time on the powder blue crocheted baby blanket, though.  It's really coming along nicely. I am excited to list it in my Etsy shop. I love the pale blue yarn and the clusters in the pattern. The yarn was given to me by a knitter who said that  she didn't need it. It feels good to make use of it and create something beautiful.

Yesterday I mopped the floors with my homemade liquid soap, and then did a rinse with hot vinegar water. The whole cottage has a different vibration when the floors are clean. It feels nice. How about you? What have you been up to lately?