Combating My Mid-Winter Blues
You know that time of year… Post holiday celebrations. Still dark out when you get up and go to bed. Often cold and dreary when you finally do drag your butt outside. Ugh. I’m not going to sugar-coat it: January and February in the prairies is my least favourite time of the year!
I’ve never been one to start the New Year off with a bunch of resolutions and such. Instead… I tend to settle into hibernation mode. Naps on the couch. Netflix binging with giant bowls of popcorn and chai. Letting the Monkeyboys go a little bit feral for a while…
Thing is… I start to feel guilty about just sitting around after about a week or so. Plus, I really miss all of the joyful colour once the decorations get put away. Which is why making something beautiful while sitting in front of the TV is a good way for me to pass the time.
Project #1 for 2022: this super soft shaw/lap blanket. Crocheted with 5 skeins of Lion brand Homespun acrylic yarn (I can’t remember the flavour – one of the “stripes” I think) and a simple single crochet stitch… it was a simple way to keep myself busy while I relaxed. Plus, now that it’s done, I can cozy under it while I work on other things! 😉
Like… Project #2: a love-ly new sweater! Knitted with some inexpensive Walmart Red Heart “comfort” acrylic, with a pattern I made up “on the fly”, it turned out even better than I expected! I am excited for it to soften over the next few washings… and am truly grateful for the knitting lessons from my grandmother when I was a kid.
As well… whenever I needed a break from the bigger projects, I found myself working on more granny squares for a couple more vibrant pillows (which sold as soon as I made them, leaving the more neutral ones to languish in my Etsy store). I’m hoping to finish them off later this week.
Then… there’s the new stuff! Before Christmas, I ordered one of these “needle punch” kits online, just to try it out. There’s something really cool about this process, so I ordered some plain “monk fabric” and am mulling over an original pattern to try out next.
I also ordered a needle felting kit (which I haven’t yet cracked open). While I’m looking forward to trying to create a 3D something (maybe even with a crystal or some lavender in it), I would also like to try crafting a 2D felted image… though I’m not even sure where to start with that.
Anyhow… I just thought I’d check in and leave a little something here for posterity. I hope that 2022 is treating y’all well thus far, and that you’re doing your best to carve out a little time for creating yourselves. Let me know how it’s going! =)
