Retirement - maybe

Well a lot has certainly happened since I wrote the last post. There I was just a month ago looking forward to another year of weaving and craft markets with just a passing aside as to whether I should order more yarn for the stash - I didn't - and here I am, at the end of my first day of self isolation/retirement/call it what you will.  They tell me that because of my age I should be at home, and as I've still got a lot of stash to use and want to use it, I knew that I actually should be at home as much as possible.  I guess I could look at it as a very sudden retirement or I could just treat it as an unexpected holiday.  To some extent, I am really working fromhome, helping patients who have an emergency with their eyes or glasses, still doing the paperwork and just trying to keep up with all the new information about the guidelines for seeing patients and accessing the various government support packages.

One of the things that I put on my 'To Do' list was to blog more often so here goes.

Did I take the opportunity on this first day of freedom to sit and weave all day? Not really.  The first thing I noticed was that I was no longer under pressure, especially with craft markets postponed, possibly for months, and rather than trying to squeeze everything into the weekend, I really didn't have to get everything done today, so I sat back and enjoyed the freedom.

I did get to the loom late in the day and wove one more repeat of the Stubenitsky Code tea towels, but before that, I decided to spend the morning doing some of the things that needed to be done and spend the rest of the day doing things that I just fancied doing.

I managed to get some exercise, listened to a couple of work related webinars, made a few work phone calls, and cleaned the bathroom

Then I called a couple of friends, did the small amount of weaving and did a little knitting

A few years ago, when the Guild was open one night a week, I started some knitting.  It was going quite well until one night as I got into the car, I dropped it in the gutter and it got wet.  I sort of lost interest at that point.  Last weekend, I decided it was time to get back to it - I figured that there were worse germs around at the moment than anything from the gutter from years ago.

I found a part knitted shawl, just where I expected it to be - but unfortunately there were no instructions.  As I looked for the instructions, I found a part knitted cardigan.  It had a faint stain which I'm sure will wash out, a mark on the instructions where it had been wet at some time and a faint lingering smell of gutter, I realised that this was indeed the knitting that had been in the gutter, goodness only knows what the part knitted shawl was all about or how I will track down the pattern.

I have started working on the cardigan and I'm finding it just the thing for troubled times.  It's a top down, one piece cardigan.  The pattern is 'Caramel' from Ravelry in Bendigo Luxury 8 ply and it's just stocking stitch.  There is enough to keep me alert with mock seams on the sides, an unusual rib on the bands and the sequence of stripes, but the familiar rhythm of the long rows of stocking stitch is very relaxing.  I've picked it up several times today and done a row or two each time.  It's not going to grow quickly because of the long rows, but I'm well advanced with the body and then just have to knit the sleeves on. It's just the project I need at the moment and I'm enjoying knitting again
That's it for today

Helen