Welcome Gentle Unraveler’s,
At long last, we have arrived at the last Wednesday in November (I know, most of the month moved at an astonishing speed but for me time stopped feeling normal last week and now a day can feel like a century.)
I explained Monday about knitting and grief… the socks are finished but the grief is most certainly not. Now I am contemplating what I could do to occupy my hands as I work through these fresh days.
I started a gnome Monday night but I am not sure it is “simple” enough. It has a complicated rate of decreases/increases in the cap that I remember struggling with when I knit Gnock the Larger. Anyways, I have unknit and unknit and unknit to fix things. If only fixing life were that easy… just unknit a few rows to go back to the “before” time… anyways, I am not sure I have the brain capacity to manage that complication right now.
A bit of mosaic-ing… initially fun, but I quickly got bored.
One thing I did discover this month was that 365 days of Mosaic Embroidery won’t be happening. I started this test sample earlier in the month… and it is just large enough to show me that a year of this won’t work for me for a few reasons. First… I really don’t like stitching with an embroidery hoop… and a hoop is a necessity for darning because tension is important. Second, I got bored very quickly even with this very small sample. Once I can manage puzzle thinking again, I will fill in the edges and then finish it off into a pincushion.
That means I did purchase Karen Turner’s template for 2026 and will spend some time in December prepping the antique fabric I got before tariffs kicked in. I have some lovely French Métis to stitch on this year and I think I am going to take Karen’s suggestion and do a bit of couching before January 1st arrives. I just need to look in my stash to see what might work.
Reading has kind of fallen off the cliff… I am listening to the January Read With Us book, The Antidote but honestly, I am really struggling to focus. (Although, I do so wish that a Prairie Witch existed, I have some shit that I’d like to deposit… just sayin’) Anyways, I will forge on despite my lack of focus. And before bedtime reading? Well, I can tell you that currently even reading the same paragraph multiple times is not helping… but I am sure reading will pick up again when all this is not so fresh and painful.
That is if for me this week… I hope this last Wednesday in November finds you not behind on your Thanksgiving To Do Lists!
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I hope you find something to work on that is simple yet satisfying. I do love the stitching and I think it will be a nice pincushion. I finished with holiday knitting for others now I am back to knitting for me and my husband. phew!
You are finding out what you’re not meant to do now, which is valuable information; now I just hope you can figure out what works best for you. A Hitchhiker is comforting, meditative knitting for me, but you may not want to knit something meant to be worn. Maybe simple mitts or a hat for charity? I do love the colors in your gnome and mosaic embroidery, and that template looks lovely. I like how she says time isn’t square and doesn’t go in straight lines but each square is like a small view of the bigger picture. I can see how reading would be difficult but especially the current RWU book. I hope you and your family are finding their way; I will continue holding all of you in my heart.
I was going to suggest some simple knitting for charity, but I see Bonny beat me to it! I think making something for someone in need will do your heart good and keep your hands busy. Above all, I hope you aren’t telling yourself what you should be doing right now. You’re in a strange place, so please be kind to yourself. Do what you can and what brings you some measure of peace.
Like Bonny, I am continuing to hold you and your family in my heart. This is such a hard, hard time for all of you. Be gentle and kind to yourself. I do like your mosaic stitching a lot, but I understand how it could become boring (and I don’t like using a hoop either). It should make a lovely pin cushion though. I’m looking forward to seeing your 2026 daily stitching.
Mindless knitting has a way of soothing the soul, even temporarily. Hugs to you and your family7.
Oh, Kat. I have been so absent these past few weeks, also dealing with grief, I did not read the news about the twins. I am utterly heartbroken for you all. I had a different kind of brain fog five years ago as I recovered from Covid, but managed to knit four little gnomes for my grandkids — they were all from the same Susan B Anthony pattern, but they all turned out a little different! Your mosaic stitching will make a beautiful pin cushion, and I really admire your daily stitching practice.
Well done on doing anything right now. I don’t think I could do the mosaic embroidery every day wither. My go too comfort craft is crochet granny squares to make into a blanket for charity. A lady in my embroidery group also did the stitch a day that you did and it has helped her get over some dark worrying days.
I know I am late, but I am so sorry for your loss.
I really like that mosaic piece, but I could see how it would get tedious very quickly.