Sunday, November 29, 2020

Chains and Tough Love

How are you all doing out there? Are you staying safe and healthy? Are you coping well — or well enough?

We’re all healthy and safe, but it’s still a struggle. My focus isn’t the same, and neither is my sleep quality. I have just enough mental sharpness to get through my work days, and then I’m done.

I cast on to knit a top in July. It’s a pretty pattern from a new-to-me designer whose patterns I’ve admired for quite a while. I was making decent progress — I made it through the initial lace pattern and the rest is simple stockinette stitch. It should be smooth sailing at this point, but I need to adjust the fit. It’s not a difficult adjustment, but I’ll need to pay close attention to changes I make so they’re the same on the front and the back. And it’s a fine gauge yarn in a dark color. I don’t have it in me to continue right now.

I looked through my seemingly endless supply of kits, trying to find something quick that might jump start my will to make something new. Nothing appealed.

I kept looking at a new skein of sock yarn. As I’ve mentioned before, knitting socks is a comfort for me. I was in high production during our lockdown this spring. Even that wasn’t appealing this time.

I decided to force the issue. I pulled out the yarn, SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in the colorway Shadow. I pulled out my go-to pattern book, Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch, and chose Chain Rib.

And then I laughed at my subconscious self. Could I have chosen anything else that sums up my current feelings so well?

Detail of hand knit chain rib socks in progress with a ball of yarn in the background on a dark wood surface.

The yarn is called Tough Love. The dark colorway is called Shadow. The stitch, chain rib, gets its name because it looks like a series of linked chains running up the length of the sock.

But I'm halfway through the first sock and still making progress. Maybe this is what I needed. I’ll try not to let so much time pass before I post again.

I hope you’re able to find what you need to get through these days in the best way possible. Feel free to comment here or on Instagram — I may not be posting, but I’m here.

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