Distractions

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So I spent this last weekend distracting myself from the realities of my current life. To be honest, I don’t have the energy to do very much, so I didn’t go anywhere besides my couch.

But what did I do?

  1. I watched a couple of movies set in famous palaces in Europe. Because, some day, I want to visit all of those magnificent castles and palaces. Which settings do I want to see? At the top of my list (this week) are Chatsworth and Highclere in the U.K. and Peles Castle in Romania.
  2. I rewatched (for maybe the 1,000th time) Murder On The Orient Express. You simply can’t get better than Agatha Christie, and you can’t get better than David Suchet playing Hercule Poirot. Also on my bucket list, I want to take the modern Venice Simplon-Orient Express all the way from London to Instanbul. Yes, I know how much that costs. I don’t care; you only live once.
  3. While watching all of this plus about 10 cheesy Hallmark-esque Christmas movies, I was working on my various knitting projects. I have at least 7 projects going right now:
    1. An order of 5 pair of fingerless gloves (2 pair completely done already). I want to get these done over Thanksgiving.
    2. My MountainMist Sweater (pattern from Tin Can Knits). I altered the the pattern slightly because it called for worsted weight yarn and I wanted to use fingering weight, so stitch and row counts are off. But so far it fits. I’m just stuck working through miles and miles of stockinette stitch right now. I’m also using a different set of colors than the original, but if you search out this pattern on Instagram, you will find a version in nearly every color imaginable.
    3. Red legwarmers. Yes, I’m a child of the 80’s, but I’d rather not go for those color schemes. I’m choosing a slightly variegated cherry red. Now I just need to find the right boots and leggings to go with them…..
    4. A blue stocking cap. Not sure who this will be for, or if I will keep it. I found an interesting pattern on Ravelry that was free, so I started it. (Startitis is officially a condition with which I am dealing, seemingly forever, and for which I cannot find a cure.)
    5. Another pair of my Jewel Socks. I’d finished one pair a couple of weeks ago, and I have another pair started. The pattern is enough to keep my brain engaged but simple enough to let my mind wander a bit at the same time. (And now I just realized that I don’t have this project listed on Ravelry. Considering the pattern might be released for sale, I will have to remedy this situation soon.)
    6. I have a collection that I am in the midst of designing and constructing. I’ve done the basic hat, now it’s time for mitts, a cowl and legwarmers to go along. I’m using twisted stitches mixed with cables for the motif. I see each of these in my head; I just need to get the math done and get them constructed. Everything will be matchy matchy. 😉 And I’m hoping for a variety of sizes for, say, Mother-Daughter matching mitts or hats. Or something.
    7. I also spent a little bit of time designing one of my new sweaters. I really like the circular yoke from MountainMist (and many other fair isle sweater patterns that are uber-popular right now), so I’m thinking about using lace in a circular yoke. The sweater would be a solid color (no fair isle) with a slightly see-through lace yoke. Hmmmmmm. We’ll see what comes of it. I have enough dark red Tosh Merino Light (one of my favorite yarns!) for a good sweater for me.

My ‘problem’, if you were to call it that, really is the fact that my body just simply can’t keep up with my brain. Everyone knows that I love to design and create. I feel like I have so many ideas floating around in my head right now, and I just need the time and energy to make them all.

*Did I mention the tacky Christmas hat that I promised a coworker? The yarn for his hat should be coming in the mail today. Santa, trees and reindeer doing the right thing at the wrong time. The hat will be a mis-mash of other patterns all squished together in one, and I might just title it, “What happens when Santa visits a National Park for the first time.”*

See? Radiation for head and neck cancers is known to cause a lack of concentration or attention, and I think I feel it. Ideas bouncing off the bones inside my cranium, all going different directions and never. slowing. down.

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