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Lists - lifesaver or curse?

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Things are so hectic around here. With full time work and full time parenting, with hockey and dictee, trying to fit in family time and friends, I barely get a moment to breathe. And at the same time I am consumed by this need to create. 

When things get crazy, I tend to retreat into my thoughts, to make lists so as to have the impression that I have things under control. Can you be addicted to making lists? I may be. I have lists for everything. And I am not talking just grocery lists and to do lists. Lists of books I want to read, and books I've read, places I'd like to visit and the things I'd like to do there, lists of new skills I'd like to learn and then the projects Id like to make using those skills, lists of yarns to try and patterns to make. 

You get the idea.

The list of favourite patterns recently revealed to me that there are some imbalances. I have for example never knit a pair of socks, or mitts....GASP! Also, apparently I like shawls, but have only ever knit one (see here). This was clearly a situation that needed to be rectified. If nothing else, it would give me the feeling of stability in at least one aspect of my life. A small accomplishment, but one finds sanity where one can, right?


My Ravelry explorations led me to a lovely group of ladies organizing a KAL to knit one of Melanie Berg's patterns. What serendipitous timing! The choices were either the Oceanbound or Spark of Grey pattern, both of which are stunning. The Spark of Grey pattern seemed perfect for these 2 skeins I;ve had in my stash for a while waiting for the right pattern that would showcase their beauty. I chose to use a skein of Fleece Artist Sea Wool mixed with a hand dyed skein by yours truly. This yarn was my first attempt at dying wool, and I love how it turned out. 

The goal was to finish this knit by April 3rd, but as you may not be surprised to learn, I did not make that deadline. I am only now nearing the finish line. So far I am very pleased with the result. The yarns and colours work beautifully together, and I just know that this will not be my only Melanie Berg knit. All of her designs are incredibly beautiful, and this may come as no surprise I now a list of Melanie Berg patterns I am planning on tackling one day!