You are such a delight, Katie. When I've lost my knitting mojo, I've made little toys and softie animals. Anything whimsical that can be made with low effort and high return-on-giggles.
What I like to do to rekindle the joy for a craft is to watch other makers on RUclips and see the nice things they make. That usually makes me want to start again myself. Thanks for the nice episode! And Jack is such a joy!
Hi Katie, your trekking poles are absolutely stunning, it was a fantastic idea! And they match your vest as well. Good luck with the weather🤞Thank you so much for your podcast, it's always soothes the chaos in my thoughts 💐
I love the second breakfast waist coat, you could always say that in the true hobit tradition all your buttons are not supposed to fasten 😂 I can see the image of Bilbo loosing his buttons has he squashes himself behind the boulder to get away from Golum. 😊
Oh we definitely will! We're planning a daily vlog, weather permitting (in fact the whole hike is "weather permitting" for safety reasons) but we'll be documenting and sharing as much as we can!
I can only say, honor where you are. When I lose my creative passion, I do something else entirely and the spark always returns, usually when I least expect it- even if it takes a while. p.s. I adore your hiking poles
Hi Katie. Your videos are always so beautiful and peaceful. The pacing is just perfect! When I am in a lull, I tend to work more on low consequence projects. Knitting dish cloths, or quilting pot holders helps my hands stay busy while giving my mind a break. Hope you find your own comfort activities.
Hi Katie,, when I get tired of a knitting project, I start with another craft, either crochet, sewing or even sculpting. If I would start another knitting project, the first one will never get finished because I lose interest quickly. Better to do something else and get. back to knitting when the time is right.
When I was in the same situation and unable to do any crafting I let it happen for a while. Later I´m listened to my heart and tried some new crafting, looked for new yarns or patterns, and slowly, slowly the creativity came back. Now I do my things in my own speed without pressure. It´s our life, we should be careful. Have fun, do lovely things, be creative and take care💜
I find that I often take a break from knitting in the summer, and usually end up doing more beadwork. The knitting naturally picks up again in the fall. Your poles are incredible - all the best on your journey!
The moment you draped your newly started scarf around you, your face lit up! I could see the hug you got from it, such a good decision to start anew at that gauge. Beautiful tracking poles. Glad you are doing a bit better.
Your brain will tell you when it needs to knit again. Everybody needs a creative break whether it’s fiber arts, music, writing, reading genre’s. Go with the flow! Hugs to Jack & you!❤
Love the pols. Also, don't be too worried about the knitting, just let it go. Something will inspire you, which you just have to make. Enjoy the rest, not the worry.
Love the waistcoat! Train journeys are the thing that get me back into knitting - somehow the energy of a moving train settles my mind and makes my hands want to be busy . It's defo about the environment more than the outcome for me.
Really lovely podcast and lovely to see you and Jack again. Glad you are feeling better after your little break. Your walking poles are brilliant and I really love them. I had a lull with my knitting at one time and really “went along” with the break. I certainly didn’t stress about it and after a few months it gradually came back. I think the key is - do not worry about it. Hope your walk goes well and you get to wear your waistcoat rather than waterproofs! Take care and hugs to Jack x
Dear Katie. You know, you yourself were the one who got me back into knitting when I thought I would never do that again. I watched your videos and was always moved by your enthusiasm. The way you talked about the yarn, the feel of it on your hands, the beautiful colours and different breeds of the sheep…. the rhythm of knitting you enjoyed so much… All these things made me glad inside and gave me a new incentive to pick up my needles again. I hope you can find a “Katie” too, to inspire you and help you yearn for yarn and the visions of new garments for colder days to come. Sending you best wishes and many thanks for being such an encourager!
I have also been experiencing burnout. I took a several month break. What I have found was going to a lovely yarn store and viewing all the colors and textures really inspired me. I now have a new pattern and some beautiful yarn. Anxious to get started!
I love your podcast....your trekking poles and waistcoat are so special...I must say, you are so very talented. I appreciate your creativity and honesty...thx for sharing.....from Wisconsin USA
After a crisis I gather all my single skeins and leftovers and create a fairly freeform blanket. The lack of pressure and expectation soothes me and the colour play makes me fall in love with knitting again. I now have what I lovingly refer to as The Burn Out (1 and 2), The Treatment, The Dad and The Move blankets all of which now keep me cosy and comforted and remind me of the good that came out of each event despite the sadnesses. Sending lots of love x
It always brings me a smile when I see you have recorded again. Wise decision to start that shawl over, the new open version is looking beautiful. It may happen that when you finish it, your desire to knit will return? I personally feel incomplete with out fiber and yarn in the making. I need it in my hands. If you are somewhat the same, the crochet project might be satisfying that need for now. Besides, it's all good, Enjoy. ....p.s. i love it that you can walk with sheep.
Thank you Katie, for the lovely podcast. I really enjoyed how you turned your high tech walking staffs into something personal and joyous! As far as taking a break from knitting, I don't know that I'm the right person to ask, lol, because I find that I cycle through crafts. I LOVE crafting and being creative. I used to say that I was a Serial Crafter, going to a new craft every few years. I have gone through periods of knitting, crocheting, applique quilting my own designs, machine embroidery, Irish Crochet Lace and Paper Crafting, to name a few. I love learning new things and there is just so much to try and so many new skills to learn. I don't beat myself up when I get interested in something new and I often regain interest for an older passion. I think it must be totally different for someone, like you, whose livelihood is based on a specific art or craft. There is so much pressure to produce even if you don't feel like it, kind of like I don't feel like going to 'work' some days. Another factor I think is that in this digital age, those of us who have our own small business (I'm a licensed social worker in private practice), have not only to be the one who produces the product but also a business manager and now, a tech specialist as well. And burnout or 'writer's block' happens. I just want to end with letting you know that I feel my life has been blessed and enriched by your podcasts and how authentic you are. Wherever your journey takes you, please know that you have touched our lives for the better.
I loved the latest podcast so much Katie, I decided to become a Patron again, so I'm now watching even more videos as part of my catch-up! Don't worry about your knitting mojo - you maybe just need something different to do with your hands for a while, and eventually they will want the rhythm of knitting again. The walking poles are fantastic - you'll be getting asked by other people to do theirs in the same way.
It's very encouraging for us new knitters to see you goof and start over. Thank you so much for posting this. I bought a pattern of yours and got it horribly wrong. 😅 I have pulled it all apart and will attempt this project again when I have practiced a bunch more to find a more consistent tension. Best wishes to you and Jack. 😊
I am casting on a Fairy Ring sock to your podcast. I consider that very good luck. Your vest is lovely. Perfect for wearing open over most things. Enjoy your walking trip. I recommend starting something totally different to knit and nothing too long.
I’m also in a knitting hiatus and put it down to the summer, such as it is, just like yourself. But the joy is that I got into a cross stitch frenzy that hasn’t happened for literally two decades! So many new and completed long-abandoned projects 🎉! Only this last week have I started knitting - very simple poppy pattern for the town’s November 11 display. The enjoyment of the meditative rhythm is back even though the yarn is 100% acrylic 🥴. Perhaps having a purpose has helped break the spell of disinterest. You have so many yarn, fabric and creative talents to draw on - enjoy the one that warms your heart at the moment ❤
Hi my lovely Katie xxx I'm so excited I just ordered your book and beetle magic knitting pattern. Thank you do much for sharing your talents with us 💜💜💜
This is my first watch of your podcast and what a joy. I’m someone who has knitted, stitched and crocheted since I was 5, I’m now 65, but I do lose my make-Jo now and again and I feel a bit lost at those times but I find I just have to wait until the urge returns, if I try and force it, all kinds of things go wrong. Luckily I usually find I only lose my sew-Jo or knit-Jo and not both at once so I can do something with my hands! Watching RUclips blogs like yours helps as they do inspire me but I’m not usually lost for what I want to make just the motivation to make it. Your waistcoat is lovely and truly heart jumping ( a phrase borrowed from it’s a Sarah podcast) even from one watch, I can see it is something that really suits you and has been a heart jumping project in the making and now in the wearing and I think moments like that help us get our desire to make back in kilter, knitting will be back to you when your fingers are ready, I’m sure, so don’t fret. Thank you for a lovely episode.
Btw, your 99 mile walk sounds wonderful! Love that making your trekking poles attractive is one of your important preparations!! How many days will you take? Will you be sleeping outside or in accommodations? This walk may also be a help in sparking creativity when you get back home. Enjoy!!
Watching knitting podcasts or seeing other people actually knitting often does it for me! Another thing that can work is teaching someone else to knit - as long as they want to of course! It’s also worth reminding yourself that slumps are sometimes necessary within the creative process allowing the subconscious to rest and recharge - think fields being fallow for a season! Thank you for the inspiration you are to so many!
Greetings from British Columbia .Belly rubs for your sweet boy Jack, Woof ! Katie maybe its your body saying I need a rest from knitting .Your love for the craft will never go away .Relax and enjoy the break . I would bet the farm you will have the needles out come winter .
I love your vest, so beautifully done. Nice to see you back again. When I lose interest in knitting I just do something else. I never worry about it because it always comes back when its ready. I am learning to spin now and just beginning learning to wet felt and needle felt, so there are so many interesting craft things for my inner child to play and get lost in, I just let it happen.. You are so creative, follow your heart.
Katie, it was so lovely to see you and Jack again! I can’t wait to hear more about your long hike. It will be wonderful in your beautiful landscape. You will have the most special trekking poles ever! Your waistcoat is great and I’m not sure I would button it at all. It looks perfect open and over your dress. I’m also off my knitting but it’s been a forced break because I’m finding it painful to my hand. Whenever I feel at odds with my crafts, I start with a new, small project. Perhaps you will need a new pair of mitts for your hike!
Hi Katie! When my mojo fades I just leave the project for a while and do something else. After some time I revisit it and decide to unravel it, change it or go on. Your second try for the shawl looks so beautiful (and you seemed to be so 😊satisfied), I don’t mind frogging too, the next knit with the yarn will definitely be better! Stay well! 🌟
I've experienced the same loss of interest in knitting during this very long and hot summer (at least here in Italy!) and I was missing the quiet time I have always devoted to my needles. I found that knitting a gift has given me the right motivation! Being a mini cardi for a baby, a small project, has also been a good thing. I hope you can catch the knitting bug again and go back to enjoying it! Ciao from Italy!❤
I feeling the same at the moment and struggling to finish projects. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a winter knitter/crocheter. Love watching your videos X
Lovely podcast love it all and your waistcoat is superb I do think a lot of knitters go off it in the summer wait till those cold winds are back you will be off again x
I so enjoyed this episode with you, the music and the outdoors were just perfect together, just what I needed today thank you. I’ve been off knitting for some months now, following an injury. So I’ve been doing some sewing and mending now I can use my hands again. And I did make a couple of dishcloths at knitting group over the summer, the simplest thing that required no thought. You look well rested from your break, long may it continue.
Good idea starting new shawl before frogging old one - it’s great to compare and measure them. And you don’t need to wash the unravelled yarn: just wrap it tightly around some kind of rack ( I use a saucepan lid stand) and steam it from both sides then let it dry for half an hour and rewind. A hand held steamer is great or the steam function on your iron. No need to submerge!
Katie, have you “tossed your stash”? By which I mean handle all the yarns you have, possibly keep some of them out to see and hear what they are wanting to be? You may be more product-driven, or not hoard enough stash, but I find that by starting projects and handling yarn, something speaks up and brings joy
Your trekking poles are magnificent with all your lovely artwork! I often go through a dry spell of very little knitting in the summer months. I just go with the flow, and when the air starts getting crisp i just pick up where i left off. I might crochet a bit in the summer - washcloths mostly, but not much.
Hi there Katie! Yes, I have that same feeling for years now, every summer I am just not into my knitting. And a short thought passes my brain’ oh no, I am loosing my desire to knit. But somehow, I find yarn or a pattern I am in love with, and I am off and knitting again. I have such a love for it, I could never just stop! I just loved your walking sticks and how you transformed them! I wish I could be that free to design with a marker! Thanks for sharing!
So pleased you are feeling better Katie... frogging you project is what I needed to see..thank you I have been working on a crochet project that I really want, but battling with my gauge and the resulting fabric does not impress me... so I have decided to get a more suitable yarn and recycle the existing project. Take care and I love your walks with Jack...greeting from South Africa awaiting summer. 🌻
Yes, i, too, have had a knitting hiatus this entire year! I’m still knitting, but it’s a struggle to keep my interest up! Maybe it’s the extreme heat here in Alabama, USA. Maybe it’s my age…I’m 75 this year! Whatever the “reason” my passion is in a lull. So i fully understand your time away. Your waistcoat is beautiful, by the way!!
Stunning landscape! Love the hobbity vest and its name. Darling doodles on your walking sticks - especially the cute snail and frog. I hadn't touched any knitting for well over a year, then I saw a darling kit at a thrift shop of a knitted hat that is adorable and should be rather easy and quick to make. It sat here for a few weeks, and then a few days ago I came across it in the closet, got it out and I'm just doing one round each day or so - no pressure - only thinking to have it done by winter. It is so incredibly hot here in Ohio right now that I am enjoying thinking about winter! Of course I have plenty of other projects on the go, specifically sewing and counted cross stitch. Best wishes on your ambitious upcoming hike - I wish you had said what Jack will be doing then!
I’m in love with the color you are using for the shawl and the size… oh, I love it❤️ I have one ginormous shawl I made, Stephen West pattern, and it’s a fav of so many. I have plans to make another one of his designs. Unfortunately, I’ve lost my knitting and sewing mojo since my mother passed away. Hopefully, soon I will be back into both crafts. I’m feeling rested after giving so much time to her care; I’d not change what I gave to her. I’m glad you are feeling better. Sometimes we just need to step back and get well deserved rest❤️ Love seeing Jack. Will he go on your planned hike?
Welcome back Kate, thank you for a lovely video-- your walking poles are wonderful as is your waistcoat-- Bilbo would love it ! Enjoy your walk with your friend.
Spin spin spin , sew felt draw and paint and don’t worry! I recently had a very similar summer with three projects at a dead end. Once the fog cleared, I knew how to resolve my projects and I was back to it.
Hi from Denmark 🇩🇰 I always knit in nature color and love wensleydale yarn. But if i sad and starts a New knitting projekt in many colors, to bring me in a lovely feeling 💜💙💚🤎
I tend to find some seasonality in my creative projects. I have had a hard time doing watercolor recently for example. Going for a long walk like you are planning may be just the space you need to approach knitting wish fresh thoughts and ideas. Thanks for sharing your podcast today.
Hi Katie. I lost my knitting mojo for seven months, partly because I was experiencing pain in my hand, partly because a dear aunt was sick with cancer. My creative outlet for the summer was my garden and flowers, but now I am planning a knitting project, a request for 2 pairs of mittens. I find knitting for others actually gets me back in the groove! Do not worry, you will get your knitting desire back. Lovely episode, love the walking poles and your vest/waist coat. Take care.
Thank you for a lovely episode. The vest is perfect! I understand your lack of knitting mojo. Earlier this summer I finished knitting a baby blanket, which was a lovely project that I enjoyed knitting. And after that, a fun little hat for the big sister. Everything was finished and mailed. And I had no project really to work on, except a second sock. And I had no real desire to work on that either. But I wanted to do something with my hands.I had a garter stitched jacket out of bulky wool that I had knit over 15 years ago that I never wore and had decided to rip out. And that is what I did. I spent many a happy evening pulling out yarn and wrapping it into a ball while listening to a book or watching a podcast. It had been knit in sections, so I had several balls. I wound each one on my swift, turning it into a skein and then washed each one. It was a treat to see the curly yarn straighten out and become a beautiful skein...Cascade red tweed (now discontinued). I searched for a new project for the yarn and found the Holiday Slipover by PetiteKnit and it is now on my needles. And I finished the second sock and have started another pair. The socks are Christmas gifts so I have plenty of time. ;-)
Katie ...I hope your hike goes well, sunny skies and not too difficult. I have done two of these walks. The first, is called the Westcoast Trail on Vancouver Island. This trail was originally established to be a way for shipwreck victims to walk back to civilization. The second was a Hut to Hut in Wells Grey National Park, BC, Canada. Both positive experiences. Good luck with you knitting motivation...I hope it returns soon. Your projects are so beautiful.
I am so happy to have decided to become a patron to support you and your work. I so love your podcasts and it feels right to give you some support. I’m just waiting until the first of the month because of the way Patreon is set up. What an accomplishment to make a fully lined tailored vest. I think it looks really well on you. We all need some second breakfast clothes. It could be a new line.
Hi Katie. Yes, finishing a languishing project is usually a way back to knitting for me. I try to find one that doesn’t need far to go to be finished so that it is a somewhat immediate gratification. A small project can provide a quick dopamine hit as well, like a hat that can be finished relatively quickly. Very satisfying! I find that if I have too many projects that have a long way to go to finish I’ll get bogged down and they all feel like a slog.
Hi Katie! So good to see you and Jack and your workroom and beautiful Wales. I love your hiking poles, the vest, and your shawl in process. Warm regards to you from Eugene, Oregon!
I adore your vest!!! When I was 9 years old, my Gram bought me yards of corduroy for my Christmas present. I made (with Gram's hand-hemming help) 2 skirt and vest "outfits", gosh I loved them! Thanks for the fond long ago memory! PS Our Violet (corgi/jack russell) got very excited when she heard "second breakfast", her favorite meal of the day! xo
Hello Katie. Enjoyed your latest video. Good luck on your upcoming walking Trek. Your walking poles look great and of course they’re so unique!! At times when I get tired or no motivation to continue on a project it’s usually cause I have been doing a lot of whatever it is. I know for myself I need to put things away for awhile then I see something or watch a podcast that gets my motivation going again. I sometimes tire of always knitting or always sewing. I recently had to take apart a completed sweater d/t the person not liking the fit despite my measuring ect. I salvaged what I could then put it away for a month or so and now I’ve restarted the sweater. Im sure your love knitting just needs a breather and will return. Take care 😊
Those poles look so fun! I can very much relate to wanting as many of my little functional tools as possible to be in colours and designs that I actually like. I'm just about to finish a crochet project that I've been working on for a while (it was a lace vest but I didn't like it so I put it away for six months and then looked at it again and decided to give it sleeves and now I think I might actually wear it) but I'm definitely feeling like I am going to need a looooong break from crochet after this. I have several sewing projects lined up that I am excited to start.
Hello Katie Jack! Your vest is beautiful, it looks store bought from a really high-end store. Thank you for another episode I always look forward to them. Looking forward to hearing about your hiking adventure with your friend. Be sure to bring a bright-colored garment of some sort for safety reasons. If you both get lost it will be easier to spot you from above. I learned that from a fruity knitting. I love taking an item that is functional and putting my mark on it. You're walking sticks are awesome! Will you be bringing jack with you on the hike? Take care and be safe. Stephanie from California
Hi Katie, thanks for a wonderful podcast again. I’ve really missed them! When I’m tired of a knitting project, I just leave it for a while and move on to something else. I have many projects on the go and I move around throughout the year. It’s exciting about your long trek. I hope you film some of it and we get to see it at some point. Will you take a small project with you?
Lovely podcast Katie. I always have lots of projects on the go. Knitting, sewing, spinning ,weaving,rag rugging , collage art, book making ,crochet,patchwork,embroidery and probably some that I have missed. I just do whatever I fancy doing on that day. I am now retired but I have sort of been retired for much longer with M.E. Most of my projects are done in bed. Crafting of all types takes my mind off negative things. I love watching your walks with Jack. X
I'm pretty much the champion of ripping out projects. It doesn't faze me at all anymore. Current rip is a full sweater in a combination of seed stitch and cables that I knitted, sewed together , blocked and realized when I tried it on for the 4th or 5th time, that it was a disaster. Ripping is just a part of knitting.. You'll get your knitting mojo back, no fear.
I lose my knitting mojo every year it seems. I've learnt to just roll with it. I used to try to force the issue, but found that just made me stress about it. I focus on other things, but still watch and read knitting related things. It does frustrate me a lot as there is so much I want to make for my grandkids, but it does come back!
Hi Katie, I recently found your channel and am so thankful about the part on this video where you described the frogging of your Escrick shawl. I can relate to those feelings you described. I had been looking at my attempt at the Escrick using a 3.5mm hook and feeling very puzzled about how in the world after two rows it looked like it was going to be tiny. I finally broke down and made several swatches. I am finally on my way with a sz 5 mm hook! That was strange. I am so happy with the fabric I am getting now, so soft! Thank you and greetings from Florida. Oh, I also wanted to mention that I found your book at my local libray and am enjoying it. The copy is well worn, so I think several people have read it. 😊
Thanks Katie for sharing, as always a beautiful episode. Great to see you back, and good to see you listening to your soul and taking a break. You have inspired my own podcast, when you get time I would love you to check it out! My advice having no energy at the moment for as much knitting as usual is to just listen to yourslef and take a break, try again in a month or so to cast on and see where it takes you. J xo
You are so right about summer, my knitting motivation seems to wain in the warmer months. Normally if I loose my mojo going somewhere which is full of inspiration is guaranteed to make me want to start again. Maybe a trip to Yarndale is on the horizon 😂👍❤️
Have just finished bingeing Outlander... on most waistcoats they are split and laced in the back which would increase wearability. Fifty years have been knitting on and off, I don't see a need to constantly be knitting through the years. Some of my sweaters lasted 30 yrs and I was busy raising children, goats, working, writing. Now having pitched the 40 yo pillows, tatty scarves and needing to have more layer ability as world gets more unstable am knitting again but since I WANT alpaca yarn but won't pay that price, have sought out places to buy raw fleece and spun my yarns. Since I want classic designs and saved all my patterns, nothing new and trendy here unless you count plying 2 colors of alpaca to make tweed or hackling 2 fleeces together to make marled... to lazy to learn dye work. Just enjoy what you do, make what you need.
Like many others here my own interest in knitting comes and goes. I think ebbs and flows are a process of nature. Why should your creative outlets be any different? You seemed very thrilled sewing your vest, which is very well done and polished, so I say relax and enjoy whatever else brings you contentment
Beautiful waistcoat and I love what you did to the poles. Would casting on socks help? Even a dish cloth has worked for me between projects before. :-) Something pretty but not challenging at all. Cheers!
It’s a little scary when a craft that is so much a part of your life loses its “magic”. The end of 2022, mine went away. I still was crafty, just cross stitching, quilting, crocheting and even did some bead weaving for the first time. I wondered if my desire for knitting would ever return! I had also lost the desire to spin which is really scary, BUT the good news is that it just came back after about a 7 month break. I am not sure why it happened, but my lesson from it is not to worry about it. Crafting for me is a way of life and I need that outlet but cannot force it…just let it flow 💙💜🩷❤️🧡💛💚 I hope that helps.
I lived everything fiber from age 25 to 45....then, just plain burnout. Packed it up and away. I am now 60, and at 56 got very ill. Couldn't stand up, so, I pulled out a spindle and old roving....and felt a spark. Started a diagonal triangle thinking small, handspun scarf....then decided to keep spinning all my Grey wool to create a large shawl....that shawl is now on its way to become a blanket of spindle spun fibers from every breed I can get my hands on. The knitting spark was back and after all the grey my love of twined and color knitting came back with a vengeance. Also, my love for being outside overrode the challenges of getting there. Had to find new ways to enjoy nature and outdoor activities, but, my creative muse was back with a vengeance and got me back to natural dyeing ( I was an avid acid dye color fanatic in my past, life) and discovering all the wonders of my own backyard. So, yes, it took a slower pace life and a hard realization that I was given a gift of lots of time instead of thinking I was stuck in time, but, the muse is back with a fury now! Of course youtube and ravelry are her overly helpful daemons 😏❤. ( and I do enjoy your videos so much! )
I really hope you enjoy your walk. I hate to make a suggestion to someone as creative as you, but....I have a battered old tent that's been all over with me. On the entrance flap I have written the date and location of where I've pitched it in indelible magic marker. If I could draw there would be pictures of a maple leaf for New England, a wild boar for Corsica, a skylark for the South Downs Way, an ammonite for The Jurassic Coast Path....you get the idea. Have a fantastic time. Ever since I read 'Songlines' by Bruce Chatwin I've sort-of believed that us humans are meant to walk, if only with a very vague idea of where we are headed. It worked for Frodo.
Seu colete ficou muito bom . seus passeios pelo campo são deliciosos, o gosto pelos desenhos são ótimos. estamos esperando os novos tricô na hora certa.
Your waistcoat is indeed absolutely lovely and I think the impression it gives when worn unbuttoned is so charming,. I definitely prefer it that way. About not really feeling the enthusiasm for kntting, I think you should just wait for the lust and/or inspiration to come back. Most of us are not really in need of more clothing items so in the spirit of reducing how we consume things it might be healthy to be "knittingless" now and then. Our crafts should not become an addiction, our crafts should not be something we force. I work on my mindset regarding this, it will be interesting to see if I can be wíthout knitting and not go crazy...
very beautiful walking poles, you could sell those! Is Jack going on the hike? 🥾 Your vest fits as it does because its a mens' pattern, they don't have hips! I'm very familiar with this, find it with tshirts often at the bottom half. Love tshirts that are designed shorter and wider at the mid hip, cropped I guess. Beautiful sewing job! Our breaks from knitting are much like writers' block, sometimes short, sometimes not so much. I do just as you are, move on to something else for awhile. I'm guessing you'll be all into a new knitting project after your trek. Send some of that rain my way please🙏🌧 so dry and hot here in British Columbia this year , I'm much more of a spring and fall girl.🌻🍁
Have you ever published the pattern for the LOTR mittens you made for your partner a few Christmases ago? I would love to see them! More of an elf, myself, the Hall of Fire seems like an ideallic room. But totally embrace the Tolkien spirit.
I really like your method of starting a project over before frogging the initial...reassuring that the project isn't being totally trashed.
You are such a delight, Katie. When I've lost my knitting mojo, I've made little toys and softie animals. Anything whimsical that can be made with low effort and high return-on-giggles.
What I like to do to rekindle the joy for a craft is to watch other makers on RUclips and see the nice things they make. That usually makes me want to start again myself.
Thanks for the nice episode! And Jack is such a joy!
Hi Katie, your trekking poles are absolutely stunning, it was a fantastic idea! And they match your vest as well. Good luck with the weather🤞Thank you so much for your podcast, it's always soothes the chaos in my thoughts 💐
I love the second breakfast waist coat, you could always say that in the true hobit tradition all your buttons are not supposed to fasten 😂 I can see the image of Bilbo loosing his buttons has he squashes himself behind the boulder to get away from Golum. 😊
I hope you do share your hike adventures with us. Wishing you Happy Trails!
Oh we definitely will! We're planning a daily vlog, weather permitting (in fact the whole hike is "weather permitting" for safety reasons) but we'll be documenting and sharing as much as we can!
Thank you for the podcast. It always soothes my poor brain injured soul.
I hope your hike brings you more peace and refreshment.
Jinny.
Lovely to see you today What a clever girl you are.
Your ‘second breakfast’ waistcoat is really beautiful, Bilbo would definitely wear that 😁
Your vest looks great. I also love your dress .So comfortable looking...Your desire to knit will probably return after your long hike .Have fun 🇨🇦❤️
Jack is ADORABLE!!!
I can only say, honor where you are. When I lose my creative passion, I do something else entirely and the spark always returns, usually when I least expect it- even if it takes a while. p.s. I adore your hiking poles
Hi Katie. Your videos are always so beautiful and peaceful. The pacing is just perfect! When I am in a lull, I tend to work more on low consequence projects. Knitting dish cloths, or quilting pot holders helps my hands stay busy while giving my mind a break. Hope you find your own comfort activities.
Hi Katie,, when I get tired of a knitting project, I start with another craft, either crochet, sewing or even sculpting. If I would start another knitting project, the first one will never get finished because I lose interest quickly. Better to do something else and get. back to knitting when the time is right.
Oh I think this is a genius idea actually! I’m filing it away for the future. Thank you :)
When I was in the same situation and unable to do any crafting I let it happen for a while. Later I´m listened to my heart and tried some new crafting, looked for new yarns or patterns, and slowly, slowly the creativity came back. Now I do my things in my own speed without pressure. It´s our life, we should be careful. Have fun, do lovely things, be creative and take care💜
I find that I often take a break from knitting in the summer, and usually end up doing more beadwork. The knitting naturally picks up again in the fall. Your poles are incredible - all the best on your journey!
The moment you draped your newly started scarf around you, your face lit up! I could see the hug you got from it, such a good decision to start anew at that gauge. Beautiful tracking poles. Glad you are doing a bit better.
Knitting inspiration will be back and until then do what makes you happy
Your brain will tell you when it needs to knit again. Everybody needs a creative break whether it’s fiber arts, music, writing, reading genre’s. Go with the flow! Hugs to Jack & you!❤
Love the pols. Also, don't be too worried about the knitting, just let it go. Something will inspire you, which you just have to make. Enjoy the rest, not the worry.
Love the waistcoat! Train journeys are the thing that get me back into knitting - somehow the energy of a moving train settles my mind and makes my hands want to be busy . It's defo about the environment more than the outcome for me.
Really lovely podcast and lovely to see you and Jack again. Glad you are feeling better after your little break. Your walking poles are brilliant and I really love them. I had a lull with my knitting at one time and really “went along” with the break. I certainly didn’t stress about it and after a few months it gradually came back. I think the key is - do not worry about it. Hope your walk goes well and you get to wear your waistcoat rather than waterproofs! Take care and hugs to Jack x
Just love your waistcoat. It is just beautiful! 💕
Dear Katie. You know, you yourself were the one who got me back into knitting when I thought I would never do that again. I watched your videos and was always moved by your enthusiasm. The way you talked about the yarn, the feel of it on your hands, the beautiful colours and different breeds of the sheep…. the rhythm of knitting you enjoyed so much…
All these things made me glad inside and gave me a new incentive to pick up my needles again.
I hope you can find a “Katie” too, to inspire you and help you yearn for yarn and the visions of new garments for colder days to come. Sending you best wishes and many thanks for being such an encourager!
I have also been experiencing burnout. I took a several month break. What I have found was going to a lovely yarn store and viewing all the colors and textures really inspired me. I now have a new pattern and some beautiful yarn. Anxious to get started!
Love you waistcoat and dress nice to see you back thank you Katie for alovely podcast love to Jack xx
Can picture Barleyman Butterburr in just such a waistcoat.
I love your podcast....your trekking poles and waistcoat are so special...I must say, you are so very talented. I appreciate your creativity and honesty...thx for sharing.....from Wisconsin USA
Jack is beyond precious!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
After a crisis I gather all my single skeins and leftovers and create a fairly freeform blanket. The lack of pressure and expectation soothes me and the colour play makes me fall in love with knitting again. I now have what I lovingly refer to as The Burn Out (1 and 2), The Treatment, The Dad and The Move blankets all of which now keep me cosy and comforted and remind me of the good that came out of each event despite the sadnesses. Sending lots of love x
Thank you so much. I enjoy to watch yours episodes and get inspired by you.❤
It always brings me a smile when I see you have recorded again. Wise decision to start that shawl over, the new open version is looking beautiful. It may happen that when you finish it, your desire to knit will return? I personally feel incomplete with out fiber and yarn in the making. I need it in my hands. If you are somewhat the same, the crochet project might be satisfying that need for now. Besides, it's all good, Enjoy. ....p.s. i love it that you can walk with sheep.
Thank you Katie, for the lovely podcast. I really enjoyed how you turned your high tech walking staffs into something personal and joyous! As far as taking a break from knitting, I don't know that I'm the right person to ask, lol, because I find that I cycle through crafts. I LOVE crafting and being creative. I used to say that I was a Serial Crafter, going to a new craft every few years. I have gone through periods of knitting, crocheting, applique quilting my own designs, machine embroidery, Irish Crochet Lace and Paper Crafting, to name a few. I love learning new things and there is just so much to try and so many new skills to learn. I don't beat myself up when I get interested in something new and I often regain interest for an older passion. I think it must be totally different for someone, like you, whose livelihood is based on a specific art or craft. There is so much pressure to produce even if you don't feel like it, kind of like I don't feel like going to 'work' some days. Another factor I think is that in this digital age, those of us who have our own small business (I'm a licensed social worker in private practice), have not only to be the one who produces the product but also a business manager and now, a tech specialist as well. And burnout or 'writer's block' happens. I just want to end with letting you know that I feel my life has been blessed and enriched by your podcasts and how authentic you are. Wherever your journey takes you, please know that you have touched our lives for the better.
I loved the latest podcast so much Katie, I decided to become a Patron again, so I'm now watching even more videos as part of my catch-up! Don't worry about your knitting mojo - you maybe just need something different to do with your hands for a while, and eventually they will want the rhythm of knitting again. The walking poles are fantastic - you'll be getting asked by other people to do theirs in the same way.
It's very encouraging for us new knitters to see you goof and start over. Thank you so much for posting this. I bought a pattern of yours and got it horribly wrong. 😅 I have pulled it all apart and will attempt this project again when I have practiced a bunch more to find a more consistent tension. Best wishes to you and Jack. 😊
I am casting on a Fairy Ring sock to your podcast. I consider that very good luck. Your vest is lovely. Perfect for wearing open over most things. Enjoy your walking trip. I recommend starting something totally different to knit and nothing too long.
I love your walking pole ! Have fun walking❤
I’m also in a knitting hiatus and put it down to the summer, such as it is, just like yourself. But the joy is that I got into a cross stitch frenzy that hasn’t happened for literally two decades! So many new and completed long-abandoned projects 🎉! Only this last week have I started knitting - very simple poppy pattern for the town’s November 11 display. The enjoyment of the meditative rhythm is back even though the yarn is 100% acrylic 🥴. Perhaps having a purpose has helped break the spell of disinterest. You have so many yarn, fabric and creative talents to draw on - enjoy the one that warms your heart at the moment ❤
Nice to see you back,regards waistcoat,no one every does them up so it’s perfect
👍😁🤩🥰👍🍀 thank you.
Hi my lovely Katie xxx I'm so excited I just ordered your book and beetle magic knitting pattern. Thank you do much for sharing your talents with us 💜💜💜
This is my first watch of your podcast and what a joy. I’m someone who has knitted, stitched and crocheted since I was 5, I’m now 65, but I do lose my make-Jo now and again and I feel a bit lost at those times but I find I just have to wait until the urge returns, if I try and force it, all kinds of things go wrong. Luckily I usually find I only lose my sew-Jo or knit-Jo and not both at once so I can do something with my hands! Watching RUclips blogs like yours helps as they do inspire me but I’m not usually lost for what I want to make just the motivation to make it. Your waistcoat is lovely and truly heart jumping ( a phrase borrowed from it’s a Sarah podcast) even from one watch, I can see it is something that really suits you and has been a heart jumping project in the making and now in the wearing and I think moments like that help us get our desire to make back in kilter, knitting will be back to you when your fingers are ready, I’m sure, so don’t fret. Thank you for a lovely episode.
Btw, your 99 mile walk sounds wonderful! Love that making your trekking poles attractive is one of your important preparations!! How many days will you take? Will you be sleeping outside or in accommodations? This walk may also be a help in sparking creativity when you get back home. Enjoy!!
Watching knitting podcasts or seeing other people actually knitting often does it for me! Another thing that can work is teaching someone else to knit - as long as they want to of course! It’s also worth reminding yourself that slumps are sometimes necessary within the creative process allowing the subconscious to rest and recharge - think fields being fallow for a season! Thank you for the inspiration you are to so many!
Blessings for a safe trip!🥾
Greetings from British Columbia .Belly rubs for your sweet boy Jack, Woof ! Katie maybe its your body saying I need a rest from knitting .Your love for the craft will never go away .Relax and enjoy the break . I would bet the farm you will have the needles out come winter .
I love your vest, so beautifully done. Nice to see you back again. When I lose interest in knitting I just do something else. I never worry about it because it always comes back when its ready. I am learning to spin now and just beginning learning to wet felt and needle felt, so there are so many interesting craft things for my inner child to play and get lost in, I just let it happen.. You are so creative, follow your heart.
great job on your trekking poles
Katie, it was so lovely to see you and Jack again! I can’t wait to hear more about your long hike. It will be wonderful in your beautiful landscape. You will have the most special trekking poles ever! Your waistcoat is great and I’m not sure I would button it at all. It looks perfect open and over your dress. I’m also off my knitting but it’s been a forced break because I’m finding it painful to my hand. Whenever I feel at odds with my crafts, I start with a new, small project. Perhaps you will need a new pair of mitts for your hike!
Hi Katie! When my mojo fades I just leave the project for a while and do something else. After some time I revisit it and decide to unravel it, change it or go on. Your second try for the shawl looks so beautiful (and you seemed to be so 😊satisfied), I don’t mind frogging too, the next knit with the yarn will definitely be better! Stay well! 🌟
I've experienced the same loss of interest in knitting during this very long and hot summer (at least here in Italy!) and I was missing the quiet time I have always devoted to my needles. I found that knitting a gift has given me the right motivation! Being a mini cardi for a baby, a small project, has also been a good thing. I hope you can catch the knitting bug again and go back to enjoying it! Ciao from Italy!❤
Ty Katie lovely to see you and those are proper walking poles😃👏🏼🤩🥰
So glad your back! I love your second breakfast waistcoat - it's the best name and a beautiful garment.
I feeling the same at the moment and struggling to finish projects. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a winter knitter/crocheter. Love watching your videos X
Lovely podcast love it all and your waistcoat is superb I do think a lot of knitters go off it in the summer wait till those cold winds are back you will be off again x
I so enjoyed this episode with you, the music and the outdoors were just perfect together, just what I needed today thank you. I’ve been off knitting for some months now, following an injury. So I’ve been doing some sewing and mending now I can use my hands again. And I did make a couple of dishcloths at knitting group over the summer, the simplest thing that required no thought. You look well rested from your break, long may it continue.
Good idea starting new shawl before frogging old one - it’s great to compare and measure them. And you don’t need to wash the unravelled yarn: just wrap it tightly around some kind of rack ( I use a saucepan lid stand) and steam it from both sides then let it dry for half an hour and rewind. A hand held steamer is great or the steam function on your iron. No need to submerge!
Katie, have you “tossed your stash”? By which I mean handle all the yarns you have, possibly keep some of them out to see and hear what they are wanting to be? You may be more product-driven, or not hoard enough stash, but I find that by starting projects and handling yarn, something speaks up and brings joy
Glad to see you and Jack are back!! Hope you are feeling much better❤
Your trekking poles are magnificent with all your lovely artwork!
I often go through a dry spell of very little knitting in the summer months. I just go with the flow, and when the air starts getting crisp i just pick up where i left off. I might crochet a bit in the summer - washcloths mostly, but not much.
Hi there Katie! Yes, I have that same feeling for years now, every summer I am just not into my knitting. And a short thought passes my brain’ oh no, I am loosing my desire to knit. But somehow, I find yarn or a pattern I am in love with, and I am off and knitting again. I have such a love for it, I could never just stop! I just loved your walking sticks and how you transformed them! I wish I could be that free to design with a marker! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for another lovely video. I really like the idea of starting a new project before frogging an old one.
So pleased you are feeling better Katie... frogging you project is what I needed to see..thank you
I have been working on a crochet project that I really want, but battling with my gauge and the resulting fabric does not impress me... so I have decided to get a more suitable yarn and recycle the existing project. Take care and I love your walks with Jack...greeting from South Africa awaiting summer. 🌻
Yes, i, too, have had a knitting hiatus this entire year! I’m still knitting, but it’s a struggle to keep my interest up! Maybe it’s the extreme heat here in Alabama, USA. Maybe it’s my age…I’m 75 this year! Whatever the “reason” my passion is in a lull. So i fully understand your time away. Your waistcoat is beautiful, by the way!!
Stunning landscape! Love the hobbity vest and its name. Darling doodles on your walking sticks - especially the cute snail and frog.
I hadn't touched any knitting for well over a year, then I saw a darling kit at a thrift shop of a knitted hat that is adorable and should be rather easy and quick to make. It sat here for a few weeks, and then a few days ago I came across it in the closet, got it out and I'm just doing one round each day or so - no pressure - only thinking to have it done by winter. It is so incredibly hot here in Ohio right now that I am enjoying thinking about winter! Of course I have plenty of other projects on the go, specifically sewing and counted cross stitch. Best wishes on your ambitious upcoming hike - I wish you had said what Jack will be doing then!
I’m in love with the color you are using for the shawl and the size… oh, I love it❤️ I have one ginormous shawl I made, Stephen West pattern, and it’s a fav of so many. I have plans to make another one of his designs. Unfortunately, I’ve lost my knitting and sewing mojo since my mother passed away. Hopefully, soon I will be back into both crafts. I’m feeling rested after giving so much time to her care; I’d not change what I gave to her.
I’m glad you are feeling better. Sometimes we just need to step back and get well deserved rest❤️ Love seeing Jack. Will he go on your planned hike?
Welcome back Kate, thank you for a lovely video-- your walking poles are wonderful as is your waistcoat-- Bilbo would love it ! Enjoy your walk with your friend.
Spin spin spin , sew felt draw and paint and don’t worry! I recently had a very similar summer with three projects at a dead end. Once the fog cleared, I knew how to resolve my projects and I was back to it.
Hi from Denmark 🇩🇰 I always knit in nature color and love wensleydale yarn. But if i sad and starts a New knitting projekt in many colors, to bring me in a lovely feeling 💜💙💚🤎
I tend to find some seasonality in my creative projects. I have had a hard time doing watercolor recently for example. Going for a long walk like you are planning may be just the space you need to approach knitting wish fresh thoughts and ideas. Thanks for sharing your podcast today.
Hope you're feeling better after your break. I L9VE what you did with your trekking poles💚🍄🌿☘🪲🐞
Hi Katie. I lost my knitting mojo for seven months, partly because I was experiencing pain in my hand, partly because a dear aunt was sick with cancer. My creative outlet for the summer was my garden and flowers, but now I am planning a knitting project, a request for 2 pairs of mittens. I find knitting for others actually gets me back in the groove! Do not worry, you will get your knitting desire back. Lovely episode, love the walking poles and your vest/waist coat. Take care.
Thank you for a lovely episode. The vest is perfect! I understand your lack of knitting mojo. Earlier this summer I finished knitting a baby blanket, which was a lovely project that I enjoyed knitting. And after that, a fun little hat for the big sister. Everything was finished and mailed. And I had no project really to work on, except a second sock. And I had no real desire to work on that either. But I wanted to do something with my hands.I had a garter stitched jacket out of bulky wool that I had knit over 15 years ago that I never wore and had decided to rip out. And that is what I did. I spent many a happy evening pulling out yarn and wrapping it into a ball while listening to a book or watching a podcast. It had been knit in sections, so I had several balls. I wound each one on my swift, turning it into a skein and then washed each one. It was a treat to see the curly yarn straighten out and become a beautiful skein...Cascade red tweed (now discontinued). I searched for a new project for the yarn and found the Holiday Slipover by PetiteKnit and it is now on my needles. And I finished the second sock and have started another pair. The socks are Christmas gifts so I have plenty of time. ;-)
Katie ...I hope your hike goes well, sunny skies and not too difficult. I have done two of these walks. The first, is called the Westcoast Trail on Vancouver Island. This trail was originally established to be a way for shipwreck victims to walk back to civilization. The second was a Hut to Hut in Wells Grey National Park, BC, Canada. Both positive experiences. Good luck with you knitting motivation...I hope it returns soon. Your projects are so beautiful.
I am so happy to have decided to become a patron to support you and your work. I so love your podcasts and it feels right to give you some support. I’m just waiting until the first of the month because of the way Patreon is set up. What an accomplishment to make a fully lined tailored vest. I think it looks really well on you. We all need some second breakfast clothes. It could be a new line.
Hi Katie. Yes, finishing a languishing project is usually a way back to knitting for me. I try to find one that doesn’t need far to go to be finished so that it is a somewhat immediate gratification. A small project can provide a quick dopamine hit as well, like a hat that can be finished relatively quickly. Very satisfying! I find that if I have too many projects that have a long way to go to finish I’ll get bogged down and they all feel like a slog.
Hi Katie! So good to see you and Jack and your workroom and beautiful Wales. I love your hiking poles, the vest, and your shawl in process. Warm regards to you from Eugene, Oregon!
I adore your vest!!! When I was 9 years old, my Gram bought me yards of corduroy for my Christmas present. I made (with Gram's hand-hemming help) 2 skirt and vest "outfits", gosh I loved them! Thanks for the fond long ago memory! PS Our Violet (corgi/jack russell) got very excited when she heard "second breakfast", her favorite meal of the day! xo
Hello Katie. Enjoyed your latest video. Good luck on your upcoming walking Trek. Your walking poles look great and of course they’re so unique!! At times when I get tired or no motivation to continue on a project it’s usually cause I have been doing a lot of whatever it is. I know for myself I need to put things away for awhile then I see something or watch a podcast that gets my motivation going again. I sometimes tire of always knitting or always sewing. I recently had to take apart a completed sweater d/t the person not liking the fit despite my measuring ect. I salvaged what I could then put it away for a month or so and now I’ve restarted the sweater. Im sure your love knitting just needs a breather and will return. Take care 😊
Those poles look so fun! I can very much relate to wanting as many of my little functional tools as possible to be in colours and designs that I actually like.
I'm just about to finish a crochet project that I've been working on for a while (it was a lace vest but I didn't like it so I put it away for six months and then looked at it again and decided to give it sleeves and now I think I might actually wear it) but I'm definitely feeling like I am going to need a looooong break from crochet after this. I have several sewing projects lined up that I am excited to start.
Hello Katie Jack! Your vest is beautiful, it looks store bought from a really high-end store. Thank you for another episode I always look forward to them. Looking forward to hearing about your hiking adventure with your friend. Be sure to bring a bright-colored garment of some sort for safety reasons. If you both get lost it will be easier to spot you from above. I learned that from a fruity knitting. I love taking an item that is functional and putting my mark on it. You're walking sticks are awesome! Will you be bringing jack with you on the hike? Take care and be safe. Stephanie from California
Hi Katie, thanks for a wonderful podcast again. I’ve really missed them! When I’m tired of a knitting project, I just leave it for a while and move on to something else. I have many projects on the go and I move around throughout the year. It’s exciting about your long trek. I hope you film some of it and we get to see it at some point. Will you take a small project with you?
Lovely podcast Katie. I always have lots of projects on the go. Knitting, sewing, spinning ,weaving,rag rugging , collage art, book making ,crochet,patchwork,embroidery and probably some that I have missed. I just do whatever I fancy doing on that day. I am now retired but I have sort of been retired for much longer with M.E. Most of my projects are done in bed. Crafting of all types takes my mind off negative things. I love watching your walks with Jack. X
I'm pretty much the champion of ripping out projects. It doesn't faze me at all anymore. Current rip is a full sweater in a combination of seed stitch and cables that I knitted, sewed together , blocked and realized when I tried it on for the 4th or 5th time, that it was a disaster.
Ripping is just a part of knitting..
You'll get your knitting mojo back, no fear.
I lose my knitting mojo every year it seems. I've learnt to just roll with it. I used to try to force the issue, but found that just made me stress about it. I focus on other things, but still watch and read knitting related things. It does frustrate me a lot as there is so much I want to make for my grandkids, but it does come back!
Hi Katie,
I recently found your channel and am so thankful about the part on this video where you described the frogging of your Escrick shawl. I can relate to those feelings you described. I had been looking at my attempt at the Escrick using a 3.5mm hook and feeling very puzzled about how in the world after two rows it looked like it was going to be tiny. I finally broke down and made several swatches. I am finally on my way with a sz 5 mm hook! That was strange. I am so happy with the fabric I am getting now, so soft! Thank you and greetings from Florida.
Oh, I also wanted to mention that I found your book at my local libray and am enjoying it. The copy is well worn, so I think several people have read it. 😊
Thanks Katie for sharing, as always a beautiful episode. Great to see you back, and good to see you listening to your soul and taking a break. You have inspired my own podcast, when you get time I would love you to check it out! My advice having no energy at the moment for as much knitting as usual is to just listen to yourslef and take a break, try again in a month or so to cast on and see where it takes you. J xo
You are so right about summer, my knitting motivation seems to wain in the warmer months. Normally if I loose my mojo going somewhere which is full of inspiration is guaranteed to make me want to start again. Maybe a trip to Yarndale is on the horizon 😂👍❤️
Hi Katie! Enjoying the video 🩷 i cant help but be taken aback by the beautiful guitar instrumental. Do you mind sharing the artist? Love it!
Have just finished bingeing Outlander... on most waistcoats they are split and laced in the back which would increase wearability. Fifty years have been knitting on and off, I don't see a need to constantly be knitting through the years. Some of my sweaters lasted 30 yrs and I was busy raising children, goats, working, writing. Now having pitched the 40 yo pillows, tatty scarves and needing to have more layer ability as world gets more unstable am knitting again but since I WANT alpaca yarn but won't pay that price, have sought out places to buy raw fleece and spun my yarns. Since I want classic designs and saved all my patterns, nothing new and trendy here unless you count plying 2 colors of alpaca to make tweed or hackling 2 fleeces together to make marled... to lazy to learn dye work. Just enjoy what you do, make what you need.
Like many others here my own interest in knitting comes and goes. I think ebbs and flows are a process of nature. Why should your creative outlets be any different? You seemed very thrilled sewing your vest, which is very well done and polished, so I say relax and enjoy whatever else brings you contentment
Beautiful waistcoat and I love what you did to the poles. Would casting on socks help? Even a dish cloth has worked for me between projects before. :-) Something pretty but not challenging at all. Cheers!
It’s a little scary when a craft that is so much a part of your life loses its “magic”. The end of 2022, mine went away. I still was crafty, just cross stitching, quilting, crocheting and even did some bead weaving for the first time. I wondered if my desire for knitting would ever return! I had also lost the desire to spin which is really scary, BUT the good news is that it just came back after about a 7 month break. I am not sure why it happened, but my lesson from it is not to worry about it. Crafting for me is a way of life and I need that outlet but cannot force it…just let it flow
💙💜🩷❤️🧡💛💚 I hope that helps.
Find a mindless simple knit - this will help to get the rhythum and familiarity of the knitting action back.
I lived everything fiber from age 25 to 45....then, just plain burnout. Packed it up and away. I am now 60, and at 56 got very ill. Couldn't stand up, so, I pulled out a spindle and old roving....and felt a spark. Started a diagonal triangle thinking small, handspun scarf....then decided to keep spinning all my Grey wool to create a large shawl....that shawl is now on its way to become a blanket of spindle spun fibers from every breed I can get my hands on. The knitting spark was back and after all the grey my love of twined and color knitting came back with a vengeance. Also, my love for being outside overrode the challenges of getting there. Had to find new ways to enjoy nature and outdoor activities, but, my creative muse was back with a vengeance and got me back to natural dyeing ( I was an avid acid dye color fanatic in my past, life) and discovering all the wonders of my own backyard. So, yes, it took a slower pace life and a hard realization that I was given a gift of lots of time instead of thinking I was stuck in time, but, the muse is back with a fury now! Of course youtube and ravelry are her overly helpful daemons 😏❤.
( and I do enjoy your videos so much! )
I really hope you enjoy your walk. I hate to make a suggestion to someone as creative as you, but....I have a battered old tent that's been all over with me. On the entrance flap I have written the date and location of where I've pitched it in indelible magic marker. If I could draw there would be pictures of a maple leaf for New England, a wild boar for Corsica, a skylark for the South Downs Way, an ammonite for The Jurassic Coast Path....you get the idea.
Have a fantastic time. Ever since I read 'Songlines' by Bruce Chatwin I've sort-of believed that us humans are meant to walk, if only with a very vague idea of where we are headed. It worked for Frodo.
Seu colete ficou muito bom . seus passeios pelo campo são deliciosos, o gosto pelos desenhos são ótimos. estamos esperando os novos tricô na hora certa.
Hi Katie 👋 enjoyed your video as always. I love what you did with your walking poles ❤
Where did you get your wooden crochet hooks??
💗💐💗💐💗💐💗💐💗💐💗
Your waistcoat is indeed absolutely lovely and I think the impression it gives when worn unbuttoned is so charming,. I definitely prefer it that way. About not really feeling the enthusiasm for kntting, I think you should just wait for the lust and/or inspiration to come back. Most of us are not really in need of more clothing items so in the spirit of reducing how we consume things it might be healthy to be "knittingless" now and then. Our crafts should not become an addiction, our crafts should not be something we force. I work on my mindset regarding this, it will be interesting to see if I can be wíthout knitting and not go crazy...
very beautiful walking poles, you could sell those! Is Jack going on the hike? 🥾 Your vest fits as it does because its a mens' pattern, they don't have hips! I'm very familiar with this, find it with tshirts often at the bottom half. Love tshirts that are designed shorter and wider at the mid hip, cropped I guess. Beautiful sewing job! Our breaks from knitting are much like writers' block, sometimes short, sometimes not so much. I do just as you are, move on to something else for awhile. I'm guessing you'll be all into a new knitting project after your trek. Send some of that rain my way please🙏🌧 so dry and hot here in British Columbia this year , I'm much more of a spring and fall girl.🌻🍁
Have you ever published the pattern for the LOTR mittens you made for your partner a few Christmases ago? I would love to see them! More of an elf, myself, the Hall of Fire seems like an ideallic room. But totally embrace the Tolkien spirit.