Wrapping things up

Welp, I spoke too soon when I said that KnitKnit had nothing in it I needed to make, because I hadn't seen Joelle's gorgeous pullover. And I very much want to make it. I've fallen hard! I've fallen so hard I'm having trouble envisioning other colorways - this just seems so perfect. However, I will not be buying yarn for it. Yet. (See previous post, regarding Items I Am Not in the Market For.)

I don't think I've mentioned here that I have been working with Cheri Huber's book Making a Change for Good: A Guide to Compassionate Self-Discipline. In the back of the book is a guided 30-day program for working with any aspect of life in which you'd like to make a change. I got the book in April, and have done the program every month since then except July, once online with a group that Cheri led (which was super fun).

So during that time, I've started meditating every day, doing yoga, eating leafy greens, and walking four miles almost every day, and cutting back very substantially on the amount of sugar I eat. And it hasn't been painful; it's been pleasant. Delightful, even. And I've lost a fair bit of weight. Sweet!

Anyway, those are all changes I've needed to make in the area of basic self-care. Now I feel ready to look at an aspect of how I do things that I find frustrating, which is startitis and completion. It is really, really challenging for me to complete things. Unless they're very bad for me, like certain painful jobs or relationships or academic programs - then I can hang around for punishment and suffering for a long time, telling myself that I really need to see things through. Things that would actually benefit me to complete? Harder, oh yes.

So for the month of October, the commitment I'm making is to finishing knitting projects, one after the other, without starting anything new. In order of importance and, more or less, nearness to completion, they are:

1. Moth
2. Tepoztlan
3. Manly chevron
4. Lizard ridge
5. Son of Spencer
6. Ultra vest
7. Feather-and-fan comfort shawl

There's no way I can do all this in one month. The point is to re-orient myself, make a shift towards beginning things with the intention of completing them, and, when I don't finish and instead switch to starting yet another new thing, watch very, very closely, and observe just how that happens. Oh, and by the way? Finishing means finishing: seaming, blocking, weaving in ends - the woiks!

First on the list, and Moth is coming along. I've started the twin-leaf section. Until I learn the pattern, Moth will be strictly homebody knitting. It looks nice and happy there, patiently waiting for me to pick it up tonight. See you soon, Moth!