Vancouver is, usually, the “warm” part of Canada. Which isn’t to imply that our winter months are balmy, but rather that the dark, rainy months that put a chill deep down in our bones aren’t as traditionally “wintry” as the rest of the country that’s covered in snow for a few months every year (or longer, obviously, in the northern parts).
Right now, though, due to, you guessed it, Arctic outflow, it’s sunny outside and also feels about -10 Celsius, which is very, very cold for Vancouver.
Our 100-year-old house leaks like a sieve in temperatures like this, so I’ve been working in many, many layers. It’s cozy. I don’t mind.
What’s got me really thinking in this unusual stretch of frigid weather is that I’ve hardly been wanting to make anything. Obviously, this is more about eleven months of pandemic life than is about the cold.
Back in the summer, I thought a lot about the upcoming dark months. I knew we’d end up back in social isolation, and I knew I’d hate being outdoors in the winter weather, and I channeled my anticipation and anxiety into thinking about all the wintry indoor things I’d make – which I tend to do every year. I usually love the long, dark evenings of winter, spent cozied up at home, with yarn in my lap.
This year, at this moment, nearly 100 days into severe social restrictions, all I feel I have energy for is waiting. Waiting for the Public Health Office to tell us we can see our pod family again. Waiting for the warmer weather of spring. Waiting to have an idea of when I might be able to see my parents.
I recognize that wishing time away isn’t the healthiest thing to do, but I’m also not beating myself up about it. This whole time isn’t healthy.
So here’s a note that if you’re getting dressed most days, if you’re in touch with someone who loves you, if you’re brushing your teeth and mostly eating food that’s different colours, you’re doing just great.
If you, like I do, need a nudge to add some making into your mix, here it is. You know as well as I do that you’ll be glad you picked up that long-neglected project, that the effort to sort out the details of starting something new will be worth it, that just a few minutes a day creating something will add up to something you’ll be glad about eventually.
And if you need a laugh to further nudge you along, here’s one: I’ve been posting timelapse videos of my wee collages on TikTok. I mean, so much about that sentence is laugh-worthy.
Pop into the crafts chat and declare your intention to create your way out of this pandemic funk, eh?
Onward.
Kim
We’ve got two discussion threads going for deluxe subscribers:
One about books, and one about crafts.
Come hang out and chat!
Items of Note
I don’t want to make this, but looking at the photos reminds me that garter stitch is my happy place. I should maybe start a new garter stitch project.
This looks interesting, and also I can’t help but feel dispirited that crochet is still so often not shown at its best. I hope this new magazine succeeds.
Mmm. Spring…
This article is super in two ways:
It is an awesome romp through knitting and fandom.
It is an excellent example of how horrifically annoying in-content advertisements are. OH MY GOD did those abundant ads take away from the reading experience. If a side-effect of my professional pursuits is that I become a crusader for the reader experience, so be it.
Our weekly video hang-outs are now held on Discord (instead of Zoom), on Thursdays at 1:30pm Pacific / 4:30pm Eastern Time. Simply enter the Community Hangout voice channel, and there we’ll be. Here’s how to join us on Discord
Head over to Discord and download the app or proceed to use it in your browser. Then click or enter this link to join our server: https://discord.gg/fRBx7ezRF7
Once in there, you’ll see the familiar compass-rose icon that indicates our community. On the left you’ll find a list of information (a welcome note, community rules, etc.), a list of text channels (for discussion), and a list of voice channels (where you and everyone else in the community can initiate or join voice or video calls whenever you want).
What I’m making: A tiny collage every day(ish) for The 100 Day Project. (If you were hanging on my every word today to learn if I was able to get back into my Instagram account after I was locked out last week – yes, by some miracle I was able to navigate the bizarre workings of FB/IG to get back in there. Whew.)
What I’m watching: Shitt’s Creek Season 6, which I’ve been saving up for like a year until I really needed it, and I need it right now, and it is wonderful.
What I’m reading: OH MY GODS I STILL can’t read anything. I’m very slowly progressing through Wizard’s First Rule, which I started back in the summer. The kid and I are onto the third Anne book: Anne of the Island. I suspect our experience of this is similar, but he can’t quite articulate it: It is the opposite of stressful. It’s boring, but in a very calming way.
Head over to the book discussion thread!