Ugh! Don’t you hate it when you have a creative block! That has been my problem this week. I am so close to finishing one of my designs and I had this idea to use a certain type of button but when I went to buy them, I couldn’t get them anywhere. And all the buttons I looked at just didn’t cut it! I have a few more places to look but I’m not holding my breath. So on the weekend I tried something else. I got halfway through and I just don’t know if I’m liking the way it is turning out. So I’ve just left it. I look at it every day to see if the design will talk to me. It’s so frustrating because I really need to get this design finished so I can write it up.
In the meantime I’ve been working on another design, a crochet pattern, which is coming together nicely. I have about 7 squares to do up and then I can put the finishing touches to it. It’s exciting to see my designs come to life. I have another 3 which are still only on paper but I’m looking forward to breathing life into them as well.
On Saturday I went to Knit N Sip at Knit Purl Yarn Boutique and Ruth, the knitting teacher was there. I was talking to her about the wrap I want to knit and she thought it would look good in 8ply, which means the wool I’ve been waiting to come back into stock is now not needed, so I spent Sunday afternoon looking at 8 ply wool in a similar colour and found some pretty merino. I ordered it from loveknitting.com and got 15% off because it was my first order so I was happy.
Hubble, however, suggested that maybe I should finish some of my existing yarn projects before I start another one (in fact told me not to start another project until I had finished at least one). Challenge accepted!
Last night I finished Miss M’s beanie. It turned out well, even the pom pom. I just have to add a label and write some care instructions up, then pop it in the mail. I hope Miss M likes it.
I’m still working on the Grinda Shawl. I’ve got about 11 rows to go. Each row is taking about an hour or just over to complete and my hands have been aching as well so I’ve had to be careful with how much time I spend crocheting.
I forgot to mention in my last post that March is National Craft Month. A lot of people think craft can be a pretty daggy pastime but there is a whole world out there of amazing designers doing incredibly beautiful things, both in the quilting, stitchery world and the yarn world. I love being a part of that AND it’s sooo good for my mental health. I literally have to do something creative every single day, otherwise I feel like something is missing. Crafting keeps me sane, it gives my day balance and makes me an all round nicer person. And I love giving something handmade as a present for the people I care about. Everything I make is made with so much love and I hope people realise that a handmade gift is something very special and sometimes hours have been spent creating it. If you feel that you would benefit from some crafting time then find your closest fabric, wool or craft store and explore the shelves to see what takes your fancy.
March is also Endometriosis Awareness month. This is very close to my heart because I suffer from endometriosis (endo). I have spent my whole adult life trying to find something that will let me live a relatively normal life and finally in the last year I finally have some normality. It took me 32 years to have it confirmed that I suffered from endo and by then, it was so bad that all the organs in my pelvis and lower abdomen were stuck together. It was also growing in my bladder.
For those of you who don’t know what it is, endo is when the lining of your uterus grows in other parts of your body. And like the lining in your uterus, every month it sheds but unlike the lining in your uterus it has nowhere to go. So, it forms into what is known as chocolate cysts, which causes organs to fuse together, and pain, sometimes so bad that you vomit and lie in the foetal position wishing you were dead.
I’m very lucky. Not only do I have a great Gyno but I have also reacted well to medication given to me and had excellent results with alternative medicine as well. I have had surgery and will, no doubt, have to have further surgery in the future but for now I have a relatively normal life for the first time in a very long time.
What I really want to stress here is that painful periods are not normal. Really heavy periods are not normal. Some bloating, maybe feeling uncomfortable is normal when having your period but being in pain, especially pain that stops you from going about your day is NOT NORMAL!!! And if your doctor tells you it is, then you need to see another doctor. And keep seeing other doctors until one of them takes you seriously.
The problem with endo is that it affects each woman differently. For example, three of my family members have endo. One had it bad until she had kids, I have had it bad my whole adult life and the other family member didn’t even know she had it until a doctor told her she had it after having some tests done for something else. She had no symptoms whatsoever. This , I feel, is part of the reason why it is so hard to diagnose for a lot of doctors.
I feel hopeful for my future, and I feel hopeful that one day there will be a cure for this horrible, horrible disease. If you’re suffering, please get help. The quicker you find it, the better it can be treated and hopefully the more normal your life will be.
Lastly, Hubble bought me a new present the other week – a Knit Pro Swift and Ball Winder. This lets me wind a skein of yarn into a ball in about 10 minutes. When I do it manually it takes about 40 minutes and Hubble has to sit with yarn around his hands. It’s such a great tool and I love it.
So that’s it for now. Have a great week. Until next time…get creative!
Amanda Harwood Creates... 