Crafty women need to keep their hands busy. When I'm too tired to paint, I sit on the couch and watch my DVRed shows or ancient movies from before I was born. And that's a really long time ago....
This winter I have been obsessed with knitting hats. Plain old cloches/skull caps/watch caps. So many names for the same basic beanie. A few rows of ribbing and the rest is stockinette. I could do it in my sleep. No counting. No pattern stitches. Perfect for keeping my hands busy while my mind takes a little vacation.
I have been a beginner knitter since I was 12. It's fine with me not to know how to make popcorns and cables and fair isle patterns. I would have to concentrate on the work to do that. I like how I knit. My hands keep moving without much attention from me and at the end of an evening I have a new hat for a daughter or grandbaby.
I get my creative impulses satisfied once the hat is finished. I dig thru my collection of antique buttons and jewelry to find the perfect embellishment. Then I add some hand dyed silk ribbon or vintage velvet. It makes each hat unique and has my "signature" on it.
My mother taught me all the needlecraft skills I possess. She could sit in a dark movie theater and knit cabled sweaters. The little yellow sunshine caps in the photo are for all 3 of her great granddaughters. I know she's liking that a lot.
It's snowing in Atlanta tonight. That's a minor miracle and it feels extra cozy inside the cottage. A perfect night to start another beanie.
