Breaking the Slump

Ok, I admit it. I’m in a bit of a knitting slump right now. I can’t say it’s a design slump, exactly: I have tons of ideas floating around in my head. But the knitting aspect of it has got me down.

This is due to a number of things, not the least that I have been really ill for 13 straight weeks. Fevers, sinus infections, bronchitis, possible flu – I’m a mess. I’m on my fourth round of antibiotics, and I still feel horrible. I did start using a neti pot, which I’ve always been a bit nervous to try. And yes, it feels gross while you are doing it. But the neti pot is a life saver for chronic sinus infection sufferers! One week, and my sinuses feel so much better already! I’m a total convert.

Anyway, beyond the neverending illness, I am also swamped with work from all my various jobs, and knitting, unfortunately, has fallen to the bottom of the pile. Nevertheless, I’ve been working hard on a new cardigan design, which I highlighted in last week’s post. But I’m not completely happy with the finished product, so I am now going back and tweaking a few things, while test knitting a larger size for yardage requirements. In other words, I’m stuck doing and redoing this one design when I’d like to move on to all the great new ideas bumping around up there. Nothing is more frustrating than having to rip out and redo and redesign something you thought was finished. Hmph.

So here I am, in a slump. And in my experience, there is only one way to get out of a knitting slump:

Find a pretty new yarn and get all excited about it.

So that’s what I did. I went “shopping” down in the giant stash in our basement, and found a really beautiful wool I’ve been itching to do something with. I pulled out three balls of Debbie Bliss Soho, a scrumptious 100% wool variegated in a homespun thick-and-thin texture, now sadly discontinued. I love this particular colorway, in sage greens, warm rust, and a cool blue-grey. I’m never quite sure how to tackle variegated yarns, but I do really like the way a star stitch shows off the colors and avoids pooling. So I made up a gauge swatch in stockinette and star stitch:

My plan is to make a simple hat – no pattern – using this wool in star stitch. I might add a solid wool for the ribbing, if I can find a good match. It will be a quick and satisfying knit, something to get my mind off of all my troubles and get me back into the knitting groove. I’m already excited about it! Stay tuned for the finished product!

P.S.: The Star Stitch is worked in multiples of four.

Row 1 (RS): Knit.

Row 2 (WS): *P1, P3tog leaving sts on needle, YO, P3tog again and slip off needle, repeat from *.

Row 3: Knit.

Row 4: p3, P3tog leaving sts on needle, YO, P3tog again and slip off needle, P1, repeat from * to last st, P1.