Assortment of knitting, sewing and reading

Hat and socks

I've been busy with my knitting this month and can report that Christmas in July is going strong with my first project - a WW hat - finished!  I used stylecraft special dk in claret again as my sil is allergic to wool and likes only acrylic.  She will have a scarf too but I've not photographed that just yet.

I enjoyed knitting the hat and hope it fits this time!  (Last years proved too big)

Also on the needles are this months A year of techniques project - a Rachel Coopey sock pattern in The Knitting Goddess pink yarn with contrast toes - this is going well and I'm enjoying the pattern.
Second socks on my new gadget the Addi sock wonder needle is a Pairfect yarn in stripes by regia and this will be for Matt my son.

I didn't go to the Bipolar support group as a had something else on - pity because it was the last one before the summer break and they were covering hypomania too.

Crochet blanket

My lovely crocheted blanket is speeding along nicely!  I'm using Stylecraft special dk from Christine's wool shop and the colours match my decor nicely.  Bertie, my cat, has his eye on it - I really must make him a lap quilt as he's decided after 11 yrs to suddenly become a lap cat only he's not terribly good at it!  Think claws! Ha ha.

In other news my lovely youngest son came home from his 10month trip backpacking and working around New Zealand last week!  Talk about nervy and on the edge!  I've suffered tremendously with anxiety while he's been away!  HE'S had the time if his life - mum here has become angst ridden and dependant on TABLETS ha ha!  My Drs have both been understanding and allowed me to stay on the medication which has had the effect of heightening my mood - not good when you have bipolar!
Still it's done now and he's home!  He's eating very well and hasn't appeared to suffer with jet lag that we've noticed.
Next month at bipolar support group we are covering hypo mania which is what I get so it ought to be interesting!

Happy half moon

Lots of reasons to be happy at this month, not least the gorgeous half happy moon pattern bySusan Ashcroft which I cast on recently and am much further in.  It's knitted in alternate felted tweed and kidsilkhaze both in shades of orange. I asked for opinions as I feared it may be a little too orange but all comments were positive so I'm knitting on!
Yet more reasons to be happy include two parties! One a 70th and the other a 60th so two celebrations to look forward too!
Best of all though!  My youngest son is returning home from NZ where he has spent last 10months backpacking and travelling!  I am so happy am beside myself and can't wait to give him a hug!
On the other side is the down side of anxiety.
I have been on Med for anxiety the whole time he's been away and my Drs both feel I need to come off them - yup!  You are right this is making me feel anxious!
On Wednesday our bipolar support group is covering this very topic so I'm hoping to get some tips to share on how to deal with this condition.
Finally at the opposite side of happy is a very upsetting conversation I had with one of my sons who rang to ask my opinion of a comment made to a young friend at uni newly diagnosed as bipolar that under no circumstances should she consider having children!  I'm very unhappy at this!
Now to be fair my own Dad had manic depression now known as bipolar disorder, but when I asked my Dr about chances of passing it on he was quite clear that it wasn't a definite yes or no but his opinion was no rather than yes.
I hope I've reassured the young lady and I hope she phones the numbers and gets some guidance and support.
Next time I will report on June's A year of techniques which is a cloch hat with a knitted on side and pin wheel cast on but I've not found any yarn yet for it and as I'm in a yarn diet I can't nip out to buy some!

One corner at a time

This is one corner - tidied (cough) I daren't show you any more but it is improving if a little slowly!

De stress

well after the mammoth task of sorting and uploading my stash onto ravelry recently I decided it was time to tackle my wips and yarn and magazines in our lounge.
I love my knitting and there is something comforting about having nice things close by but at the same time it's stressful!
Eventually I couldn't stand it any longer and I tackled the problem head on one bag at a time. Now if I'm honest I didn't get rid of much! More sort of rearranged it - you know what I mean?
I wish I could get stuck in and finish things but I'm afraid I'm more likely to cast ON than cast OFF.

I never change!  As well as being surrounded by wool I'm starting to drink again. This is a bad idea and yesterday I was caught out a treat!  Sat in our local pub posing for Instagram WHO should tap me on the arm and say "hello" but not one but TWO of my Drs!  As I introduced them to dh they both looked pointedly at the bottle of wine I was drinking .. I felt awful because in fact it was my second! Ouch!  Blast it eh? And I've got an appointment next month too - do you suppose he'll remember??

This month at the Bipolar support group we will be covering anxiety - I'll blog more then but I'm looking forward to this subject as it's something I suffer with and have suffered badly since our son went out to NZ for a year - I'm afraid to say he got a brilliant experience and loved every minute while I developed a phobia of lifts, became afraid of lots of silly things and ended up on tablets for it!
He comes home next month and I can't wait!

Therapy!

There's a fantastic pattern for a shawl called Therapy and my friend helped me put these yarns together and don't they go well?
I'm in need of a spot of therapeutic knitting as one of my sons had an accident involving a glass and a deep serious cut to his forearm and I'm imagining all sorts!
What better than a spot of therapy!
You can see I'm starting to gather patterns and put wool together? I do this to excess but for now it's giving me distraction and comfort.