South Downs and Stiches

It's now been 5 months since leaving the daily grind for one of freelance freedom and this week has been a time for reflection and assessment.  And a week off.  A whole week of not pushing myself to make patterns, drive social media or thinking of ways to make some extra money.  This has led to two thoughts:

1. I miss having a regular income and a ready made social network!  I CAN live on the meager amount I make if I eek out all the books, patterns and commissions, we can eat and pay bills, but my jeans have holes in, and while I can go thrift shopping for new ones, I'd really like to go and get some new skinnys from a proper shop.  I also really like the new friends I've made through the power of social media, but you can't have banal conversations about your favourite flavour yoghurt, or what you watched on tv last night.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not ready to give this all up, I love the freedom this lifestyle choice allows me to look after the boys, help out at school and make proper meals.  But I'm wondering if my mental health (and wardrobe) could benefit from a couple of days a week back in the real world.

2.  I haven't just doodled with yarn for ages.  Yes, I did make the crow for Mr. Steel&Stitch, but that very definitely had to look like something in the end.  So on my week off, I went into the sublime South Downs, and came away inspired by the beautiful colour palette of all the grasses and wild flowers.  On getting home, I immediately raided my yarn stash and dragged out everything that resembled the greens, purples, pinks and yellows that the South Downs in summer has to offer.

And then set to playing with stitches and colour to make my very first shawl, something that even in the depths of winter will take me straight back there.  It's very much a work in progress, and there's almost as much ripping out of stitches as there are creating them, but I'm loving it.

 

Maybe it's just about balance...