How much do I love a cowl?

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The answer is lots...apparently

I've written about my love of cowls versus shawls a few times before - at length - but it's really at this time of year that they come into their own.

Something you can just throw on in a morning as you dash out of the door. Those first few frosty mornings that catch you slightly unawares and can leave the knitter feeling exposed and slightly draughty at the bus stop.

Until I had knit a few I was unpersuaded by the joys of cowls, I thought they would feel bulky or constraining (I have an irrational fear of polo neck sweaters and anything too tight under my chin) but they have turned out to be a surprisingly versatile and well-worn addition to my wardrobe.

They are also pretty quick to knit - compared to a full on shawl - and 1 skein of DK can go a long way when you pair it with a stretchy, squishy stitch pattern.

As a winter treat I have put together a bundle of cowl patterns with the discount code COWL15 on my website. You can buy as many as you like - just add the code at the checkout.

Happy knitting

Journaling prompts to boost creativity

I think we have all felt a bit stuck in a creative rut at one time another. Particularly when I’ve reached the end of a long project or I am at the stage where I can’t (or won’t) make progress on long standing WIPs. There are times when, frustratingly I find myself with time on my hands and the desperate urge to create something, anything, but yet I’m almost paralysed by indecision and choice.

I tell myself I’ll just have a look through my yarn stash but an hour later I’m still there. Pawing through my stored yarn, thinking of plans, maybe starting a few but then ripping back and ending up back where I started. Just with a busier brain.

I’ve found that keeping a super long-term project on hand is really helpful for times like this. My giant granny square blanket for example can always be added too and it can keep my fingers busy and my brain distracted.

My other go-to solution is my journal. I grab my trusty notebook and pen and either free write (great for releasing frustration) or use a prompt that appeals to me.

Anything to get words and feelings out of my brain and to free up a bit of space for me to be me again.

If this sounds like something you might like I have put together a short, free PDF containing 5 of the prompts I use most often when I’m feeling in a creative rut.

You can tap the button below to download it, or save the Pinterest image for later.

PIN FOR LATER

Tips for avoiding seasonal overwhelm

Plain toe-up socks in WYS Gingerbread yarn.

I’m sure we all know those super prepared people - the ones who have all their Christmas cards written and presents bought by bonfire night, not to mention all of their knitted gifts done and dusted. If you are reading this though, then I’m sure you’ll be heartened to read that I am not one of those people.

Every year around this time of year I swear that next year will be different and that by 1st December I will be wearing a large, sparkly T shirt that says “I’m ready for Christmas”. And every year the festive season hits me like a tinsel covered tow truck. Every single bloody year.

Over the years I have gradually pared down the list of Christmas essentials, eliminating everything that doesn’t bring me joy or that causes undue stress. For your reading pleasure I present a short list of things I have found I can reduce or do without in hopes that it inspires you to declutter your festivities as well:

1. No knitting for others, unless I really want (and have time) to

2. No late-night shopping or activities after 7pm

3. No Christmas cards except for relatives and people I won’t see in person

4. No festive baking - unless I am really in the mood and I want the house to smell nice

5. Stepping away from social media the minute I find myself bookmarking Christmas decor ideas

6. No Elf on the shelf or Christmas Eve boxes - but we do give Christmas Eve books.

7. No hot chocolate stations or similar Pinterest-y fad of the year

8. No present buying for spouse (we each do a donation to Crisis instead)

9. Every Friday I replace my daily bullet journal to-do list with a ‘have done’ list. It’s easy to focus on everything that you haven’t done but I find when I look back at the week and list all the things that I have accomplished it gives me a really positive boost.

In case you think I’m a complete Grinch I do really enjoy (aspects of) Christmas. I just like to enjoy them on my own terms, in my own way and without putting pressure on myself and others. For this weekend that looks like buying mince pies and eating them under a blanket, whilst knitting on some more Christmas socks.

What kind of Christmas Knitter are you?

The Knitting Quiz rides again - this time I have redone it with a festive twist.

We all have varying attitudes to Christmas knitting - and just the mere mention of it in knitting circles, from September onwards is likely to generate a multitude of responses.

So, just for fun I put together a short, 2 minute quiz to see what kind of Christmas knitting category you fall into. We have The Grinch, The Elf, The Fairy and The Angel.

Want to see which type you are - just tap the button below to take the quiz - and please feel free to share it with a knitty friend or two.

Supporting small businesses

Credit: @angela.chick.illustration

If you’ve been here for a while you’ll know that I am a passionate supporter of small independent businesses both in my blogging, my designing and in the Everyday Knitter Facebook Group.

This year with all the pressures that we are all facing it seems even more urgent to support and promote indie businesses as they face stiffer competition from the big box stores and customers, understandably are more concious of their spending.

This week I’ve been having great fun taking part in Indie Week event run by the amazing Just A Card team. It’s a week long celebration of a wonderfully diverse range of makers, artists and other small businesses and I’ve really valued being part of it.

You can find out more about the campaign at the links below as well as their Christmas Fair which offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore a great range of makers, artists and independent businesses - perfect in the run up to the festive season.

LINKS:

Check out Just A Card on Instagram or on their website: www.justacard.org

The joy of small things

Colour Block Mitts - pattern here

I’ve never really been about the grand gestures or the lofty ambitions but increasingly I am focusing on joys of small, simple everyday things. Life in lockdown certainly taught us to appreciate the simple things and I’ve found that I’ve carried that through into my everyday life now - more so than I ever did before.

I was reflecting the other day on how, as a parent so much emphasis is put on your child’s ‘firsts’ - first steps, first tooth, first bike ride. But we never really think about the ‘lasts’ - simply because you don’t know they are the last time you’ll ever have to retrieve their favourite bear before they’ll go to sleep or the last time they’ll need their laces tying.

And perhaps it’s a good job we don’t know that they are the ‘lasts’ at the time. On our recent holiday to the Lakes (thankfully on the last day as we were packing the car) it hit me that our next October break in that cottage will look very different with one son away at Uni - and honestly it hit me like a body blow - and one that I was absolutely unprepared for.

I’m glad I hadn’t thought of it earlier in the week otherwise it would have hung over my whole week with a series of ‘is this the last time …’ thoughts.

But it really did bring me up short and make me glad that I had taken a bit of time to stop and appreciate some of the small things that holiday - even if I was less than serene after the third game of Monopoly.

As part of my daily journaling I often add a short gratitude list - just tiny things during the day that I noticed or I particularly enjoyed. If I’m organised I might have snapped a photo or two as well and I love to scroll back through my camera roll and see the little things that captured my attention.

When our boys were little we used to joke that we had taught them to enjoy their pleasures small - a ‘beach holiday’ to them was spending time throwing stones into Wastwater. And I think there’s a lot to be said for that as adults as well.

Articles I enjoyed on this topic:

Find Gratitude In The Small Things (theodysseyonline.com)

4 Things Keeping a Gratitude Journal Taught Me - Life's AHmazing! (lifesahmazing.com)

Gratitude Journal: 66 Templates & Ideas for Daily Journaling (positivepsychology.com)