Editions of Me

I've been taking Sew Liberated's series of Learn to Sew courses , and I've been busy!!  Sewing makes me feel... complete. Like, even though so far I can only make four things (a top, bottoms, a skirt, and a dress), I now possess the skills to make an entire outfit. (I mean, YES, I could've knit myself pants or a skirt or a dress, but I'm not that much a fan of knit bottoms.) I love that sewing is a lot faster than knitting, so it really is great for my instant-gratification needs--things go from "materials" to "ready to wear" SO quickly! And I'm learning a lot about garment construction, fabric, and how to make alterations for myself, both before and after sewing. Moreover, as I said in a previous post, sewing and knitting give me a sense of peace. When I'm working on projects, I'm not scrolling on social media. I might listen to podcasts or audiobooks, but I'm not otherwise putting myself in a position to feel aggravated, stresse...

  a nearly-finished sweater I'm not going to lie, friends. Things have been rough for me, emotionally, mentally, and physically. I've been stuck in a feedback loop of stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, and feeling sick (not Covid, so far), culminating in me taking a few days off in a row because at some point, something has to give. I've been throwing myself into arts and crafts, as a way to deal with it all. I'm still knitting a ton, but I've also been taking art classes through Domestika and sewing courses through Sew Liberated , and journaling, and also, I even made pho for myself yesterday, for the first time in a really long time. There is something restorative in the act of creating something (or planning to create something, as I'm still waiting on new sewing supplies and figuring out how to stash-bust).  But it has to be creating something from a place of peace---I know that lots of artisans and crafters enjoy turning their passions into their work, but fo...

Don't fashion me into a maiden that needs saving from a dragon. I am the dragon, and I will eat you whole. Pattern: Dragonscale Gloves by Rachel Barlow Yarn: Dream in Color's Smooshy with Cashmere in the colorway "Mermaid Shoes" Quote: Requiem of the Moon Poetry

“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.” - Jane Austen, Mansfield Park Wow! Where have I been? The short answer to that is, "Absolutely nowhere." I've been busy, but I also have been doing nothing, which makes absolutely no sense. Perhaps a more accurate explanation would be that I've been busy doing things that no one else would consider important. I'm not working and I'm not working out (yet - looking forward to going back to powerlifting next month!), but my daughter has started school, and I'm still trying to figure out what I want out of this new life, and that takes time and energy. Even though I have decided to take this giant pause in my life, the world is still spinning around me, and I have to make sure that I don't allow myself to spin off into nothingness. As I've said previously, I feel a little aimless right now. I am someone who NEEDS to keep busy, even if it stresses me out to the max, because without all the r...

I haven't blogged about crafting in AGES. Mainly, I haven't been doing much of it - I knitted a few small things for the holidays as I typically do, but otherwise, my room has basically been a WIP graveyard. I heard about the Darbysmart Mystery DIY box from some roundup of cool subscription boxes. For about $20 a month, they send you the materials to complete a craft project! It's something different every month. I used their introductory signup code (which made it half-priced) to give it a try - my daughter really likes crafting with me, so I thought we'd check it out together.