The Calm After the Panic

 I know you have days like my Monday.  The time change always messes me up plus I was tired from a little two day road trip to take in the Vogue Knitting Live event in Columbus and visit my friends at Mercantile on Main in Coshocton, Ohio.  I woke up exhausted and fretting about whether to unravel a few inches of this knitting project to fix a sizing issue.  I was hungry and I rushed sloppily through my back stretches (never good) -- before I knew it I was teetering on the edge of overwhelmed.
(Totally, self-inflicted of course!?!)

I hate, hate, hate to waste time dealing with a negative state of mind.  Some would tell me to pray which I do but I keep it short because I'm out of sorts -- "get me out of this, Lord!"

It's rude but to the point.

Food, a proper cup of tea, and some stitching were needed to turn me away from the brink.

So I headed upstairs to do something in my studio. 

Last week, I cut this wine corkscrew fabric up for some 9" square cocktail napkins -- the serger was threaded and getting to work was a no-brainer!

Until the machine stopped right in the middle of hemming an edge!?!

The foot pedal seemed to have failed and I still had eight napkins to do.

So I switched gears to give myself time to think.

I cut out the pieces for this week's #littlemisssawtoothqal blocks.

All the tree trunks are vertical -- yea!!  And that porcupine in the center!!

I have only seen flattened porcupines (roadkill) so I have no idea if they are this cute?!?

And these foxes must all be kits (babies) because they don't seem to be aware that lunch is in their midst (the rabbit).  These are simple blocks and I'll be done with them in no time!!

Well, obviously I needed to recut the rust squares.  

Arrrgh!?!

The blocks got finished and I called a friend to see if she has a serger like mine.  

Yes, she did!  

Could I borrow the foot pedal?

After a quick trip to borrow the pedal, I was inspired to stop at this park overlooking the local river before heading home - God's getting the credit for this idea!  That helped calm me and I determined that since the sun was coming out for the afternoon, I would take advantage of the time to clear off the patio for winter.

By the end of the afternoon,  the patio was finished and the panic had subsided.  

Today, I can barely remember what the fuss was all about?

We all have our strategies for dealing with emotional low points -- some are bad and don't help -- like eating all the leftover Halloween candy (yep, I did that).

  I know that if I just sit down and stitch (there is always something available) or if I head to the woods, I'll perk up and move out of the valley.  I think it's worth while thinking about what perks you up so that you can consciously turn to it when you feel low.

I did unravel a couple inches of the cowl and finished it today -- much better and so glad I fixed it. 

I've spent the past couple days organizing yarn and needles for the annual Christmas sock knitting escapade -- eight pairs for grandkids and daughters!

(Three pairs will be tiny!)

I finished a small quilt top for my charity group's Christmas project!

These little projects where we turn someone's cast-off blocks into a usable quilt top give me such a lift!! 

This afternoon, I started to mass produce some little tea wallets for holiday gifts.

I shared all this because we all have crummy days, right?  I look at Instagram and see all the great stuff everyone else is doing and how cheerful they "sound" but it's just a 30 second sound bit from their life -- I can't see the rest of the day.

You, too?

Time to have a cup of tea and knit me some baby socks!!

Grandma's three peas in a pod!!

Mary