One in Five...

I wasn't sure I was going to post about this but then at the last minute I decided to go ahead and do it.  I feel I owe you all an explanation for where I've been, and where all the knitting is.

I've been here since last spring which was the last time I was posting regularly but I haven't done much knitting. Or spinning. In fact, I haven't been doing much of anything. I'm not talking or participating in online forums (not even reading many of them anymore); I didn't take care of my garden last year after planting it so had a poor harvest (except onions - I had great onions). I'm not participating in much of anything anymore. Except sleeping - and even that has been of poor quality.

So it was with mixed feelings that I received a diagnosis today of severe depression and anxiety. Mixed because nobody wants to be ill or hear that there is something wrong with them, but now that I know what the problem is, I can do something about it.  And that is a powerful place to be - at least that is what I'm telling myself.

As for the knitting, I made socks for people for Christmas this year and a hat for my son for Yule.  And once all the obligatory gift knitting was done, I stood back and looked at what I had for myself.  If you recall, I had been working on Flutter by Amy Herzog.  I was finding the pattern to be a bit of a slog but I pushed through and was halfway through the second sleeve when I accepted that deep in my heart of hearts, I wasn't in love with the sweater (though I adore how it is constructed).  And then I received the latest issue of Interweave Knits and categorically had to have the Verchères Pullover on the cover.  So I took Flutter off the needles, unravelled the half sleeve and cast on for the new sweater.

And it's almost done.  I need a few buttons so I can place the buttonholes on the placket and then put the neckband in place. This feels like a bit of a milestone - the first thing in a long long time that I've cared about enough to finish.