knitting anxiety

I just realised something.

First, some backtracking.

I've been working for three days on the hem for the steeked jacket. 2mm needles with 5ply wool. OMG. I have pin prick marks in my thumbs and index fingers. I have to wear bandaids to do this now. I haven't bled yet, but another heavy slip with the needle into one of the little wounds on the pads on my fingers, and I'd be bleeding.

Ok, so the hem is done, as of about an hour ago. I'm going out this afternoon/evening so I wanted to get as much done as possible. It's hot today, for the first time in a week or so. My hands are sweating. I'm using baby powder. But still I knit on.

Now the hem is done, with my husband looking on all the while asking pertinent questions such as, 'when does this get joined into a circle?' and 'when does the pattern part start?' and 'you mean you did all that work on the hem and it's never going to see the light of day?'

And still I knit on, nodding, muttering half hearted explanations. I want to get this hem done NOW!

So I finished it during an episode of Six Feet Under. We're well into Season Two now and loving it as much as before. Best TV show ever. But I digress.

I finished the hem half way through the episode. I paused it, and went to to print out the relevant info on the next steps, thinking I could just keep on working.

Uh-uh. Nope. Too much work needed to think about it. It needed more concentration and I wanted to finish watching the episode. And besides, it was getting really hot.

So I thought, well I'll just watch the rest of Six Feet Under and start the body of the jacket later when I get home in the evening and it's cooler.


But I panicked. I had no knitting to go on with. It's literally my only project on the go right now. I have a couple of jumpers that need sewing up, but there is NOTHING ELSE ON THE NEEDLES!

I'm not kidding when I say I suddenly felt really, really anxious. Am I that dependant on knitting now that I can't watch half a tv show, for half an hour tops, without knitting, even though my hands are sweating???

The moment of anxiety was saved by reaching for a ball of sock yarn and casting on for a pair of socks a friend has asked for.

I kid you not. It was a weird moment.

Maybe I need to get out more? Thankfully I have a coffee date with a friend this afternoon and a movie (The Queen) later on.

Pics of the jacket to come later.

Bells