I have been dealing with some depression lately. I felt like I'd fallen into a dark hole. I know many people don't really understand depression and usually assume the person who is depressed feels sad. It isn't always like that. For me at least, it is more like a "suppression" of emotions. I feel
switched off. I didn't feel sad, I felt nothing. I didn't feel like doing any of the things I usually enjoy. I deal with a lot of chronic pain and I use crafting and reading to get through the difficult times but for a while now I haven't felt like reading. That is very unusual for me. I usually read at least 4 books a month and never go anywhere without a book in my purse. In both August and September I only read one book and it was a challenge to get through that one book in the month. This month it is already the 12th and I've only read one chapter of a book. I have been enjoying my newest hobby, cross stitching, but when I finished my last project I didn't feel like starting anything new. The only thing I felt like doing was watching TV and that is unusual for me. I've never been a big TV watcher since I prefer reading.
Well, I have been trying desperately to find a way to get out of this funk. I thought about making a doctor appointment but I wanted to try a few things first. I started taking Vitamin D3 and that may have helped a little bit. Another thing I like to do when I feel this way is make something to donate. If I can crochet or knit something that can help someone else, that gives me something to focus on and also helps me to feel better. Helping others always helps me to feel better. I have a blanket I was working on in the spring to donate to a retirement home and I could pick that back up but I wasn't feeling it. Then I saw some videos on youtube by Caroline of
Off the Grid Needlearts. She decided to teach a friend to knit and put together some instructional videos. One of the patterns she used was for a hat. I knit the hat and found that I really enjoyed it. I decided to make a bunch of these warm hats to donate to the ER for those people who come in without proper winter gear. Here in Alaska we get very cold weather in the winter and there are a lot of homeless people who get frostbite. Often they don't even have socks, let alone warm winter gear. I am making them these hats with worsted weight Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn because it is a Wool/Acrylic blend. That yarn is warmer but doesn't require any special care. I have two hats completed and have started another one. I feel like this is doing me a lot of good and hope that I will eventually start feeling like my normal self again.
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| My oldest son Jared modeling my 1st hat |
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| My younger son Riley modeling my 2nd hat |
My younger son Riley has a larger head and the first hat didn't fit him. I was able to adjust the pattern to make a larger hat that did fit. I'll make some of both sizes to donate. There is also a mitten pattern and I think I'll try those next.
