Stormcoast Creations

Well, it has been ridiculously quiet here, for good reason. Swallowtail has stalled. My loom sock is done, except I need to put it on needles and Kitchener it.

I went to VT Sheep & Wool. I didn’t take any pictures — it was rainy and this was the first year having my iPad as my primary camera. I also didn’t buy any yarn! Are you shocked? I bought a crochet hook keychain (purchased from Ball & Skein, but the one from KnitPicks), which means I can finally cross that off my Christmas wishlist.

Then I bought a lap loom/frame loom from Millpoint Emporium. I’ve been waffling on a loom for a while, and the frame loom fit my budget (and seemed like a good way to decide if I like weaving). I finally pulled it out and started playing with it today. I’m not done, but it’s very meditative and easy to get lost in.

We took our eldest cat to the vet a few days before the festival because she wasn’t eating. The vet diagnosed her with kidney failure, and we made the incredibly difficult decision to put her down. Sheep & Wool helped give me a distraction, and I seem to pick up new skills when dealing with the death of a loved one. I’ll always think of my older brother when I remember learning to crochet, and now weaving will be tied to the loss of Phoebe. But I consider it to be something positive — I am still creating, even in loss, even amidst death. I am still learning and growing. The sadness still hits me like a tidal wave sometimes, but it will lessen, and I’ll keep going.