It happened to Picasso too

I’ve deleted a thousand posts because they all sound a bit sad and whiny, which I suppose is a little accurate- Toronto is still in a stay at home order and lockdown and I am rather sad and whiny about it, especially when I see my friends and colleagues to the south and across the pond slowly finding a way out of this thing. Still, it doesn’t do my heart any good at all to be jealous, and it makes no sense to compare Canada to the vaccine producing giants that are the US and UK. We’re making progress compared to  most countries that don’t have any domestic vaccine production, and I am so grateful for that. Still, after enduring that long and lonely Covid winter I had hoped for a little more freedom this spring – but the ICU’s are rammed full, the crisis is deeper than it ever was, and every healthcare worker I know would love to beat the everliving snot out of people who can’t honour the restrictions right now while they struggle to keep people alive, so here I sit.

I received my first vaccine three weeks ago – but Canada is separating the first and second doses by four months to make the most of the supply we have. I get it, as the variants savage the place it makes a lot of sense to try and give as many people as possible some protection, but it does mean that we don’t know anyone that’s enjoying the perks of being fully vaccinated. Hell, we don’t even have guidelines for those people yet, since it’s only 3% of the population. I know there’s an end in sight, but gentle readers, it just seems so far off.

Was that too sad? Whiny? I think it’s okay, I’ll leave it. The truth is that we’re holding on, despite Toronto enduring one of the worlds longest lockdowns (for the third time) and we remain pretty grateful that we’ve been able to be as safe as we have been – and that the hardest thing we’ve been asked to do is stay home and miss our families. Elliot’s dad and Sam are both essential workers in public facing jobs, and both unvaccinated as of yet, and I worry about them a lot. My hair is enormous and wild (salons and barbers closed at the beginning of the pandemic and were only open for about 7 weeks last summer, same as our restaurants) but I am used to that now and it helps that everyone I see looks the same, and frankly my own wild mane is a small price to pay for the glory that is Joe’s fantastical tresses.  I know he’ll get it cut the minute a barber opens, but for now it’s a big part of my pandemic entertainment. If I didn’t think it would be a gross violation of every vow I’ve ever made to him that would surely result in divorce, I’d show you the pictures I’ve been quietly taking each morning.

The big news though, is that something shocking has happened here, and I don’t know quite how to explain it. I have been knitting up a storm. I mean, just heaps. I think it helps me see forward movement and change in the face of all of this, and while knitting heaps isn’t odd, something else has been happening. First, I knit Elliot a blue sweater.

That’s Dogstar (rav link) again, I’ve knit him two now, though the look nothing alike – such a great pattern) and the yarn is Peer Gynt, a favourite worsted weight of mine. Hardworking, non-superwash, inexpensive, comes in a thousand colours… good stuff, that.  Now, there is nothing at all unusual about me knitting a blue sweater…for someone else. Me? My palette is famously more 1970’s appliance colours- or anything the colour of a dish you could get at an Indian restaurant.  I like korma pink, saag green, biryani yellow, … you see where I’m going with this. Dirty colours. I am not much at all for the pastels colours of spring, or the vivid tones of a summer, or even the cool crisps of the deep winter. I am fall. Autumn, the reaping and the gathering. That’s my jam. Now- that’s not to say that fall is my favourite season, far from it, actually.  I am a summer child, and I’ve always found fall to be a little bit sad since it’s the end of all that I adore and the beginning of the long-dark-tea-time-of-the-soul that is the Canadian winter, but I digress.

The last Love Note I made for myself was perfect for me. I loved the sweater, I loved the yarn and it was exactly, absolutely the right colour. (Lichen and Lace Marsh Mohair in “Shrub” and 1-ply fingering in “Woods” held together)

Now, I loved knitting that sweater so much, and I wear the finished product so much and the yarn was so fun that it made heaps of sense to me that I would knit another one, and so it wasn’t at all surprising that I found myself back on the website ordering more. What did surprise me was that I ordered this:

Same yarn, but this time in beautiful blues -the mohair was “calm waters” and the fingering “rainy day”.

Weird, right? I mean, me in blue? Me even knitting blue is a little odd, but for myself? A rather odd glitch I thought, but these are strange times.  I was confident that whatever this was, it was an isolated event. You could have knocked me over with a feather then, when mere days later, I ordered and received this:

For another sweater, for me, and yes, there were other colours available. There was even a properly yucky green that should have been what came over me, but look at that.  This time I’m after making Woven Shadows and even though I am only just past the swatching phase, I am entirely besotted and it’s the colour that’s most of it.  I tried to knock some me back into me by knitting a green sweater – but then I helplessly added blue at all the edges.

It’s like I don’t even know myself. (That’s Ellie, in Limepop. It’s a classic, as is his pandemic hair.) The crazy thing is that all this blue is delighting me.  Instead of rain and winter all I see in these blues are the things I long for, love and miss. The blue sky of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the ocean in Port Ludlow, Vancouver, Halifax and Spain, the bluebonnets in Texas at DFW, the cornflowers and lupins of summer here.

I can’t explain it and it’s so unlike me, but I’m wearing that blue sweater to bits almost every day and all this blue is making me so happy. It seems so funny to me right now that blue is associated with being sad, because here it’s uplifting. Oh – here’s a picture of the finished sweater. It’s not awesome because there aren’t a lot of photographers around, but here’s a selfie from my walk today. I propped my phone on a fence but screwed up the timer.

Anyway – just so that you know some things still stay the same?

Orange socks.

164 thoughts on “It happened to Picasso too

  1. Love the blue! Lately I’ve been drawn to the color pink, which was my favorite color when I was 6 yrs old. It makes me happy these days.

  2. You look lovely in blue! And I don’t think you’re being whiney. We’re all tired of this pandemic and looking forward to moving back toward normal.

  3. Oh dear Harlot. While your personal space is limited your imagination is ranging far and wide and putting new colour in your knitting. Wonderful, just wonderful. Mmm, the blues of Saskatchewan skies – oh yes, some of my favourite blues in the world.

    On the other hand, is this an episode of “The Body Snatchers”? Who are you and what have you done with Stephanie???

  4. Beautiful blues! (and of course I always love orange).
    Thanks for showing your knitting projects. Just lovely!
    and of course charming Elliot.
    I too really need a haircut – but the end result seems well worth all of this staying at home and unruly hair.
    I’m very worried about my colleagues in India these days.
    Keep well !

  5. Those blues are lovely!

    But I hear you on the change in colors. I usually knit in red, pinks of all shades, or navy. Almost always in either worsted or fingering. My current sweater project? It’s a cream DK.

  6. The color suits you.
    You’re not alone in knitting/sewing what I’ve been calling ‘cheery’ colors to combat Covid malaise.

  7. I think we’ve all been in our 4 walls for so long that knitting up new colors gives a sense of breaking out. I don’t own anything red and can’t remember the last time did but I’m working on a red poncho/ruana for next winter and loving it.

    Love Elliot in his blue sweater, and will hope for continuing good health for his dad, Sam and all.

    PS. I got to click the foot. Kick Covid’s @$$!

  8. Blame the pandemic. I knit myself a sweater this winter in burgundy of all things. My mother told me when I was about 10 that I looked good in burgundy, and it’s been 4.5 decades before I have ever had another item of clothing in that colour. Go figure, we’re all losing our marbles.

  9. I’m also a fall-colors person who’s been wearing a lot of blue lately. In a way, it feels like hope. Good to hear from you again, Steph. <3

  10. I’m sorry things are so hard right now. I was there this winter. Covid was terrible, I had to quarantine to be safe to help my parents move (yes, move elderly people in their 80’s during a pandemic) and then that was delayed a bit longer. Ugh! Hope the US decides to share with it’s neighbors as I’ve asked my elected people. And my elected people are the type that would consider that. At any rate, it’s lovely to hear from you however you are, plus a dose of Elliot is always a bonus.Wishing you health and a bit more freedom as soon as reasonable.

  11. Welcome back, Harlot! We missed you!

    The blue sweaters look fabulous on their owners. Elliot looks so grown-up in his, and yours is fantastic. You look good in blue. Just stay away from slate or Wedgewood blue, or we’ll think you moved from imitating 1970’s appliances to imitating 1980’s carpeting.

    As for this pandemic, all I can say is hang in there. We’re all getting cabin fever, but better safe than sorry.

  12. About last May, I saw a cartoon of a hooker – VERY short skirt – VERY long legs leaning into the driver’s window of a car. And she says “For $50.00, I’ll do anything” and he says – “Do you cut hair”???

  13. That blue jumper suits you so perfectly! And it’s what has finally convinced me to cast on a Love Note for myself- mine will be grey, which isn’t a colour I wear too often either, but I expect it to be a workhorse!

  14. Lovely sweaters all around! I am a blue person, through and through. I find it soothing and calming, and it reminds of some of my favorite things — blue skies, the 10,000+ lakes of my home state, the mighty Mississippi, fjords, delphiniums, scilla, … I am by nature anxious and a bit of a worrier, so I fill my home with shades of blue and green and white, all of which calm my soul. Sending you positive vibes.

  15. The blues are glorious, and the hell with habit (socks are nice, too, mind). But I’m so glad you’ve got one shot. Over 90% immune is way better than nothing —may distribution speed up soon. (Maybe a picture of Joe with Elliot?)

  16. I wish I could send you some of the vaccine that the idiots in our area are refusing to take. In the meantime keep knitting. I love the blue on you and your hair looks great to me. Thank you for the blog.

  17. Love the blue! If it makes you feel better, my sister is a fully vaccinated ICU nurse at Sick Kids, and she also does nothing but go to work (to take care of adult covid patients now!!) and stay home. So it’s not like the 3% of fully vaccinated Canadians are partying.

    Isn’t it great to have one dose?! Still staying home but I’ll take it!

  18. I think all your sailing adventures are coming home to port in your yarn selection. Those beautiful clear blues/greens of the Great Lakes are very serene — just what we need right now, as we stay the course.

  19. Consider that first dose of vaccine as the beginning of the end. Love the blue sweaters! Blue is one of my colours . Stay well everyone!

  20. We are all a bit sad and whiny…languishing, I hear, is the newest term. Seems about right. But so lovely to hear from you, and I agree with all the others about the colour blue. I am a blue/pink/purple person and I just knit a sweater in greys, cream and black. Go figure…

  21. I love the blue on you! Calming blue, clear sky blue peaceful, restful blue. Not sad looking at all.

    Its good to hear from you again. I hope the US starts sending the excess vaccines north.. While I wish more here would get them, other countries need them too.

  22. Hooray for colouring outside the lines!! So happy to see you back here again. You have been missed.

  23. I regret trying to cut my husband’s hair ( how hard can it be, right?). And for those of us of a certain age, he came out looking like Captain Kangaroo. I may never live it down.

    • Nah, all you do is set the clippers to #1 and buzz it all off. Haircut lasts longer, too. Only trouble is that it does highlight the bald bits…

  24. Love the blues! Oh, Halifax and the ocean blue! Enjoy! and thanks for sharing, Eliot is very lucky, those sweaters are amazing!

  25. People are at our best when there’s a crisis, if there’s something we can DO. Some are being asked to be heros but for the rest of us, it’s so hard when our contribution is to DO NOTHING, indefinitely. Great to see the beautiful blues.

  26. So glad to see you back. Blue is a beautiful color and it looks marvelous on you. I do hope we get through this pandemic soon.

  27. So glad to hear from you again. I applaud your ability to knit tons of things…the pandemic here stole my mojo and I hardly knit at all in 2020, but things are definitely picking up in 2021. Your hair doesn’t look terribly long or needing much attention, your blues are lovely (my favorite color) and your new Love Note looks great on you!

    As we have opened up some here, I can tell you that the long-standing depression of lockdown is definitely in the rear-view mirror. I hope you’re able to get more vaccine quickly and are able to open up again soon.

  28. Oh my gosh! I know exactly what you mean. I do not like fall…everything seems to die. Late spring (May) and summer are the best.

    My best colors to wear are the ’70s appliance colors too, but I don’t really like them. My favorite color is red. I do wear it, with no hint of blue in it, that leans to the yellow side of the wheel. Firey red, corals, even orange. But this year? I am drawn to everything blue. Must be a Covid-year side effect.

    Your sweater is lovely, looks good on you, and I just love Yumiko Alexander’s DanDoh designs. Can’t wait to see your Woven Shadows. I may to have to give in.

  29. I’m so sorry you are still suffering in lockdown. I’m hoping it will soon be clear that we have vaccinated everyone who intends to be vaccinated, and then we will send the surplus your way and overseas. It’s tragic that so many are saying no, but if they do they shouldn’t object to the rest of the world benefitting.

    Your knitting is beautiful.

  30. Here in the UK our vaccinations have been 12 weeks apart and the first has been shown to reduce the risk of passing on the virus to others by 50%. This is great news. I am due my second next week but I felt so relieved after my first. I felt hopeless over the winter but the tide is turning and we are emerging from lockdown. I hope your situation improves quickly. On the knitting front I have been very non productive. Lockdown seemed to cause a kind of lassitude and I couldn’t settle to knitting or sewing.

  31. Just read some great news about the helpfulness of one shot – so that’s good. And I LOVE blue – I think associations matter – and for me, they’re good. It’s nice to think a little change of color is a small comfort. And all the sweaters are beautiful. I learned to knit as a child, but my adult knitting obsession started when I was between jobs and needed to feel something was being accomplished – and that was nothing to this pandemic stuff.

  32. Comedian Hannah Gadsby’s take on the color blue:
    “Here’s an idea. I say we get rid of pink and give all the babies blue. I’ve thought about this and it’s not because blue is a masculine color. ‘Cause that… is false. I love that people go, “Blue, yeah, a very masculine color. Very reliable. Very rational color, blue. Yeah, you can trust blue. It’s why we’ve got it on flags. Lot of blue on flags. Navy blue. Everyone trusts a boat.” Blue, if anything, is a feminine color. It really is full of contradictions. You know, blue is a cold color. It’s on the cold end of the spectrum. But the hottest part of the flame? Blue. If you’re feeling blue… you’re sad. But optimism? Blue skies ahead! Make up your mind. A blueprint is a plan, but if something happens not on the plan, where does that come from? Out of the blue! Blue’s a wonderful color to start life with. There’s room for every kind of human in blue. There’s a whole spectrum, ’cause blue doesn’t demand… it doesn’t demand action like all the other colors. Think about this. You’re stuck in traffic… and the lights turn… blue. Less road rage, people. Less road rage. More accidents, ironically enough.”

    • Well this is perfect!

      Hannah just released a statement saying she’s gotten married, so blue skies ahead for the happy couple.

  33. I am also a summer child, hard not be be when your a desert rat. But color wise and my kids put it, I dress like I’m a tree. You’ve inspired me, maybe my next sweater will be blue. Always good to hear from you ❤️

  34. Refreshing to see you and Elliot again. Whining is clearly warranted. It’s been grounding to hear your perspective on the pandemic when there’s so much discord. Thanks for showing us how it’s done. It is tough. Better to be part of the solution than the problem.
    Ha! You’re knitting blue sweaters and I’m knitting orange. It is a mixed up world.
    My day is brighter for having a glimpse into your world.

  35. So good to see your new post early this morning. Sounds like we all love the blues you’re doing! That sweater is gorgeous on you.

  36. I see no problem whatsoever, but then blue is my favorite color! That grandson of yours is growing up (so quickly!) into quite the handsome young man and certainly a very talented knitwear model.

  37. Funny that you said at the end that the blue makes you happy, because I’d been thinking maybe blue is the visual of “sad and whiney”, but I’m glad the color makes you happy. We all really need something like that now in our lives.

    And in the aftertimes the blue — so unlike your usual color choices — will remind you of how you got through all this.

  38. I love to hear that my favourite colour (blue) is giving you some much needed joy!
    And hoping it might amuse you, I’ll admit to not having seen a hair dresser since February of last year. Finding curls I have not seen since childhood. My inner five year old is bursting out!

  39. So happy to see you… well, you know what I mean.
    The knitting looks great. I think the staying in is doing alot of weird things to knitters. I’m knitting with colours I never thought I would. But if it makes you happy keep doing it and keep sharing with us too!!

  40. Hard to believe Elliot is in college already…. but seriously, it seems the time has flown for him to be such an actual kid now. The twinkle in his eyes in every photo just slays me. He radiates happiness, and that gives me joy (and says heaps about his family).
    Truth be told, I expected more from your hair. In the photo, at least, it seems remarkably calm.
    I love seeing you newly Embrace the Blue. It’s always worked its way into my home and there seems to be a shade for every mood. Overall it’s a color that reminds me to exhale. A very good trait in these times.
    Finally, thank you for the reminder of how good we have it here in the States. Jim and I both have our vaccinations, things are starting to open up more and more here, and all in all there’s a boatload to be grateful for. I’m hoping Canada is able to get there soon!

  41. Not sad, not whiny. Although we are entitled at this point. I live in Iowa, we are way open, I’m getting my 2nd shot today. I stay at home and watch my grandbabies, Elliott and Leah (our covid baby) so not going out is quite normal for us.
    Love the blue, my favorite color! Looks good on you!!
    Good to hear from you, I so look forward to your posts. Take care, hugs!!

  42. I work in a free medical clinic that has been hit hard by the pandemic. It has been hard, and I get irrationally angry when I see people out and about, unmasked, etc.

    I know how hard it is to stay home though, since my kids have been virtual school all year, and I see in them how much this has hurt them. But like you, they are grumbly and sad and understanding of why they have to do what they are doing. And they also don’t understand why people are flouting the rules and making them stay home longer.
    I will tell you what i tell them: THANK YOU for being responsible. THANK YOU for caring about society as a whole. THANK YOU for understanding this is a sacrifice that will end one day, but every day you sacrifice and stay home, that is another day you are saving lives. THANK YOU for not making my job harder than it already is.

    PS the blue looks wonderful on you

  43. I always wondered about your colours. You’re not afraid of bright red glasses so…? There used to be a LYS in my city and the owners liked shades of brown and green. It was really difficult to shop there. I like you in the blue and I think you could break out and try a little bright. BTW did you see the Fleece Artist series on Canadian provinces?

  44. Thank you for sending me to the Lichen and Lace website, where I spent a delightful 20 minutes browsing. It was like a mini-trip. Refreshing.

    (One excellent feature of the site is that a yarn color is listed with customer comments about that specific color. I don’t think I’ve seen that before, very helpful.)

  45. I am known for always knitting blue items and my Love Notes is shades of pink! Lovely to see you posting again and not at all whiny. We are all ready for this pandemic to be over, but being responsible and safe in the meantime!

  46. This must be a pandemic thing. I too am an “autumn”, but got carried away by a violet fingering yarn and made a gorgeous sweater from an Ann Hansen pattern.

  47. Glad you’re back, missed you! So happy to see the knitting!

    And yeah, you’ve got yourself some Covid Hair, but you should see mine – it’s a nightmare.

    Your Elliot is cute as can be. Embrace the blue – it’s a sign of change (POSITIVE change) – and as you wrote in another blog post, change is inevitable – how could we NOT have changed, after all that’s happened?

    Keep hanging in there girl. Your spirit comes through in your writing, as always, and that’s why The Blog loves you!

  48. Welcome back, Harlot! I missed you. I still checked the blog every day, just in case. Take your time. I’ll be here.

    Cheers! r

  49. It sucks that you have to wait four months for your second dose of vaccine. Tomorrow will mark my first day of being fully vaccinated, but no one knows what that means for immunocompromised folks like me because Covid antibody tests aren’t perfected yet, so I’ll continue my safety protocols while my county surges.

    Your blue period? I think you just needed a reminder of how well ithe color goes with orange. They do complement each other.

    Me? I love both colors but black, grey and navy have been my first year of Covid era colors. There’s hope, though, because I ordered a red rain jacket last week.

    The hair was shaggy when the virus first hit in March 2020 and now is truly amazing. I need a summer cut but I’ll wait until the surge ebbs.

    Stay strong, or not. A good cry every now and then helps.

  50. Nice to have you back! And as a fellow Torontonian, AND healthcare worker, thank you for staying put. Because you are so right on how we feel!!! 😉 Hoping this is over sooner than later!
    Diane

  51. I’ve been going through a weird pink stage too, so maybe the pandemic just does that after awhile? As others have said, the blue looks lovely on you and I love it as a color as well.

    Congrats on getting your first vaccine! That’s awesome! Something is better than nothing!

    You could probably get away with trimming Elliot’s hair without any traumatic outcomes, but I’d be wary of Joe’s hair. I’ve given my husband 3 hair cuts during this time. The first two went fine, but not the 3rd. I don’t know what I did different, but I don’t think he’ll let me do a 4th cut.

  52. Blue? That is some WILD risk-taking. If you don’t get a grip soon, it’ll be teal, pink, and yellow…all in one sweater.

  53. The blue looks good on you!

    I just bought the Woven Shadows pattern thanks to you, but I have some pale green yarn that would work well for it. Not to worry, I’ve got plenty of blue projects going.

  54. You’re not whining Steph, you’re lamenting. There’s a big difference.

    Love the hair and the change in colours – would pay serious money for a shot of Joe’s mane. Maybe just put it on Patreon?

  55. Surely some 70s appliances came in blue? The sweater is lovely 🙂
    We’re all losing steam. I’m in healthcare in the US and have been vaccinated since December and it’s such a strange feeling to be protected when so many aren’t… thank you for being so responsible. Your tenacity in finding beauty throughout is inspiring.

  56. The switch to colors unusual for you is something I’m experiencing too – the vast majority of my knits are in shades of blue, green and teal. Until recently, that is: the most recent three pullovers were burgundy, coral and hot pink. Not sure what’s causing it.

    Don’t talk to me about quarantine hair – at the start of the pandemic, mine was earlobe length, and now it’s below the shoulders. The upside of this is that it’s giving me the opportunity to use my collection of beaded hair-sticks to put it up in a bun. Dunno what my hairdresser will say when she finally goes back to w*rk and sees it.

    In any case, it’s great to see that you and yours are surviving.

  57. I feel confident that I will not be the first (or likely the last) person to tell you that we are here to support you as well as we can – so whine if you need to and be sad if you need to if it helps you! I knew you were in lockdown but strangely we get plenty of US news, and through BBC I can get a good world/UK view but we hear very little about Canada, our nearest neighbor. I’m glad you’ve got your first vaccine and will send you and your facility some positive energy that Meg & her husband remain safe and that you can see the end of this soon. Peace, Lisa

  58. Beautiful, every piece of work. I understand the not wanting to be too whiney. I finally got over my sweater knitting lull ( the last one I couldn’t get over my daughter’s head and the arms were too long). I hope that Ontario will soon level out, here in Alberta our hospitals are now filling up too. We farm, so seeding is underway. I was a hermit to start with, but now it seem even more so.
    Sending lots of love,
    Sara

  59. Blue is my favorite colour and always has been. 🙂 For me it is a happy calm colour and there are many variations to love! Your sweaters are gorgeous! And hair? Well, mine is a Boris Johnson “do” right now. LOL Off to work on a blue baby blanket for a soon to be born great-nephew. 🙂 Take care, stay safe, and enjoy your knitting.

  60. Remember the Moody Blues? Great music.

    I always thought you and I would be perfect yarn-shopping buddies. You’re orange and brown and green and I’m pink and purple and teal. Except for the occasional deep-sale cream, we would never be reaching for the same last ball of anything. Happy to share blue with you.

    Lovely sweater, lovely sentiment, and lovely post. Welcome back.

  61. It’s good to hear from you, Steph. I am so impressed you can focus on patterns, since I am doing more ripping out than I ever have, though at the beginning of all this I cranked out enough dishcloths to last me years.

  62. My children, currently ten and six, have vehemently argued for a few years now that blue is not a sad color. It’s the clear sky and the beach and the rain, I’m told. (Relevant here, we live in Florida, where most rain is a welcome summer rain.) It’s gray that is a sad color, that’s the color of stormy hurricane days and tears. Gray is the sad color, Mama, not blue. They are pretty convincing, and it appears the yarn has been making the same argument to you.

  63. The pandemic has made me make surprising yarn choices too — in my case, neon pink. I think it’s because yarn is one place where we CAN find a bit of novelty these days.

  64. I sure haven’t been visiting much lately and it is good to read your posts again. The good news is that it’s Spring, the hubby and I both have our 2nd shots (the only advantage of getting old lately)!

  65. I love your wild hair and the blues. Blue is my favorite but I also cherish a soft spot for what you once called “&0’s appliance colors,” I believe. I hope the vaccination supplies increase soon and that your beautiful city will re-open while the weather is good.

  66. You look wonderful in blue. So glad you are back. I see you on Instagram, but I have really missed your blogs. Don’t worry about being a complainer. It’s probably hitting a nerve with almost everyone.
    As usual, thank you!

  67. I think the color shakeup makes perfect sense–everything else has been so same-y for over a year now, might as well get a little change somewhere!

    As long as your sweaters don’t start looking like they were knit by Picasso, you’re good. Can you imagine? Three sleeves…neckline in the middle of the side…

  68. Sending love. Thank you for coming back to us. Spring is coming and the outdoors is safer for all. And some more love.

  69. Dearest Stephanie,
    I think of you and your family so often. I desperately hope that our Joe will be able to send Canada and you and your Joe some of our US made vaccines.

    The blue knitting is gorgeous. As the ocean heals our souls, I hope the blue yarn can, too.

    Keep knitting through it.

    Much love,
    Pam

  70. You are absolutely allowed a whiny moment about the vaccine. I’m American but my Mom lives in Canada, and when she told me they won’t be fully vaccinated for another 4 months my jaw dropped. All my friends and family on this side have gotten vaccinated and the inequity of it all is so frustrating. Of course, we are both better off than our friends around the world. We have family and friends in South America, one of whom just passed away from Covid. It breaks my heart.

    Hang in there, for the light at the end of the tunnel is approaching!

  71. United we stand with our needles and whining. You are always my hero and my appreciation for you is unconditional. You have handled life with grace and I support you and your family with compassion. You always write with such grace. I have missed your writing but not saying that to put any pressure on you, only to say that your writing is lovely. You look great in blue. Big haired, out of control curly hair women unite!

  72. I adore that blue sweater on Eliot, I have a grandson that would look so good in that. I might give it a try. I wish we could send some vaccine up to you, our Northern friends. We have foolish folks in the US who refuse to be vaccinated. I’m sorry you have to wait to get your life back.

  73. No, not whiny. Sad, yes, but almost all of us are right there with you. I am fully vaccinated but skittish and deflated. If we were in lockdown, I would be at wits’ end.

    As your Exact Birthday Twin, I will note that we seem to have similar color leanings, too. I have always dressed as an Autumn, at least since I started buying my own clothes. And I have been flirting with blue (and, yegads, PINK) in the past year or two. For me, part of it has to do with my changing hair color — I am now sporting Quarantine Silver (with some big streaks of natural almost-black brown). But also, although I long loved deep navy, I have discovered that deep teal (more blue than green), pale sky blue, and even sometimes royal blue look terrific on me. So here is to the Blue Period, and cheers to us all!

  74. Blue is my favorite color, so I love all your blues SO MUCH.
    Elliot just gets cuter by the minute, especially in his grammy’s handknits.
    I had just noticed I have Strung Along on my June calendar . . . Probably time to take that off. Can’t wait for the next one; miss you and Debbi and Judith and all the knitters more than I can say (although the DH) did treat me to a Port Ludlow weekend in November between restrictions).
    I’m so sorry you are still on lockdown. I admire your non-whiny philosophy on it all. Since we in the US have so many idiots refusing the vaccine for stupid/no reason we should be sharing with our neighbors to the North, South, all over the world. I know that’s in Pres. Biden’s plan, but I hope it all hurries up. Loved what Patty Lyons said about all that in IG today.

  75. I’m glad you finally posted. I knew something wasn’t right with you,

    You’ll get there.

    The blue with the green is like nature.❤️

    Take care.

  76. I’m so glad to see a post for April!

    1. I am happy that you highlighted DanDoh yarn. Yumiko Alexander, who is the creator of DanDoh, is a lovely person. (dandoh.com). DanDoh is practically local for me, so I’m doubly excited that her yarn and design was featured.

    2. Thank you for the pictures of Elliott! He brings a lot of sunshine to the room!

    3. We’d probably pay to see Joe’s tresses! If we donated to the virtual bike rally would he be willing to show us a picture? I’d send in a donation! (I’m not above bribery.)

  77. Goodness, four months? That’s practically booster-shot time.
    I was a teen in the sixties. Your hair and colors look just fine! I would love to see Joe’s hair but I understand, he has his free choice too. (I used to trim my late husband’s hair but then, my mother was a hairdresser and I learned by watching.)

  78. Stephanie, the blue looks so nice on you !
    As I have let my hair go grey during this pandemic, I am looking for brighter colours, and have been wearing wearing more blue and teal that make my silver hair sign! I am so happy to see you back; I have really missed you.

  79. It’s so-o-o good to have you back ! I have looked for you almost every day ! Something weird , I quit knitting !!! I WANT to knit , just can’t get myself started . But I still buy yarn ! So I will enjoy reading your blog again and hopefully it will trigger the knitting gene again . Very good to have you back , and laughing out loud . Thank you Stephanie !

  80. Hello, beautiful. It’s good to see you here. I love all of your blue choices, and the way that you have transformed your perspective on the symbolism of the color. I think that is something we should all be doing- looking at things at a new angle and finding beauty and comfort in them. Be well and stay strong. You are very loved.

  81. A funny thing happened on the way to the paint store, BLUE. I painted my bedroom blue, a soft blue called “Jack Frost” I’m knitting in Pink and it’s not for a baby girl. I resist pink in all it’s forms mostly….this however, will be what I call a “sharf” bigger than a scarf, not quite a shawl.
    Here in my county in Oregon, we are shut down once again as of yesterday. But my blue walls and new bright bed comforter in red, green, blue, gold, yellow and orange helps. The pink “sharf” helps. SO glad you posted Stephanie. Another bright pop of color in what has been a long dark “tea time” year. Peace and blue.

  82. Welcome back!
    A first for me also – a blue vest out of some repurposed yarn from an Afghan my grandmother never finished over 30 years ago.
    I’ve not been converted to blue, but I do wear it working in the yard.

  83. Blue suits you very well, and if you look again at Elliot’s sweater it also goes with avocado and olive and rust and brown and….
    Big wild hair is a badge of honor! We can get haircuts here now, but so many people have been holding off and waiting that I can’t get an appointment until August!

  84. Old enough to remember that you knit a lot of blue stufffor yourself at the beginning of this blog. Great to see the colour back 🙂

  85. JUst wonderful to find a blog entry when I checked today … I’ve been missing you, though I absolutely understand that you needed a break. Not to mention the sad and whiny … even here (London) where the vaccinations are doing well (I’ve had my first, husband has had 2) we’re still not going out and about, and cabin fever is raging …. but your Blue Phase is very uplifting!! As a blue fan I’m really glad to see it receive some Harlot attention. The ‘Love Note’ is beautiful, and the new project looks spectacular. And Eliot is surely the best dressed kid of his age in Canada. Roll on the summer, and hang on in there!

  86. Day after day when my kids were babies and toddlers I would find I had dressed them and me that morning in colors that matched without even realizing it at the time.

    Blue is a color that helps you reach out to Elliot and it looks great on the two of you.

    I hope everyone can get all their shots soon! I’m so relieved you did get the one.

  87. I keep dipping my keyboard in the Harlot Universe hoping for something but understanding that life has been the brink of hell for more than a minute. And then, suddenly this evening, here you are. Like an amazing unicorn, you have emerged. I delight in the finding of new bits of yourself in this strange time. I am hopeful that I will continue to find new bits of me too.
    With every stitch, a prayer,
    Adrienne

  88. I laughed out loud…I too am an Autumn color lover…brighter the better…so much so that my knitting friends point out yarns to me that would have headed to anyhow…But during this time of the pandemic I am drawn to blues , alone or with the Autumn colors…I thought it was perhaps because I have time now to sit on my porch and watch the clouds against the blue sky, a pastime I enjoyed alone as a child…one of the advantages of living in Arizona is there is a lot of porch weather

  89. I dropped a stitch. Two, in fact. I was making a chameleon scarf, not of solid colors, but of two variegated, a pink and a blue, just to see what the result would be. It’s okay, but after this I will go back to solid colors. But the dropped stitches? Didn’t discover them until I had bound off. One was close to the edge and easily repaired, but the other is a problem. Maybe I can just leave it dropped, anchor the loop in case it threatens the edge. Ah, decisions, decisions.

  90. It must be a pandemic thing – I find myself drawn to orange and yellow lately, my two least favorite colors. Go figure….

  91. Please hold on a little longer – you will all get through this, my fingers ares crossed. You made it this far, you’re gonna be okay! Congratulations on the first vaccination shot, that’s amazing news!

    The sweaters are all lovely. I bought Dogstar at the end of last year and might make one for the man, who praised it, and Elliot looks so good in it! And you do, too, in the blue Love Note (I’m still trying to get my grandmother’s yes so I can make her one). You hair looks awesome!

  92. all the blue made me think of one of the quintessentially British songs of hope
    ‘There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover
    tomorrow when the world is free’ let’s hope it soon becomes possible for the whole world to be free without fear of the pandemic

  93. Really, blue is your color. I think you ought to rethink your palate. Today’s New York Times says we probably won’t ever have herd immunity due variants and people who don’t want to be vaccinated. (It goes without saying that the first factor is related to the second. The more the virus stays around the more mutations.) So many of the people who are refusing are health care workers. I live among some very very stupid people.

    • PS To make matters worse, the vaccines are literally free and readily available where I live in CT. I work at a Health Center and they just posted a notice saying that they were taking walk-ins for vaccination.

  94. I talk to a friend on a weekly basis who lives just north of Toronto. Some times when we talk about the pandemic and health care it’s like we’re speaking a different language. All of us in the US are fully vaccinated now. And some things are returning to normal. We’ve all eaten OUT recently and not just take out. We’re all doing a bit more traveling or exercising in a gym. And Eleanore is still in lockdown and is looking at us like we’re all crazy. Especially when we talk about the enormous number of people who COULD be vaccinated and won’t get it. It makes me crazy.

    Good luck, Steph. Stay safe. And know that you live in a much saner country than those of us to the south because when the vaccinations are available in n your country people are smart enough to GET them.

  95. Hi Steph, living in the US I made liberal use of masks and sanitizers and visited grocery stores often. Also walked daily and often talked to neighbors across a wide driveway. These measures helped me keep my spirits up. I did miss other family members but telephones and Facetime helped. So did vowing to knit down my stash, which I am doing …sorta. The occasional muted, teal-ish or deep periwinkle blues sound good for you — and we all like to break out of the mold from time to time , especially with the pandemic so I am happy to see you in your beautiful blue Love-note. – but I remember running into you at a Vogue Live one year wearing one of your Autumn colors (I think it was a rust orange) and how glorious you looked in it. So don’t under-estimate those gorgeous olives, golds, warm greens and melon oranges. They really pop. And my ancient copy of Color Me Beautiful tells me Autumns can wear a certain shade of Navy known as Marine. I think it is the color of peacoats, kind of a muted, dusty shade. Eliot looks all-boy in his Limepop. You really killed it with that bright blue trim. Hope you get both shots SOON!!

  96. I love the blues… they remind me of the pictures you took on the sailboat and the lovely blue skies of summer. Water and sky, those are forward looking things in an adventure. Enjoy your blue jumpers.

  97. I love Ellie’s pandemic hair!! Pretty soon he’ll be rocking a Brad Pitt mini man bun….wouldn’t that be cute?

  98. So good that you’re back! Reading your post, and then the comments, made something in me relax a little. I felt like I was back in my old world, with you and all the other knitters talking. Onward!, as the lady said.

  99. I am so sad that Canada is so gar behind on this vaccination thing.. My family there tells me folks are flying to Texas where there is surplus vaccine, getting their shots, fling to Buffalo and driving acoss the border… It doesn’t seem right for a developed country.. someone screwed up the contracting…. Anyway, I love BLUE too, esp Blue with green…Beautiful work as always…

  100. Blue reminds me of calm. Like running water, or rain washing away muddy snow. It’s fresh and hopeful to me. Maybe it’s healing for you.

    You look great, and honestly, I’ve been hoping every day that you’ll blog again.

  101. Living a bit farther north than you, I fully understand the BlueThing…we wait and wait and wait for THAT color of blue sky that signals winter is heading to Australia and spring, soggy drippy spring will be here…and the birds will sing again and green things will sprout about..and a large warm glowing object in the sky will hang around melt our frosty noses and toes.
    We all crave the BlueThing.
    (and it’s a great color on you)

  102. I’ve missed you!
    Glad you’ve been knitting away and keeping body and soul together. And those sweaters are just wonderful, a the orange socks…I want.
    Blue looks great on you, by the way!

  103. I said I was through, through, through of knitting red scarves for a hospital project, cancer or cardiac, I never knew. I missed last week’s craft group, during which they had their choice of yarn from someone’s stash, but today there still was a huge basket remaining. One of the crafters told me where it was, and said there was so much red yarn we’d never have to buy red again, I could have all I wanted. So I came home with four small skeins of a coral color, and two big, huge skeins of — you guessed it — scarlet red.

  104. I’m not crazy about orange, but I love those socks! What’s the pattern, please?
    And I love, love, love all the blues

  105. I’m glad you’ve been knitting your needles off these months. You look good in blue, and should at least consider making more blue things for yourself. About the whining thing – go ahead, no use keeping it all in – that ‘s not good either.

    The only people I have no patience for their whining is those who complain about their rights violated for being asked to wear a mask, keep distance, or get the vaccine. A wee very small tiny part of me can understand hesitance on a new vaccine type, but not the mask or distance thing. Nope, not when health care workers have worn double masks hours at a time days on end, or put their life on the line because they were declared essential workers and given little protection by their employers. I too hope that the vaccines being turned away in the US get redirected to other countries.

  106. I LOVE the blue on you! Hesitate to say this, but maybe as we age we find colors that suit the wiser and older person we’ve become?

    For decades I was solidly in the urban black uniform head to toe (unless I was onstage in bright shiny glittery costumes.) Now pretty much everything in my workroom is shades of blue and grey, which are better with my silvering hair and changing skin tone.

    Whatever the reason, I love you in these blues – and matching with Elliot is a very lovely thing too.

  107. I am sorry that so many are still sick in Canada and that the light at the end of the tunnel is still so far away.

    I just returned from a visit to my son in Florida. It is much more confusing where some people observe wearing a mask; some don’t, and you are never really sure what you should be doing.

    Maybe blue isn’t typically you, but at the same time, it is the most popular color. There are so many shades and tints of any color we have a lot of choice.

    I have been knitting a lot. I have been spinning a lot.

  108. Love the blue – and your posts! I have the opposite problem – all I seem to buy is blue yarn. Maybe we need to trade parts of our stash. =)

  109. Hello. First time here! I live in Indiana and things are opening up, but still feel scary. This Covid virus still has some surprises coming for us, I believe, and we all need to be careful. Just wanted to tell you I just finished reading Things I Learned from Knitting. I have in the last months moved from scarves and a couple of basic sweaters to knitting little toy animals. Not that I need them but I’m finding it is a great way to use little bits of yarns, learn new stitches, and learn to read patterns. Plus, they don’t take “forever” so finished satisfaction comes quicker! Looking forward to reading more from you. Thank you for writing and being encouraging. We are all in this together!

  110. Work and Covid19 and my own medical issues bog me down and even though I have a Patron account now I haven’t even had time to look at it, but knowing I can look here (or there) and see a post from you always puts a smile on my face. I know we don’t know each other, but when you talk about everyday things and show us bits of your life and lots of knitting it just always puts a smile on my face and just makes me feel peaceful that there are good souls in this world. Covid19 will be over soon and sensible people will get vaccinated and hopefully the world will be back to a sense of “normalcy “—whatever that is, but in the meantime we look forward to your posts and your knitting projects. Keep the faith! And keep in writing-we all may be missing “in person “ chats but the written word is powerful & you do it well—virtual chatting is still communicating and that’s what we all need right now, so just wanted you to know-yes Covid19 is depressing, but each post you do is a ray of sunshine in that gray.

  111. Oh Stephanie…you look wonderful in blue! So great to hear from you again! Keep knitting, keep hoping, and keep writing. It’s been a tough year or so, but knitting and reading have kept me sane. Wishing you all the best…

  112. Everyone looks good in some shades of most colors, even if their go-to colors are not those (for instance, there’s a shade of navy for every season). I’m a classic winter, although I’m so fair that true whites and blacks tend to wash me out. However, I’m often drawn to fairly bright oranges, which seems as absurd as you in blue, but every time I wear one of them, I get compliments. LOL

    You look wonderful in that blue; it’s perfect on you. And Elliot’s sweaters are great. Lucky you that he’s close by, so you’ll be able to see him when things open up.

    Great job! Take care.

  113. I’ve never found blue to be sad. It’s peaceful though, and serene, and calm and steadying. It IS my favorite color. Glad you’ve come round!

  114. Today I felt extra happy that I have you in Toronto to follow, not only for knitting but knowledge about vaccines etc. Today I am utterly chocked and saddened as I discovered on FB that all my close relatives in Toronto and other parts in Canada are protesting against and spreading horrible false info about the vaccination. //I will follow suit and start a new sock to calm me down. All the best to you and your family.

  115. You make blue look good! So good to hear from you again, makes my day. I’m knitting charity hats, the latest being in aqua. Your Love Notes are certainly inspiring, and probably enabling.

  116. In August, I colored my hair blue. A vibrant, shocking blue! And I love it. I have spent decades coloring my hair some kind of yellow or some sort of brown, an occasional reddish. But I didn’t really like those colors. I thought, why don’t I just color it a color that I really like?! I am 60 years old, and I will wear my hair the way I like it. It is a happy color, and I get compliments all the time. So, good for you , wearing blue !

  117. This Saturday, June 12, will be World Knit in Public Day. The Sunflower Knitters Guild (Greater Kansas City) will be meeting from 1-4pm at the KC Wine company at 13875 South Gardner Road, Olathe, Kansas, just west of downtown Olathe. KC Wine is an event venue, so it should be lots of fun. We Sunflower knitters well remember the times you participated in our bi-annual workshops.

  118. I just saw your post on Instagram that you have received your second dose – YEA! I am so happy for you – what a relief. Also, thank you for posting about Love My Neighbour Project, I was wondering who I should give to, and have just made a donation. We are the world! And re: the blue – I know! We also found ourselves going through some interesting changes during this time. What an experience. This has been such a long, stressful journey; I’m so happy you are finally on the up-side, looking forward to so much. Best wishes to you and yours!

  119. Will there soon be no more blog? Is it only the paying people who can access what you write now?
    Not asking to be nasty but if you’re closing the blog I won’t visit daily as i do now hoping to see you’ve written!

  120. World Knit in Public event yesterday at KCWine in Johnson County was a delightful afternoon for the Sunflower Knitters Guild. Outside, at picnic tables, under a huge tent, little breeze blowing, wine and food available at the wine barn. It was only five miles from my home in Olathe, how could I not be there?

  121. Refreshing to see you and Elliot again. Whining is clearly warranted. It’s been grounding to hear your perspective on the pandemic when there’s so much discord. Thanks for showing us how it’s done. It is tough. Better to be part of the solution than the problem.
    Ha! You’re knitting blue sweaters and I’m knitting orange. It is a mixed up world.
    My day is brighter for having a glimpse into your world.

  122. I have found that growing older (I am in Stephanie’s age bracket) the colours of my hair and skin have changed, so much so that I can now wear blues, even navy, and look good. For most of my life I have been a ‘muted autumn’ colour type of person, and blue, which was my favourite colour as a child, made me look pale and pasty. So enjoy your new-found palette! I agree that blues make me think of blue skies and seascapes <3

  123. I didn’t have any expectations concerning that title, but the more I was astonished. The author did a great job. I spent a few minutes reading and checking the facts. Everything is very clear and understandable. I like posts that fill in your knowledge gaps. This one is of the sort.

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