These are the things I finished
last week. The earrings, a quick birthday gift for a friend. An idea I’d had in mind for a while…. A ball of silver yarn with a little dangle bead.

The stitchery to add to my small but growing collection. I’ve finally something in mind to do with them all when the pile is big enough.

Unfired pinch pot.

The sock. The mind melting sock that has had me in it’s grasp for the last two weeks. I lost count of how many times I had to rip out rows. I finally had to slow way down to keep from mysteriously losing stitches. I began writing down each and every row finished. This helped. I finished the damn thing and now the real hell of it is to start another! If only my mother-in-law had only one foot. I had planned on making two pair. Now I plan on burning the pattern in a midnight ritual in the yard when the moon is full with a fervent prayer to the knitting gods. Turn me loose dammit!

Then there’s the pottery. So far I’ve broken about as much as I’ve made. Sometimes my hands are two huge slabs of some rubbery substance that I can’t quite keep control of. The slightest touch crumbles whatever half finished piece is within reach. I’ve started moving slowly and carefully around the clay. I caress rather than knead, I take off my rings. Something I never do for any reason. Like the sock obsession it’s grabbed hold pretty tight. I wake in the night and remember I forgot to take a piece off the mold or I lay there thinking of designs I need to try. The glazing aspect completely escapes and terrifies me. I don’t understand it so I’m reading and looking as much as I can so when I go to class I won’t dread the glazing corner, won’t avoid going to that side of the room.
It’s exciting learning this new thing. It’s slowed down the painting in the house though. I promised myself I’d focus on finishing the cabinets this week. I can always roll a few coils for a pot in between coats of paint though, right?