What does an egg timer have to do with knitting anyway??

I previously blogged about my unintended hiatus from knitting, crocheting, beading, and well anything the involves fine motor control in general. Well, this has clearly become more than one day off of what I love so much, it is rapidly moving toward a week, 2 weeks, heaven forbid a month without the wonderful feel of a beautiful yarn being pulled through my fingers as a stitch is created. I have definitely knit too much and while you may say, is there really such a thing as too much knitting, I will say yes apparently there is.

I even had to come home today and put ice on my shoulder, neck and hands. As I type this I have my elbows propped up on pillows and my laptop in my lap, so no strain is being exerted on my hands. Yes Sandy my posture is good and I stretched before I sat down. Sandy loaned me a terrific book by Frederikka T. Payne, published by the Ogier Trading Company which I think has saved my knitting life. I am looking into getting my own copy and have found a few helpful links (I will let you know if I find it and how you can get it if you are interested).

It is geared specifically to us knitters, crocheters and so on, that sometimes over do our art and how we can keep those hands, elbows, shoulders and fingers moving smoothly for years to come. I have taken it to heart and realize that sitting and knitting for hours on end is not healthy and that is where the egg timer comes in (see it sitting along with my ice pack on my computer). It is clicking along right now and when it goes off it will be time for me to get up and stretch and move a bit. Once I am back with my needles clicking away one stitch at a time, I am going to put my timer on for every 20 minutes and get up and stretch without fail. I wanted to share my trials with all of you in case you may be like me and just knit, knit, knit, knit, knit with no breaks, because this new regime should keep me on track for years to come and help me to knit for a long, long time. I hope you all are not as silly as I am and get up and stretch during your knitting sessions.

(hang on just a second the timer just went off gotta stretch :) (ok I am back now what was I saying? oh yea how to keep knitting)

While it is really hard for me not to pick up needles, hmmm just one little stitch won't hurt, WRONG!! I was doing pretty well with the hot/cold packs, anti inflammatory meds and exercises, then Sandy and I got together on Sunday and had a good ol' time. Bam, that night I was in pain, pain, pain!! What had I done, oh yea, knit. Ok I get the hint I need to NOT do even one stitch and let this get better, so I am being good!

Of course my anticipation at being able to knit again has caused me to add to my to do project list (Sandy doesn't help either, she just shows me all these great patterns and yarns all day long :) and I bought yarn for three projects today. I bought 4 hanks of the Cascade Pastaza Yarn (which is on sale), 3 balls of the Sublime in both the merino/angora and the mohair. I couldn't resist the Noro Kocohran Yarn, so added 3 hanks to my order. Maybe a hat and some mittens with that and as far as the Sublime, I am feeling Entrelac leg warmers, alternating between the angora and mohair each row. Luscious!

I also picked up the Fall 2006, Vogue Knit.1 magazine for cabled leg warmers (Sandy and I are going to cast on together) on page 34! Ok, ok, I know I can't knit right now, but what do you want to do when you are told don't do it (?) of course you want to do what you shouldn't and in this case it's knit!

I am also using my timer around the shop to remind me to stretch and to the left you see my little 'Eggy', sitting on a knit sample of a pattern from Rebecca 32, using the GGH Alexis and GGh Soft Kid yarns, yummmmy! It's a terrific over sized pullover that uses both of the yarns stranded together.

Below you can see my little 'Eggy' sitting on a new book just in, called Feminine Knits by Lene Holme Samsoe. I can't wait to work something up out of it.

Well as you can tell I am having a hard time NOT knitting, but nothing says I can't read about knitting, think about knitting, and plan future projects, right??

So remember to get up and stretch and now I am going to take my doggies for a walk and get the blood flowing.

As always, happy knitting and stretching! Jeanne