Comfort Knitting

Memorial Day weekend was a bit of a strain for me. I'm not a social person. My husband is. So when he invites people over (and he's always the one who does the inviting; I avoid social engagements like the plague), I acquiesce, sometimes graciously (mostly not), and find ways to deal with the noise, mess, and uncomfortable sense of obligation for other people's comfort and enjoyment. I am reasonably adept at social interaction (a legacy of my previous career in diplomacy); I'm not going to curl up in a fetal position under the dining table at a dinner party. But for me, and most naturally introverted people, it is work. I need time alone to recover and recharge my batteries, and when I don't get it, I get pretty stressed out.

Friday evening we went to my parents' house to do some chores and make dinner. With my mom's arm broken and my dad unable to get around, they're having a bit of trouble taking care of some basic needs. Saturday was the usual frenzy of kid activities and many small neighbors racing through my house brandishing Nerf guns and shrieking with excitement. Sunday my grown stepson and his girlfriend came over, and more of their friends soon showed up to hang out and watch movies. They were still at it when I went to bed at 1:00 am, and stepson and girlfriend spent the night and stayed through the morning. By the time the guests arrived for our cookout on Monday afternoon, I was pretty much running on empty.

Fortunately, I had some special yarn put away for just this sort of situation.

This is heavy worsted weight, hand-dyed, spun silk. I have about 500 yards of it, scored from Destash a year or so ago. I intended to use it for a shrug, and in fact had one started, but it was a pattern I was winging, and I've since forgotten the lace pattern I made up and even the general concept for the shrug. But I found this pattern on Ravelry, so I ripped what I had and started over.

This is comfort knitting at its finest. The pattern is simple, but not boring. The yarn is delicious--thick and spongy and as smooth as...well...silk. The color is as refreshing as ice water. I snuck away several times to sit by myself and knit a few rows. It definitely took the edge off. I felt a little like a junkie, sneaking off to the powder room for a hit. Monday night, after everyone had left and we had finished shoveling out the house, I surrendered to the sensual pull of the silk and knitted with true abandon.

I'm about halfway through now, and already feeling a little sorry to see this project coming to an end. But summer is coming, and with it, all of the barbeques and picnics and pool parties we always have, so I guess I'm going to be needing some new comfort knitting in short order. Any suggestions?