Finding Balance…
Crafting, Rest, and a New Start
After last week’s blog about prioritising crafting for mental health, I had grand plans to spend February blissfully knitting, spinning, and generally embracing all things woolly. The reality? Life had other ideas.
This past week was non-stop and I only managed two days of crafting. Normally, that would have frustrated me - this is the Knit365 blog after all - but as I try and be positive in February I’m choosing to focus on what I *did* achieve—because, honestly, it was a pretty great week on that front.
Celebrating Finishes
Despite the whirlwind of life, I did finally finish my Exploration Station, AND I blocked it along with my Hiberknitalong AND I finally got round to blocking last years mystery shawl! The Geogradient MKAL, in beautifully wicked colours still looks lovely! Blocking always feels like that final moment of magic—transforming finished stitches into something stunning, opening up patterns to show off their stunning designs.
And just in time, because…
A Weekend of Inspiration at Unravel
I made my annual pilgrimage to Unravel, and it started my year of yarn shows. I wore ALL the shawls (because as I’d finished them you bet I’m showing them off haha), caught up with the group chat - Kitey, Nic, Gem and Ted and we failed to get a group photo! There’s something so special about in person events—seeing the faces behind the yarn, swapping stories, and getting genuinely excited about what we’re all making.
One of my favourite moments? Showing dyers my finished objects and getting to thank them in person for creating such amazing yarn and fibre. Their creativity fuels mine, and it felt really lovely to share that full-circle moment.
Breaking (Bad) Habits
Beyond the festival excitement, I also took a step toward positive change this week. I realised I’ve been doomscrolling far too much, so I downloaded an app to limit my screen time. Let’s just say… it’s been eye-opening. Turns out, mindlessly reaching for my phone is a habit, not a conscious decision. A bad habit. Breaking it won’t be easy, but small steps, right?
The Power of Rest
Among all the chaos, I also paused—and that felt just as important as everything else. A few quiet evenings with Mark, a proper hotel breakfast, a good night’s sleep—sometimes, rest is the most productive thing you can do. I needed that reminder.
Looking Ahead
This week is set to be much quieter, and I’m leaning into that. I’m planning a new cast-on, because nothing feels more refreshing than starting something new. After a week of finishing projects, soaking up inspiration, and resetting my habits, a fresh project feels like the perfect way to begin again.
What’s on your needles (or wheel, or hook) this week? Let me know—I’d love to hear what’s keeping you inspired right now!
And if you want to follow along with my latest projects, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel to see my Unravel goodies, video live at 4pm on Monday. Here’s to a week of creativity, balance, and maybe even less scrolling.
Until next time, Happy Crafting!
The best thing I ever did was turn off notifications for everything. It stopped me responding to the ‘ping’ and then doing the scrolling x
Hi Martyn, we do tend to pick up our phone and scroll. My screen time has increased 110% since retiring. Once upon a time, I only had time to check emails whilst in full time nursing. Now its hard to find time to do all my alpacca/wool fleece scouring, (spinning which went out the door with lack of confidence). Im doing a test knit "full-on" lace jumper called "Spring" for Ngo Quynh, a Vietnamese designer.