pulling in every direction

i'm feeling overwhelmed right now, due to a combination of factors, including the fact that i pulled an all-nighter to finish the mohawk hat for my friend (it looks great...pictures to follow soon). i leave for the uk in little more than three days now, and am feeling the crush of leaving lovers and loved ones behind. that anxiety is being coupled with a feeling of being...attacked? misinterpreted? both?...by people who i thought were friends. it sucks when you try to help out your community and get blacklisted by members of that same community. i suppose it's the norm when you're an activist, but it still sucks big time.

luckily, i have wonderful people close around me who are helping me feel a bit better about the whole thing, and who keep reassuring me that i'm not a terrible person blundering around on sensitive issues. ah life. leaving for new lands will be great and terrible at the same time. my heartstrings are being pulled in many directions, resulting in a straining ache. cuddles, tea, yoga inversions, and dark chocolate are the solution. and knitting, of course. always knitting for those fidgety fingers.

eye pillow the second

i finished off my darling friend's eye pillow this morning, after fighting with my sewing machine for a while. sometimes it runs smoothly, other times it decides to be a pain in the ass. anyway, here's the result:

it was another freehand creation, which means that symmetry isn't perfect. i kind of like that though. it makes it feel more unique and loving, if that makes sense. it's a teacup with an om symbol and a heart on the tea bag string. the heart kind of resembles a bird, but that's okay. it's a simple design, which is a nice subtle reminder that simplicity is sometimes the most beautiful. i often overdo things and forget about the beauty of simplicity.

i've been spending the morning baking black bean brownies, writing a letter to my friend, and listening to shane koyczan's new album. it's been wonderful. i'll be popping this in the mail along with a pair of handshoes for another friend (check them out on my sunflowerknit creations page - they're the houndstooth ones), then going for coffee with yet another friend before rehearsal. my life is filled with incredible people and delightful things these days.

more planning

i'm making another eye pillow, this time for my best friend back in the prairies. she and i have been best friends since high school, and have supported each other through too many situations to count. she's also one of the few people i stay in regular contact with despite the distance and time since we've lived in the same city. some of our mutual loves include tea, yoga, books, and holistic healing. anytime one of us is dealing with life stuff, we talk to one another and the temporary solution is always 'do some yoga, read a good book (often 'cunt' by inga muscio), and drink herbal tea.' here's my brainstorming for her eye pillow embroidery design:

i haven't decided whether to fill in the teacup yet or not, but the colour scheme will definitely be in the warmer tones.

my very own drop spindle (and some other goodies)

today i ran some errands while job-hunting, and i ended up with some lovely stuff.

waterproofer from MEC, bear trap and mango madness teas from David's Tea, and MY VERY OWN DROP SPINDLE from the loop, my favourite local yarn shop.



the spindle is handmade locally from 100% upcycled cutting board. it's beautiful, and has the perfect weight. i can't wait to start spinning my own yarn on it!