End of an Era...

I've really been struggling lately trying to define who I am without my knitting. I know that might sound silly, but for the last several years, my knitting patterns and my passion for felting, designing and teaching has brought me so much joy and purpose. Don't get me wrong, I am and always will be a wife and a mother first, and I love that, but my ability to create is really at the core of who I am, and I implement it in every area of my life, including with my family. Knitting especially has always been my favorite creative outlet.

I developed tendinitis a few years ago in both of my arms, and at first it just meant that I had to take intermittent breaks from knitting or crochet, but it has now developed into something quite crippling for me. Carrying a baby, chopping vegetables, opening a jar of Peanut Butter, and lots of other simple tasks have become really hard and painful for me. I tried to knit a little doll sweater the other day fooling myself into thinking I could do it, only to discover that after only a few tiny rows I was in so much pain that I literally had to just sit there and hold my burning arms and try not to cry.

I have other hobbies and interests, but this is something I've been doing non-stop since I was eight years old and it is a big part of me. Nothing else quite seems to fill that void. Maybe you can't relate, maybe you can, but that's what I'm going through.

So today I was going through my little depleting bin of slippers I've made, trying to find a gift to send to my cousin for his new baby, and I was a little overcome at the thought of seeing these little slippers leave. They represent an era for me, one that I love so much, and that I am trying to accept is coming to a close. I love giving homemade gifts and the joy that comes with giving them, and felted slippers are my favorite gift to give. It will be sad for me when my little bin is empty...