Deep Autumn

The leaves are slowly changing their color from the emerald and forest greens of summer to the dusty browns, vivid orange, and sunny yellows of fall. Depending on where you live and what trees surround you, your backyard could also be coated with a thick layer of brown pine needles so plush that you can walk on them with your bare feet without getting pricked.

It is the perfect time to pick up the sweater that you have been too busy for. Or in this case, the sleeve of the sweater you have been working on for a few months and would have been done if you had not put it down for some reason that has since been lost to time and a bad case of the lazies. To imagine, the silly pattern actually wanted you to count so you could place increases in an even amount so the sleeve would actually be fitted to your arm. How dare it be so considerate. How dare you be so lazy to not want to count a measly seven rows then work a simple little increase.

The sleeve is at the simple part of knitting. The part where it is just a two-row stripe pattern on and on for a few inches. Then it will be ready for the sleeve cap, but we aren't rushing the process here. Simple, mindless, soothing knitting is ready for us and that is what we will happily take. Even if you have a pair of empty straight needles sitting beside the ball of green just waiting for you to cast on and knit the ribbing of the next sleeve. We aren't there yet and sweaters are a process project.

Just knit. Sit and knit, happily and steadily for a few more inches at least.