What are you knitting on while your kids are off school?
You see, right now I am sitting on my sofa, with my laptop on my knee. My six year old son is next to me playing Minecraft. Periodically he asks “What does that say?” or “Can you look up how to make a water elevator?”
I’ll be honest, this is not my favourite way to work, but like a lot of parents during school holidays, we are juggling. Some days my husband has to work. Some days I have to work. And of course, some days we both have to work. And every day our son needs parenting. You know the drill!
So, I am approaching everything strategically. What has to happen in the school holidays? Can this wait until September? What can I work on while providing a Minecraft Helpline? What has to keep for the times I can work quietly?
And of course, the same is true of my knitting, whether it is design knitting or “fun” knitting.
I’m finding that I am working exclusively on simple and/or intuitive knitting patterns. Vanilla socks. A design with a repetitive stitch pattern. A stocking stitch shawl that only requires thought on the border.
In case you’re in the same boat as I am, and you need some pattern ideas that let you knit during the holidays without losing your patience with both knitting and children, here are 5 of my knitting patterns that would work brilliantly for you! Have a look at these photos and the info below them – which is your first choice?
Warm Milk Socks: Not quite vanilla, but intuitive and simple.
Fée Marraine: This shawl is ridiculously simple but takes one skein of sock yarn and makes it a beautiful and wearable addition to your wardrobe!
Oberon Socks: Super more-ish cabled socks, a brilliant pattern to step up your sock knitting game, but still really intuitive and fun to work!
Goodnight Sweetheart: A deliberately soothing shawl pattern. Simple techniques and a beautiful yarn make for a meditative and relaxing knit.
Carabosse: An unusual shawl that is actually easy and fun to make.