"Quality of life"......a gift that just keeps on giving.

Don't know if this qualifies under this topic! Just wondering if I can find any others on this thread that find knitting gives their life some meaning? I would be lost without my yarn and needles. I can't stand to just idly sit and watch TV. My hands need it or I find myself uncomfortable and nervous! Maybe an odd way to describe an antsy feeling.

@suzanne2 I think it fits perfectly! Projects and hobbies do add something positive to our quality of life. I really like quilting and frequently use my quilts to express opinions. It’s fun and makes me feel good! Keep on knitting. Are you a sweater maker?

@becsbuddy I am knitting a sweater now but have made a number of different winter hats and scarfs this year. I love to try different yarns and have taken advantage of the online sales that Lion Brand has. I get a daily email that alerts me to them since the pandemic began. Their shipping charge is reasonable and I get to experiment with yarn I wouldn't necessarily find in a nearby store!

@suzanne2 I am a crocheter and quilter. I know @rosemarya, @fiesty76 and @1nan also do needlework, and I'd wager there are several of us here! On my hooks right now are the start of a lap robe for neighbor, and winter hats for those in need. I love to see projects come together, and donate the end products, usually.
Ginger

Oh, my, @suzanne2.....Prepare yourself! You're about to meet a bunch of crafty folks who totally understand everything you feel and goodies you get from crafting! Get ready, girl.......Blessings, elizabeth

Good evening Ginger.........I have been brain doodling on this organization stuff. I have always had good intentions but not enough energy to tackle the job. And now I am with Mr. Organization. Have you ever heard of someone who has cleaning folks coming on Wednesday so has to get up early to pick up the house and put everything away? It doesn't matter that I say......for goodness sakes Jay, Jen and the girls are coming in an hour.

And when my friend saw this little collection on the counter, she cracked up when I told her Jay was getting ready to make soup or beans or something. Everything must be ready before you begin.

Hope this is not you Ginger. Last chance....he has at least 50 binders with plastic covers on every document inside. Then why can't he find the access code to the TV??????

Isn't life just wonderful?

@suzanne2, @becsbuddy Ooo I’m liking this thread...no pun intended. It’s wonderful you enjoy knitting and love it so much! What are your favorite things to make? And I just have to ask, with all the nightly knitting, what do you do with your projects when completed? You described that antsy feeling perfectly! My mom used to tell me I had ants in my pants and set me to work with embroidery or weaving potholders at night! Probably so she could concentrate on her knitting!! It skipped a generation. LOL.

Our creative outlets are very important to our wellbeing and quality of life! I also realized they can be a coping mechanism to help wind down at the end of the day or any time we’re under duress. Working with the things we love, whether it’s yarns, fabric, threads, paints, etc., gives us a momentary escape while our minds work in the background to process and heal incrementally. Escaping for me has anything to do with quilting, watercolors, fiber arts and lately I’ve taken to making journals. So Sue, while you’re enjoying your knitting at night, I’m mindlessly folding paper which I find oddly therapeutic!! It IS the little things, after all. Wishing you peace.

Oh Chris - once again you made me giggle! I take out all the ingredients before I start, then move them aside or put them away as I use them - as a memory tool! Otherwise, I have no idea which one I have added or not. Tell him he's missing the dry mustard, lemon juice & brown sugar - adds a new dimension to chili.
My husband is the opposite of Jay - he has to dig through layers on desk or workbench to find things (I no longer let him pile on things the kitchen or dining room table.) I got him a tabletop desk organizer for his birthday - no idea what's in it, but his "stuff" is piled around it - a little ADD. I'm a "touch it and toss or file" person myself - I need things put away because clutter makes me anxious.
Sue

@artscaping I think if my mother would have had a cleaning service come in, she would have been like Jay; she was obsessive in cleaning and organization. I keep a clean house, sometimes tidy. I have a little tile that says "Creative minds are rarely tidy", that's my excuse and I am sticking to it! Seriously, the organization helps keep me in line, although I do blur that line often ;))

Making meatloaf is when you will see my attention to ideas at its best. The fridge is raided, along with the cupboards, as each creation is different.Everything is set onto the counter, and moved from one side to the other as used. I also clean up as I go, so there is less at the end.
Ginger

You know Chris, so many of us are like you. We keep on keeping on. This post reminds me that I really do rely on my quality of life activities, but sometimes tolerate beyond what is smart. I have learned through error of judgment what many of us with certain issues believe. That continued or worsening discomfort is just an extension of what to expect. For example I missed a lot of severe neurological signals because I thought it was worsening neuropathy. I had to learn the hard way, but now try to look at changes differently and bring them up to my providers sooner rather than later, letting them be the decision makers. Meanwhile, those quality of life things are wonderful to help us get through those things that we cannot change. Identifying and appreciating them is enhanced when we share them with others.
Nancy