My life feels dominated by socks and hospital visits at the moment. This pair is just off the needles and I have two other pairs on the go. Our little man is on the mend, but his wound is still about 5 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep. It’s a slow heal. So three times a week we are at the hospital changing dressings. There is invariably a long wait. That’s ok. We’re glad we don’t need the nurses urgently any more, and are more than happy to wait whilst they prioritise those that do.
Thankfully, a sock is a very portable project. We grab drinks from the coffee concession on our way in and check into the ward fully prepped for however long it takes.
Whilst my wee man was poorly in hospital I had a sock with me at all times. It’s tricky to concentrate on knitting with a sick small person in a hospital bed, as the interruptions are constant. But slowly, slowly, between obs, and while he slept, my hands turned one round of stitches, followed by another. And slowly, slowly, the sock grew. And each stitch was a moment of calm that took him closer to wellness.
A sock is also a great conversation starter. I met nurses who knitted but had never dared try a sock, nurses whose grandmothers had knit socks and who thought the art had died out. A student nurse who had only used a knitting frame and was intrigued to see how it was done “properly”. Small peeps whose fascination was wide eyed and intent. And worried mums were distracted for a few moments and transported to a place of calm and cosiness.
This is the pair of socks that I knitted by our boy’s bedside. That commanded attention and brought our little community behind the curtains together.
Who’d have thought a pair of simple socks could do so much?
Project notes
Pattern: Regia 4 ply sock
Pattern cost: Free
Yarn: Stylecraft Head over Heels
Colourway: Kilimanjaro
Purchased at: & Sew What, Chorley
Yarn cost: About £7?
I love this! I completely agree about knitting while others get better. It’s a meditation on wellness – a prayer for the loved one (and I mean that agnostically). Knitting is the gift that keeps on giving! (And poor boy. That is so horrible. He’s going to be fine, I know, but man, is he going to remember this for freakin’ ever.)
“a meditation on wellness” You are so eloquent. I love that phrase. We had a dressing change today and healing is definitely underway. He’s going to have a cracking scar to show for this!
I so agree with the calm a project like this brings. I sewed patchwork while Big Man was very poorly…it helped me a lot! Anyway, stunning socks and sending you all lots of healing good wishes.
Thanks for the good wishes. I hope you’re doing ok as well.
EPP is a great soother too!
These are lovely and you – and they – have spread some calm and cheer and sock love around where it was needed. I hope your wee man is feeling much better now.
Aw, thank you.
He’s getting there now. We still have a way to go, but he’s well enough to be bored and annoying, which I’m taking as a good sign!
The little hand projects are indeed a source of calmness and quiet when it feels everything else is out of your control. It’s how I’ve gotten so much hand sewing done in the last 2 years! I wouldn’t have coped otherwise. Hope your little guy continues to improve!
Oh Michelle, you’ve had so much to contend with in the last couple of years. Thank goodness for hand sewing! I love your star a day project. It’s going to be a beautiful quilt.
A post that resonated with me on so many levels xxx
I’m glad.
PS….love, love, love your tips and tricks posts!
Oh Evie, I am so sorry to hear that your son has been poorly. The wee soul. I hope that he is well on his way to being better at back to his handsome, mischievous self. Your socks are gorgeous. Knitting is such a meditative pastime. I don’t know if it is the rhythm of the pins or just concentrating without noticing but it is good in a mindfulness sort of way. That is brilliant that it was a conversation starter too. Sending you all my very best wishes. Xx
He is almost fully healed now and definitely back to his old tricks!
Socks are definitely a saviour. I love the way that you feel productive even when you’re sat watching a film.
xx
I really enjoy knitting as a way to relax my mind – you have to slow your mind down while you knit, don’t you?
The socks are lovely, and I’m very glad that the Boy is making progress. It will be wonderful not to need to knit socks in these circumstances again but never stop knitting socks!
Oh I’ve been so tardy replying to this lovely comment. So sorry!
I do find knitting is often the only way to relax. I’m rather lost without at least one knitting project on the go, even if it is only a pair of socks! Needless to say…they’re my current project. But being knit in much happier circumstances.