My husband and I both have hobbies which, sometimes, cause us stress. The line we quote back and forth as appropriate is “This is meant to be fun!” 

Fellow knitters will understand the types of stress I am talking about. An unexpected inability to count to 5. Gauge swatches that lie. Mixing dyelots. Accidental felting. Running out of yarn.

Currently I am working on a project which is causing me stress. It is a simply bottom up stocking stitch cardigan with garter stitch borders. For Small. There is nothing in it to justify the problems I am having with it. The pattern is clear. There are errata, but I have the details. I am definitely enough of an experienced knitter to be able to work this pattern. The yarn is lovely.

Despite all that, it keeps going wrong! And I have had enough. I have to put this down to the fact that I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in about 18 months and most of my waking energy goes into keeping the family alive and making money to help keep us housed and fed. Whatever the reason, this just is not the right time for me and this pattern. I am frogging it, having a break, and then will revisit the yarn and what it might want to be… Meantime, my stocking stitch socks are in luck!