Bias

I grabbed this off my FB page because it really spoke to me.

With so much time to think, I am beginning to see how I create anxiety in my life.

There is always a kernel of truth.  For instance, I have anxiety.  This is a true statement and sometimes I have panic attacks that cause me to shake because I am so freaked out.  But...feeding into the fact that the world crisis should make me anxious all the time is just this self-perception that I have about how I work...and it just not entirely true.

Don't get me wrong.  The first week I was super anxious.  My acid reflux came back.  I really couldn't focus and my mind would always flutter back to the worst-case scenario.

But that was last week.  This week I am praying for the world in general and everyone that has been impacted by Covid-19, sending reiki to anyone that asks and virtual hugs to people who are home alone and looking for connections.

Every time I start freaking out I change how I am looking at the situation.  I am trying to take back my control by doing everything I can do to remain safe.

Of course, I am still scared, still practicing social distancing by not leaving the house except to get food every two weeks...but I am not anxious about it all the time anymore.  

Maybe I wash my hands a bit too much even though I am home, but I always have.  Clean the cat box - wash my hands.  Clean up the fur on the floor - wash my hands.  Cat yacked - wash hands.  Go potty - wash hands.  Going to eat or prepare food? - wash hands.  Mom taught me to do that and I never stopped.

I've learned to see that fear is the emotional response to a real or perceived imminent threat whereas anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat.  And most times my anxiety is based on irrational fears that are blown out of proportion like the whole mouse thing in the Basement.

I had a talk with my inner self that this "freaking out" didn't help anything.  I need to remain strong for my self, for my family, for my friends, for my community, for my State, and for my Country.  But it is hard when the news is so scary.

For those of you dealing with anxiety over what is going on right now, I totally get it.  This is scary stuff. All you can do is do everything you can to be safe.  Follow the guidelines that your government lays out for you.  

Where I live, everything but essential personal and business have been shut down.  Schools are closed.  Restaurants are closed.  People are encouraged (though not yet forced) to stay home.  People are asked to only go out if it is a necessary trip like heath or food.  Wash your hands, use wipes, sanitizer, gloves if you do have to go out.  Wash your hands the minute you get home again.

Some people treat this as a joke.  It isn't a joke.  This is real and it is scary.  We need to lessen the curve.

So, what can you do to be less anxious?

• Do all those recommended guidelines as if your life or the life of someone you love depended on it, which it does.

• When you are home, create a safe space.  Do things in this space that bring you joy and make you happy.  If this to you is Netflix and chill, then great.  The more moments during the day you can hold on to joy, the more resilient you will become.

• Find activities that get you out of your head.  For me, it is cooking, singing, gaming or exercising.  Both of these require a constant level of concentration.  A good book or movie can help you escape to another world for a bit. 

• If you start to feel anxiety or panic, then know that this is okay.  Notice when you are triggered and stop and reconnect with your breath.  Take some of those seriously deep breaths that you feel all the way in your belly and then let them out.  If you can, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, if you can't, that is okay too.  Acknowledge your fear as you breathe in and then let it go as you breathe out.

• I keep a gratitude journal and start reciting all the things that I am thankful for.  It really helps me to change my focus by being grateful.  Instead of just rambling off words of thanks I really try and feel each one.  For instance, if I am happy that I worked out.  I really think about how I was able to do one of the stances better than the day before.  How it made me feel so flexible and connected to my body.  This way I have created a feeling around my gratitude that I can evoke anytime I think about that particular movement.

• I feel that being able to reach out and talk to someone is super important!  Even if I can't be face-to-face with someone right now.  I can FaceTime, Skype, Discord or just plain call e-mail or text people to connect with them.  I really look forward to my face-to-face-computer time with my sister each week.  Even hearing someone's voice can really cheer me up.

• Finally, know that your staying home makes a difference.  You are saving lives by taking yourself out of the equation.  It won't always be easy...but it truly makes a difference in flattening the curve. 

I am hoping that you and yours are healthy and safe and continue to be so.  🙏💫🙏

If you are suffering from the virus, I wish you a quick and total recovery.  🙏💫🙏

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Today we are talking about knitting with a bias.  This just means using increases and decreases to create a diagonal slant to your knitting.  

Creating a bias is actually pretty easy and a lot of fun.  There are a bunch of ways you can achieve the same effect but this is the one I like to use.

Row 1:  Knit to the last stitch, kfb in stitch

Row 2:  Purl to last two stitches, P2tog

kfb - knit in the front of the stitch like normal, do not take the stitch off of the needle, knit in the back of the same stitch, take the stitch off of the needle - 1 increase made

P2tog - Purl two stitches together

Just keep repeating these two rows and it will look like the above picture.  This example slants left but if you reverse the way the increases and decreases are used then you could slant it right by doing this:

Row 1:  Knit to last two stitches, K2tog

Row 2:  Purl to the last stitch, pfb in stitch

K2tog - Knit two stitches together

pfb - purl in the front of the stitch like normal, do not take the stitch off of the needle, purl in the back of the same stitch, take the stitch off of the needle - 1 increase made

Note:  a pfb can be a little tricky.  To purl through the back loop, you need to position your needle so it goes through the back loop from left to right as shown above.

If you didn't like this set up you could do all your increasing and decreasing at the beginning of the rows.  

Regardless, this technique makes a visually interesting diagonal fabric.

Here is a sample that I made with 40 stitches and sock yarn.  It is light and full of drape.

Next week I'm going to share one of my favorite stitch patterns that uses two yarns.

Thanks for reading!

If you have any questions regarding this or any of my other tutorials, please feel free to leave a question in the comments.

Happy crafting!

Ruinwen

😀