It turns out I did finish my sweater over Spring Break, as predicted…though nothing else has gone according to plan. My university has told all of the students to stay home, or go home, and we have been thrust into online teaching in order to contribute to flattening the curve through social distancing. It was absolutely the right call to make, given the pandemic we are facing, but wow, it is sheer chaos to try to convert 4 different classes, all of which are heavily dependent on in-class discussion, to online format…especially when your students are going to be scattered around the globe, with variable internet connections. It’s overwhelming, and I suspect we’re headed towards an even more challenging scenario if my daughter’s school closes. Teaching a 4 class load from home while also homeschooling is going be an adventure, that’s for sure!
I’m having a pretty hard time with all of this, emotionally, and I suspect it’s because I already had 6 weeks of being cut off from the world while I battled pneumonia from late November through early January, and I haven’t even fully worked back up to my pre-pneumonia levels of socializing, and now I’m headed for another 6 weeks of being cut off. I know it’s the right call to make both for the sake of the community, and for my own sake (I’d be in the “high risk” category for COVID-19 due to my pre-existing lung issues), but for my mental health? It is not so great. I am someone who really loves planning, and planning has become completely impossible for the moment, and that alone leaves me feeling really unsettled, before we even get to all of the worries about what this pandemic means for the people who are already vulnerable, for our fragile and broken social safety net, for our economy, for…everything. It’s a lot.
So here, how about some more nice new sweater pictures?
It grew a little bit with blocking, especially in length, but I’m fine with it – it’s got a lovely drape!
I really love the way it looks with this dark pink cowl, too…but the neckline is also nice sans cowl:
I’m pretty pleased with myself for having knit an entire sweater out of sock yarn – that’s actually a first for me!
Back to the topic of planning – I mentioned in my last post that I was debating what to do for my next project, and while I’m still not completely decided, the recent post on Ysolda’s blog has me leaning towards knitting a Wardie cardigan. I have a cone of Bartlettyarns Sport in a nice natural shade – quite a contrast from the bright colors I’m wearing today! But if the gauge is right after I block this swatch-in-progress, I’m pretty sure that Wardie will be my next sweater – I could use a really basic cardigan like that. Will I actually get much knitting time in the next few weeks, while I desperately try to help my students get through the end of the semester without actually seeing them in person? Who knows!
Wish me luck?
whit::knits 
Beautiful sweater, love the color.
That sweater is so cool! Good luck with the switch to online teaching!
Congratulations! It is such a lovely sweater.
And I agree: it is a lot. For everyone. And for some in particular.
Stay healthy!