Light Bulbs & Mr Darcy

Hands up who was happy to see the back of January? It was a long one, wasn’t it?  It always is – we are all so ready to move on!
 
In December, the lights and sparkle and excitement manage to put aside the gloominess of the weather for a little while but moving into January, with that long month stretching away far, FAR beyond the end of the pay packet, we are brought back to reality with a soggy plop.  Squelching through the dankness of the days it’s no surprise we start looking way ahead and yearning for Spring.
 
Looking back seems like the right thing to do when we’re at the end of the year but at the beginning?  Surely not.  However, that’s exactly what I’m going to do here – I want to look back at the vast swathes of January to see what it has given to us collectively, and to me personally.
 
On a global level, January gave us lightbulbs and Mr Darcy.  Yes, I know, I wasn’t expecting that curve ball either and I’m writing this. Allow me to explain:  I have been very much enjoying this book…

​Every night, the last thing I do, rather than read my phone (although, full disclosure, I’m probably doing that right up to the point where I pick this book up) I read the fact for the day – aloud actually, to my partner.  It is lovely!  Do we get read to very much as adults?  I love being read to and mostly I indulge this with audio books.  Anyway, I digress: I learnt from this lovely book that in January 1880 Thomas Edison patented the lightbulb and we’ve never looked back have we really?  Whilst that is impressive, imagine if you will, a world without Colin Firth, dripping and furious (or brooding I suppose) after emerging from that lake.  Thankfully, this is not our reality because in January 1813 Pride and Prejudice was published and Jane Austen set in motion the wheels that would ultimately bear Colin Firth to us in his blouson shirts.   
 
January – thank you VERY much for that.

Image credit BBC

​On a personal note, I was not so rigid as to impose dry January on myself – goodness knows it’s a dreary enough month as it is – but I have tried to start gently introducing healthier habits for my body and mind.  Drinking less – a lot less really, how easy it was to fall into a glass of wine (or two) almost daily, walking more.  I also have now started to “go to work” with my friend. Working one day a week from her home while she too works from home.  I work from home and I do love it but working alongside someone has, bizarrely, made me more productive. I am also enjoying a lunch time walk and talk and sneaky coffee.  I think that’s so good for my mental health, it can be a little insular and easy to hibernate a little too much without the discipline of having to get up and OUT for work so this is a good compromise for me.

Beautiful beginnings for a much-loved work in progress

I, like many, had to adopt a strict “no unnecessary expdenditure” regime in January but, like many, wanted to start a new project.  In an attempt to scratch that itch, I rummaged through the many (so very many) places I have squished and squashed works in progress, and pulled out some of the very oldest ones I have!  There has been sufficient distance time-wise now for them to feel new and with absolutely zero outlay.
 
I’m working again on the lovely Primavera project which was a recolouring of Jane’s Frida’s Flowers by the brilliant Lucia Dunn of Lucia’s fig tree.  Sadly, this one isn’t around anymore due to lots of the yarn being discontinued BUT the patterns are still free to download, and I know so many of you are so brilliant at colour palettes that it might be something you could colour yourself. 

I have looked back through my social media and the last time I posted about this one was in June 2022.  I had, quite by accident, got matching nails!  What I’ve noticed this time is the distinct change in my tension.  I wonder why?  Could it be that I’m more relaxed these days?  I remember some pretty tricky times around the time I first started this project so it’s nice to be able to reclaim it during calmer, happier days.  I also wonder whether it has anything to do with the fact that I’ve now been working for Janie for a long time and have moved closer to her tension – this comes from checking patterns and what not.  I don’t know.  I’ve yet to decide whether to rework any of the blocks or just be, uhm, ‘rigorous’ with their blocking.  I’ll report back.

I think it’s fair to say that I’ve neglected my personal crochet (and knitting) for a while and it’s definitely a comfort to go back to.  January gave me that.  The need for something solid, dependable, soothing and FREE!  As I’ve been working the, I have planned what to do with it. I am going to gift it to my lovely neighbour.  I moved into my little home 2 years ago, by myself, after the end of a long marriage and it was scary.  I was -and am - incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by the best of people.  Neighbours who recognised hurt and, yes, a bit of loneliness, and who helped to gently move me on to a place where I feel welcome, happy and safe.   I think this is the right place for my blanket to go.

Most recently with Janie Crow we’ve seen the release of the glorious Majorelle which has also begun its long long journey to completion among the many works in progress here.  I have loved this project for a long time, having been fortunate to have seen it come to life – I do love working for Janie as I get to see what’s coming many months in advance, sometimes I get to make it in advance, sometimes not.   This one I am making 100% for me because I love it with all my heart!

​So, January you were endless, but you gifted some lovely things, and you played your part in reminding us to pause, breathe, think about things in a different way, maybe with more patience than some of us (ie. Me) generally employ and appreciate that the seasons will change, at the right pace, regardless of how much we wish the time away.

You can download the Frida's Flowers patterns HERE
You can find lots more free patterns HERE
You can find an excellent blog post ranking the various Mr Darcys HERE