A Much-Needed Break

Ever need a break? Ever actually take one? What do you do? 

After about 5-6 hours of editing my book this past Saturday, my "Grant's Crossing brain"shut down. I probably started at my screen for about a half-hour before it really hit me, but it eventually did. I ended up shutting down all my software and taking a much-needed break - which lasted the rest of the weekend! 

I'm a knitter and a crocheter and have posted a lot of things about both on my Itinerant Knitter blog. I haven't touched it in ages, but if you're a fellow fiber enthusiast, you might find some fun things there. 

Aimee, the owner of No Strings Attached yarn shop in my fictional small town of Grant’s Crossing, Ohio, would love this. Maybe she’ll make one for Emerson someday! Foreshadowing? Why yes! I do believe so! (You'll meet Aimee and Emerson in Tara & Steve's book which will be published later this year.)

Over the weekend, I worked on a crochet project, something I call a Blanket of Insanity. Yes - I'm crocheting a blanket using fingering weight yarn. Don't know what that is? It's super thin yarn. I'm using a super small crochet hook to make super small stitches. For an entire super awesome blanket. It'll be gorgeous and the drape will be incredible. I'd even go so far as to say super gorgeous and super incredible, but I don't want to super overdo it!

I have more pictures and a video on instagram.

For my fellow fiber enthusiasts, this uses mostly hand-dyed fingering weight yarns and a US Size G - 4mm crochet hook. I’m making up the pattern as I go along and have even made changes already since one row of single crochets took forever. Now I’m solely using rows of crisscrossed doubles. Maybe when I’m done, I’ll write up the pattern and put it in the back of one of my books.

I love that my first skein used / gorgeous color was dyed in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Urban Girl Yarns.

The last skein is One First Street NE in honor of our newest Justice, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson - beautifully dyed by Neighborhood Fiber Co.

1. Urban Girl Yarns
2. Faerie Girl Yarns
3. Cornbread and Honey
4. Groovy Hues Fibers
5. Manos Alegria
6. Blue mystery yarn - received in a swap!
7. Lolodidit
8. Neighborhood Fiber Co

I have an extra skein of the Cornbread and Honey so I’ll probably use it as a border. I love these yarns!!

In between stitches, I've started a new mystery by one of my favorite authors, Julie Anne Lindsey. It's the latest Bonnie and Clyde cozy mystery. These are wonderfully addictive, so please take a look if you haven't already. Book one is called Burden of Poof and is a terrific whodunnit!

Naturally taking a break from writing and editing my books must involve more books, but at least they're already written. I can just sit back and enjoy them and that is so nice to do.

What did you do over the weekend? How did you relax? Leave a comment below telling me how you spend your downtime!

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown