A dream has come true for me this week, and marks a huge milestone in my physical healing and mental wellbeing. I purchased this gorgeous Malabrigo Nube wool from Jimmy Beans Yarns in Reno Nevada almost 3 years ago. My intention then was to hand spin the wool and make my own sweater design; although the pain in my hands was still preventing me from doing anything close to spinning. The bulging disk in my neck and severe tendonitis kept me very limited in the physical activity department, and I could barely drive. Today, I finished spinning the two hanks of this super luscious Malabrigo Nube wool (Lavanda 66 colorway) and I am well on my way to finishing my Healing Purple sweater.
Purple and violet are the colors of the 7th chakra at the crown of the head, closest to the sky and are associated with healing, spirituality, and higher consciousness. I greatly needed to restore my faith and connection to God, and to bring about deep healing from such a difficult time in my life. This wool represented my path to healing and helped me to stay focused on paying careful attention and mindfulness to my bodies’ need to not do too much of anything, and let myself heal with time (I am NOT one to sit idle and watch tv… I haven’t owned a tv in over 10 years…).
I would often take my spinning out and do little handfuls at a time, and put it away for long stretches until my hands felt improved enough to continue. During a physical therapy session, the healthcare practitioner gave me this putty to pull and squish and go through a long list of motions to help my hands regain strength. I mentioned that this process felt like spinning wool, and she encouraged me to try spinning again, with careful mindfulness. Little by little, the wool was spun. One month ago, I was able to spin the rest of the first hank, and started on the second braid last week. With great joy, I spun all 4 ounces within a few hours of spinning! The pictures you see are the completed hanks of yarn, and the body of my almost finished Healing Purple sweater!
Today, I feel as though I have finally walked through a long awaited finish line. While I may never regain 100% of my ability, I hover around 80 to 90% on the best of days, and my bad days are less and less. Even on the bad days, I can still do what I need to do, as long as I take breaks and give myself plenty of time to complete my chosen tasks.
Thank you to all of my cheerleaders, close and far, for helping me to stay strong, and hugging me and picking me up when I needed it. Your good deeds are duly noted, and I look forward to showing more of my deep gratitude in the days to come!
So, when you see a purple sweater, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on your own journey, and send a little gratitude into your heart for taking the time to notice. If you feel so inclined, I would love to hear about your own “ healing purple sweater“ moment. Send me a message, or comment on the post!
Thank you, and deep metta to you all.
Suzi Humbert
#knit #handmade #handknit #handspun #suzihum_art @suzihum_art
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