I've been under a fair amount of stress this week--between Sick Polly, Virgin Mobile Phone Hell, and just general run-of-the-mill BS like wondering if various reimbursements are ever going to arrive and allow me to have more than $20 in my checking account--which always leads to rather unusual knitting behavior. I don't always deal well with stress, which basically means I can't focus on anything and I turn into a raving banshee. Everything suffers--and I find that I begin to make peculiar craft-related decisions.

Although this may not be new behavior, I only really noticed it a couple of years ago when, during a particular rough patch, I was compelled to crochet potholders. Yes, potholders. Out of kitchen cotton. After I made potholders for our household (The Beloved hates them and refuses to use them. I don't think they're that bad.), I made some for my mother. And my aunt. And my sister. I also bought a truckload of Sugar 'n Cream and Peaches 'n Creme cotton yarn in various--mostly hideous--colorways. There are some solids in the mix, but honest to God I don't know what came over me. Ugly. Stupendously ugly. I don't even think I can knit baby hats or booties out of some of this yarn, it's so hideous. So, I put it in a box and tried to forget about it.

Lucky for me, this time my stress has decided to manifest itself in an insane desire to knit dishcloths. I don't know why--I'm not even knitting brainless garter stitch squares or Grandma's Favorite dishcloths. I am actually searching for new dishcloth patterns to try. I went so far as to join a Yahoo! group for knitting dishcloths. Tomorrow, the March Knit-a-Long (KAL) begins, and I'm a little too excited.

Currently on needles is the Ballband Dishcloth, brought to us by the fabulous Mason-Dixon ladies. (The pattern appears in their book as well--I found that out after finding the pattern online....and reading the credits at the bottom.) Naturally, I'm using yarn from my stash on this, which is a good way to get rid of some SNC in wine and midnight magic ombre. So far, I love it. The yarn doesn't even seem that hideous. Mind you, I don't plan on redecorating my kitchen around it, but I'm quite pleased with the way it's turning out. The Beloved says that it looks "intricate" and that it is too fancy to use in the kitchen. He is learning--this is a great improvement from "why do you want to knit dishcloths when we can buy them for under a dollar at the supermarket?"

I am a little self-conscious about what I feel to be slightly weird shifts of focus in my knitting, but perhaps I should just chill out. In fact, it seems to be going around. Yesterday, the Yarn Harlot wrote that she had put aside her current project in favor of garter stitch in plain wool on big needles: "the knitting equivalent of oatmeal." February and early March can be particularly ugly as the snow turns to gray slush and refreezes and we all wait in anticipation of spring. Whether dishcloths, baby blankets, garter stitch rectangles or socks, many of us need something to help get us back to a more comfortable and focused place where we create because we want to--not just because we need to.