Ahh summer break. For the last month I’ve been fortunate enough to follow my husband’s advice and take a break. The first two weeks post graduation and the end of my teaching semester left me feeling ragged and exhausted, so I chilled out. I’ve been enjoying all the puppy snuggles while knitting on the couch, catching up on the tv I’ve been missing, reading romance novels and just taking it easy for the last month. I’m so fortunate I have a few months before school starts again. My husband told me I wasn’t just decompressing from graduation and the end of the semester, I was decompressing from the last four years. I’ve done a lot, accomplished a lot, overcome a lot and now I realize how much I need to recharge in order to be my best self. Even my doctor was happy when I told her I was taking it easy this summer. But one of things I do for myself that I love, is knit and I just finished a Pressed Flowers pullover (Ravelry link to project page) but of course I had to make it for summer in cotton.
A fellow knitter and friend sent me the metallic yarn (Meunch Yarns Cleo – discontinued) and I used it for the CC color. I already had some Berroco Pima 100 I bought last year to make a tank top and didn’t get around to it and decided it would be perfect for this project. I knit a Pressed Flowers cardigan (Ravelry project page link) in the spring that I haven’t shared here. I love that cardigan so much and the color palette is very similar for the main colors on both, a soft seagreen. I think that’s my current favorite color. I’m also knitting my cousin a purple Pressed Flowers cardigan, so hopefully when I finish hers I can post about mine and hers. It’s a great pattern, the flower repeats are easy to memorize and the cardigan has minimal purling.
I am also getting very intentional about my wardrobe, color choices and what I pair with what. I love the rainbow but sometimes having an entire rainbow in your closet can be a little overwhelming. Plus I only teach two days a week, so my wardrobe has changed a lot over the years in terms of what I need and want to wear at work and at home.
The linen pants are from Not Perfect Linen and the shoes are the Big Buckle Birkenstocks (I live in Birkenstocks are year long). I love that the cotton top is slightly oversized, I picked the third size so that I didn’t have too much ease but it was still slouchy. I can wear it over a dress or on it’s own and it’s a little special with the metallic pops. Hopefully as I knit more and take pics, I’ll catch up on everything I made during my dissertation writing hiatus.
Yards of Happiness 
Dana I am SO very happy for you to be giving yourself a break. I am a fellow academic (and of course knitter) and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel myself (quarter system so a little later). Grateful to be seeing what you’ve been making and to hear your voice in this space, and totally appreciate you taking time away from here as you’ve been healing your lungs and writing your dissertation. Take care of your precious self! Niki
Congratulations on your graduation. Well done! I love your finished pullover. Great use of color.
NPL rocks – and so does your sweater! I hope you are successful in decompressing, you have certainly had a full plate the past couple years. The Birks – are they like Dr Scholls sandals of old (minus the wood footbed)? I like the looks of them but then I remember these sandals never stayed on my feet haha
Take care of yourself!
Fabulous colors! Enjoy some time for yourself. ♥️
So good! The colors, the styling, it’s all just right. Glad you’re able to take some rest. Taking time to regroup is just as important as the time when you are doing the final push to finish the work.
Lovely colour choices! Your turquoise and coral look beautiful together. The texture cones through too. Jellybean’s happiness reminds me of my cats rolling on warm grass at this time of year.
Glad you are having a summer.
Your different versions of Pressed Flowers are all intriguing, Dana! You’re a source of inspiration in so many ways. Glad you’re taking a break and doing exactly as you and your loved ones (human and canine) like this summer!
Lovely sweater! Lovely that you are taking time for yourself! Lovely that your husband totally understands! Just lovely!
Happy Summer break 😊
Dr.Dana, I am so happy you are relaxing!!! Gorgeous sweater. I am looking forward to the next posts. I will have to go to WEBS and look for some cotton yarn. You inspired me.
Brava you, Dana, for taking your husband’s advice and relaxing this past month! I admire all that you’ve done—much of which was at the same time—but now is definitely time to breathe!
Beautiful knitting! Beautiful you!
The sweater is lovely, Dana. Good to read that you are taking care of yourself.
I love everything about this! The gorgeous sweater (I’ve not tried mosaic knitting – it looks hard but fabulous!), your entire outfit, and especially that you are taking time for yourself (and have a community that supports that too!). Such an important example and lesson! Thanks for the reminders 🙂
I love everything about this – the gorgeous sweater (is mosaic knitting hard?), the entire outfit, that you are taking time for yourself, and that you have folks that support you! Thanks for reminding us of the importance of rest and creativity!
I just love your sweater!! I have long wanted to make a pressed flowers top and yours is perfect inspiration. I’m retired now, but I also taught, and summers are the best (as in, read all the books, hike all the hikes, knit all the yarns that collected in the stash over the school year, you know. :-))! I recognized the big buckle Birks right away: I bought a pair in raspberry and they are my new favorite shoes!! Why would anyone wear anything but Birkenstocks or Haflingers? I have a pruned down color palette these days (retirement) and it is mostly greys with lots of pinks, roses, purples and a few blues. I am dying to make a pressed flowers top now in grey with pink/purple yarn for the flowers. Enjoy your summer, especially since it seems like you have been on an incredible push for years.
So nice to see this in cotton, I plan to knit the pressed flowers cardi in cotton and it’s great to see what it looks like. Congrats on your PhD., and oh yeah, take the summer off. I hope you have a long, happy teaching career and don’t have to work too hard, even after your health has returned.
Long time no see! So glad to see you. It always brings a smile to my face AND makes me want to sit down and knit
Dana, I have followed your journey since I read a post by you on the MSK site a few years ago. You are my hero for many reasons, one of which is the fabulous knitting , of course. Congratulations on the PhD, and enjoy your well deserved break.
Dana I’ve missed your posts! It’s so lovely to hear you voice and see your gorgeous knits! I totally agree with your husband- your break isn’t just well deserved but essential for sustainability in your profession. Thank you for posting from break time.
I love that last photo. It really highlights the yarn. i never would have thought to use a slubby yarn and this is soooo pretty.
Congratulations on your degree! When I got my masters the consensus from my fellow graduates was that it took at least 6 months to decompress. For a PhD, probably longer :). Enjoy your break and continue to be good to yourself.