I have been committed to a gluten-free diet for about four months. (Medical disclaimer – I am not a doctor) 

I decided to give the diet a try after reading blogs covering the gluten-free lifestyle. So far, I have been very happy with my results with one HUGE exception. I absolutely love baking! I don’t necessarily eat everything I bake because I use baked goods as gifts to friends and family. It’s the act of baking that gives me so much pleasure.

It is possible to bake gluten-free at home but I feel like it is just too involved so I’ve given up baking. Would you believe I have had withdrawal symptoms? Not for sugar and calories but for the act of baking. I’ve found myself getting up on Saturday morning having to fight the urge to whip up scones, cookies and a pie. Don’t even get me started on my urges to bake bread. 

Over the Labor Day Weekend, I decided to focus on having my knitting and spinning as a healthy way to distract me from baking. As much as I love my fiber world, I’ve been astounded at how it has been an effort to have it replace my baking urges. Once I got myself settled, I did enjoy the the hours of uninterrupted knitting.

Remember that I didn’t make much progress on the Five-Way Shawl while we were traveling on the east coast. But, I moved along over the three-day weekend! This photo doesn’t capture it completely because I continued on and finished it this last weekend – crocheted edging and everything!

I’m waiting for my order to arrive because I am going to use the Stitched Buttons in Seaspray. Then I will be able to show you the finished product. Tonight I am going to cast-on a top-down vest using The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters using Chroma Worsted in the Guppy colorway. 

Imagine how quickly I can finish something that I only have to knit around and around and around. After a weekend of football, I may be wearing it to work next week!