History..

So why do I knit?

I knit for the connection with the past. I knit for the meditative value of it. I knit because it's pretty. I knit because I need color. Specifically...


I knit for the connection with the past.

My knitting sensei has been knitting for 70 years. When I think about that, it makes my jaw drop. In sock class she told me how she first learned to knit, she took a bus to the town square with her sister where a lady would sit and teach you how to knit. There were no patterns. Knitting has been done the same way for centuries. As the ladies at my LYS say, there's only the knit stitch and the purl stitch. Everything else is just a twist. Now, we are lucky to have the mindboggling variety of resources we do, types of materials, and patterns. But back to basics, it's the same as centuries before.

Right now I'm working on some longies for my soon-to-be niece Evie Michaela. I plan on taking them with me when we go to the hospital. As I sit in the waiting room, how many others have sat in hospitals, just knitting while they waited? It's a connection.


I knit for the meditative value of it.

I'm about to begin studying for my bar exam. In my preparing for the bar book it talks about doing "relaxation rituals." To be a relaxation ritual, something must be repetitious, repeat the same muscle movement, clear your mind of distracting thoughts, and you may find yourself repeating the same word(s) repeatedly. That's knitting! Doesn't get much plainer than that.


I knit because it's pretty.

The whole process of knitting is gorgeous. The smoothness of the needles, the color of the yarn. I'm a variegated yarn freak, I love watching to see what the colors will do. The sock I'm working on is making kind of a pixelated effect between the teals and the spring greens. The smell of the wool, the feel of the yarn. The look of a spun up ball or a skein. The whole thing is gorgeous. I almost forgot the color explosion of a yarn shop. I love opening the door of my LYS.


I knit because I need color.

I have always been disappointed with adult clothes. They're in such drab colors. Sock yarn totally fixes that problem. No one need know about my obsession with hot pink and blue. It's hidden. When I feel bad, a bright beaded bracelet, shiny earrings, or handknit socks are something to glance at to cheer me up. For awhile I'd go get acrylic nails and have them painted some gorgeous spring tulip shade to glance at and smile. Color improves everyone's day. The world needs more of it: knit.