Musings

I have had occassion to give a lot of thought to why I knit in the past two days. Yesterday, when Purl and I visited our work area's LYS, I was lamenting the fact that there are so many things I want to knit, and that while I make progress on things, I don't feel like I finish as much as I could because I have so many things going at once. (boy, how was that for a run-on sentence?!) I like having a lot of things OTN though. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a mindless knit, and picking up the enormous afghan for my son is great. Sometimes I want something more challenging. And sometimes, I only have 10 minutes, but feel the urge to knit, so I can get a row or two done on a sock. I know you know what I am talking about, even if you don't want to admit that you have this same project-itis disease!

Anyway, the owner of the LYS made a really good point in response to my lamenting. She said that knitting is supposed to be a hobby. Something you enjoy doing, and the thing that takes you away from the stress of life. The only pressure you feel in knitting is what you put on yourself. So do what makes you happy. I really liked that advice. Again, perhaps I am just trying to justify my own craziness! I really respect those knitters of you who can start one item and see it through to the end before even considering casting on for something else. I just don't have the patience gene, I guess. So having a large project, a small dishcloth project, socks and something more intricate makes me happy.

The other thing that got me thinking about the "zen" of knitting was an email from a dear friend. We have falled somewhat out of touch, and I told her that I had begun knitting. She asked how I find time between work, kids, etc. I told her that it's the one thing that I do that makes me feel as if I DO have time. Somehow, if I sit down for even 15 minutes with needles and yarn, I feel like I had some "me" time. And the process of knitting in and of itself is generally the most relaxed I ever feel. Something about the rhythm of the needles, the feel of the yarn (because I am a yarn snob, after all), the texture and the color of the yarn... it is incredibly appealing to my senses. It really makes me happy.

I know that every other knitter in the universe has probably had these same thoughts. But my email with my friend made me realize just how much knitting does for me. I love to have that finished object, but I dearly love the experience of making the object, too. Okay, except when I drop a stitch and can't fix it, throw the kntting across the room and scream and curse. :-) But even then, the knitting just sends me to a bottle of wine. So it's still not all bad!