Grandma, last summer, looking over the shawl I was making in feather and fan stitch. Boy I miss her.I'm catching up on old podcasts from Brenda Dayne and Cast-On. This episode they spoke of knitting philosophies. One of the things that came out is that people knit for relaxation. I have heard that twice now in the last week, and I don't totally agree with it.
People knit to relax, well I don't, at least not most of the time. I'm selfish, I want that sweater or new pair of socks.
My knitting never started as a relaxation practice. I started knitting because I needed something to fill my hands while I waited for my kids in their activities. It has grown to desiring the product at the end of the process, not necessarily the relaxation, though that does come in now and then. I love the colors, I love how the stitches look, I love wearing something I have created myself, I love seeing someone else wearing something I have made especially for them. I knit now because I want that end product, the socks, the sweater or scarf. So many pretty yarns, why waste them on something I am not going to wear or give away, just to relax. I guess you could say that I knit as part of a race, a race to get to the end of the object so I can wear it or send it to a special home. I also knit for my grandma. She taught me to knit when I was a child, and I continue to knit because she did up until the day she went into the hospital. I knit because it brings me closer to her. I think about her often as I am knitting, thinking, oh wouldn't grandma like this, or I need to show this to her, then remember that I can't.
So, what is your knitting philosophy? If you want, leave me a comment or direct me to your blog if you post it there.
Hi Alice, I'm glad you stopped by!! I was thinking a lot about you last week!
4 comments:
I knit because it compels me to. It also relaxes me, a nice side benefit. The product that I end up with, while important and compelling, is not the reason that I knit. It is the by product of my knitting.
I guess I'm both a process and a production knitter - but I've come to really want that end product, too. It's also an 'idle hands' thing. And I really crave the knitting community.
Knitting is part of my vocabulary - a way to express who I am and an outlet for the creative ferment in my brain. I usually plan for simple, easy- to-do stuff with a quirk so I can enjoy the soothing rhythm of repetitive, mindless actions. Lace is not my friend. Perfection is not my metier. Color and concept is my delight.
I know I'm late and not even sure you'll get this, but here goes: I knit so that I wouldn't smoke. Anytime I wanted a cigarette, I pulled out a project and knit a row or two.
And it has now become the new habit. Relaxing? Maybe not. End product? I usually give them away or sell them, so not so much there either. It's the physical act of keeping my hands busy.
And I'm a complete fibre wench--I LOVE touching nice yarns!
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