Why I Love to Knit

Recently I was asked by fellow hubber Julie-Ann Amos why I love knitting.  I have been asked this question many times in the past by my friends as well.  You see, I am the lone knitter in my social circle, and to many of my baffled friends and acquaintances the idea of knitting is boring or old-fashioned.  As for those who had attempted knitting so they can knit with me (bless their little cotton socks), had found the process confusing and frustrating.

So why do I love knitting?  There are many facets to my passion for fibres and needles, not least of which is the fact that I love the physicality of making things with my hands.  To see an object slowly take shape as I work on it gives me a great sense of satisfaction.  I also love the fact that I can give my friends and loved ones gifts that I have made; not always to the appreciation of the said friends or loved ones mind you (philistines!), but that is the burden all artisans must bear.

Above all, I love knitting because it is a narrative.  The long yarn, like the path of a tale, twisting and looping into knots and holes; each stitch creating different textures, contrasts and shape into the fabric like characters or events in a story.  When I knit, I think about how each stitch interacts with another, why they are placed in a certain order or location in the pattern, and what effect would be created by that specific combination of stitches; it is like reading and writing a story simultaneously.  With each stitch that I make, is my link to my maternal grandmother, who was an accomplished arts and crafts practitioner and also the person who first taught me how to knit; thus it is also a part of my personal family narrative.

I love knitting because it is rhythmic and cyclic.  Each row of stitches ebbs and flows like tidal water; an immutable cycle, sometimes fast and staccato, sometimes slow and languid depending on the pattern and stitches I use.  Knitting requires patience and concentration, any distraction can mean a major mistake, requiring the unraveling of perhaps hours of work.  It forces me to focus on each and every stitch I make, to rise and fall with each pass of the yarn, to float along each row of knits and purls.  It is meditative, it slows me down and brings me back into the moment.

Yes, I love knitting.  It is how I relax after a stressful day.  It has the rhythm of a breath.  It recharges and revitalises me, and It has taught me patience and discipline in my craft.  It is a narrative that links me to my past, and perhaps one day, it will link me to the future.