Why I Knit...or Crochet...or Art

It’s always fascinating to me to overhear the reasons someone does handcrafts, from knitting to crocheting, woodworking, or anything that involves primarily solitude, and the use of your hands.

Over the years of having a yarn shop, I think I’ve heard a million different reasons, the top three always were as follows, in no particular order…

“It keeps me from snacking”

“It keeps me from smoking”

“It gives me something to do with my hands while watching tv”

I’ve never really been honest about why I knit…but this whole being vulnerable thing is feeling pretty good right now, so here goes nothing.

Truthfully, I knit because it keeps me grounded. Not in a generic way one would imagine, but in my own sense of the word. I have struggled with anxiety pretty much my whole life. I’ve always been a little pear-shaped and sideways, so I pick up the needles when everything gets overwhelming or too much to handle. It doesn’t need to be a complex pattern, that’s when I usually reach for something in the industry we call “process knitting”.

Process knitting is simple the act of knitting, usually uncomplicated, sometimes completely impractical, but think a plain garter stitch blanket, no counting, no stitch change, just the rhythmic repetition of doing one thing to settle an uneasy mind, or chasing away a panic attack. Either way, I process knit a lot. Usually resulting in multiple triangle-shaped shawls, or throw blankets, of nothing at all, except the unfinished work of the WIP, because I’m not ready to revisit the feelings that started the project in the beginning. So that’s why I knit.

There have been multiple studies about the benefits to your health…

I’m the last person who’d ever suggest ways to live a healthier lifestyle, heck, I smoke, I drink too much coffee, I exercise occasionally, I drink an occasional whiskey, and I stay up too late most nights, oh and I have a terrible work-life balance…but enough about that. There was an interesting article published here, that I found interesting.

I’d like to dive into this more, I’ll keep you in the loop about what I find out. In the meantime, my work day has come to a close, and it’s time to sit by my wood stove, sip my warm coffee, and let the needles and a good audiobook shut my brain down for the night. Oh, what am I listening to? Today’s selection is “Paddle Your Own Canoe-by Nick Offerman”

Tonight I am going to keep knitting my AI generated sweater :)

Stay peaceful friends, and for those of you who have recently subscribed. Thank you, I appreciate it a lot. If