BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Knitting New article on Why I knit Posted

Does anyone want to share why they knit? I'd love to hear from you.

Why Do You Knit

I am all about process, although I do like to turn out a good product. Currently I am learning how to do toe-up socks and loving it. I am also making my husband an aran style sweater nd have started a sample afghan.

Mostly for family, some for the fact that I can, some for my grandfather who when he first saw me knitting took notice. He never talked to children, at that moment I was no longer a child. I had grown up and was being a person upholding what he considered dying art forms. He actually said he was proud of me.

Wow, from a non noticed child to a lady who he was proud of. That was a huge step in life for me. To this day I remember the look on his face. He beamed at this granddaughter. That was something.

These days I knit - mostly socks - to make gifts for family & friends. I don't really believe in spending large sums of money on gifts. Also I like knitting these things, my friends/family like receiving them, & I don't like to sell them because you can't get what the time is worth, & the purchaser is after goods, not the sort of caring that goes into a handknitted pair of socks or whatever.

And I also knit because I can do it while listening to the radio or talking to my husband; and because I can learn new techniques which boost the old brain.

I knit for relaxation. Although sometimes it's not that relaxing when trying to learn a new stitch.

I'd be watching TV with my husband or on the computer anyway. Knitting, I can multi-task and have something useful for my time.

I loved your article. I have asked myself the same question. I knit for some of the same reasons you do. It certainly isn't cost effective to make someone a sweater that you can buy for a fraction of the cost. I love to give a baby sweater as a gift. It is something unique, usually treasured by the recipient, and just so darn cute to make, I look for reasons to make them. I enjoy the creation aspect. Turning a ball of fiber into a wearable item is very satisfying to me. I love to shop for the yarn for each item I am going to make and pick out the color(s) especially for the person I am giving the project to. Of course, I usually end up contributing to my stash each time I shop, LOL.
I DON'T knit for payment. In fact if someone wants to commission me to make something for them, the fun goes out if it immediately. So I knit for the fun of it, not the work of it. I knit for the challenge of learning a new pattern, although I stop when something becomes overly frustrating. I want to enjoy what I am doing, not throw the whole mess against the wall!
Lastly, I knit so my husband can have control of the remote and watch all the baseball, football, hockey, basketball he wants to watch. It is just background noise for me.

I'm getting to start my first toe up pair too. I tried once before, but there were too many other things going on around me at the time so I gave up to try another day and that day is here.

I think process knitters care a lot about the quality of the finished product that is why we fiddle!

That sounds amazing. I bet he thinks there is now hope for the coming generations!

I agree that knitting a gift adds that bit of care and love and time into a present. Are you choosy about who you knit for?

I started laughing when I read your line, I feel the same way.

I went through a couple of years of not watching much television, but now with Netflix and movies I get a fair amount done while watching (but my gauge gets funky sometimes-depending on the movie!)