February 18, 2009
February Blog Contest!
Here’s my photo of the latest arrival of Wollmeise Wool Mice in the shop. 
Tricia from Earthly Hues sent us this amazing box of chocolates and when you open them up, there are two mice nestled into the layer on top. There must be a nut in there, but they’re too cute to eat. This company gets a lot of kudos for presentation. 
The whole wooden box of chocolates was tied up in a beautiful red ribbon with a gold wax seal on the front. That means that our postman wasn’t able to open it up, sneak some chocolate, and then deliver it to us later in the day. Not that he would do that. I’m sure not. (Now Brenda, the UPS gal just might. She loves chocolate and sometimes needs a handful of Loopy kisses to get her through the day…)
This gal is obviously not unwrapping Loopy kisses, or knitting, for that matter. Although maybe she will take it up now that she might be able to use her fingers again. (Holy cow.)
This month’s blog contest question is a two-parter. 1) Why do you knit? and 2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually? For me, I knit because I like having something to do that is relaxing. I knit because there are so many beautiful colors and fibers out there that I want to see done up. I knit because it’s something that Knitting Daughter and I can hang out and do together. I knit because I like hand-knit socks and scarves (and mitts and gloves and sweaters.) I knit because it can be very challenging, or very mindless, depending on what pattern I choose. And yes, I will be a knitter for life. I ran out of things that I wanted to cross-stitch long ago (and really, how many things like that do you need in your house?) and I caught up on my scrapbooks a few years ago (although I will still do that with current photos), but I can’t imagine running out of knitting inspirations, or the need for hand-knit items in my life. Plus, it will take me close to forever to use up half of the things in my stash. How about you? Why do you knit? And do you see yourself doing this for now, or forever? Leave your answer in the blog comments and we’ll draw the winners a week from today. (The prizes – Wollmeise. You’ll like it!)
Sheri wishingthatthefluorescentlightsinmyofficewouldstopbuzzinganddrivingmenuts
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Lesley said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
I knit for the process – I love the feeling of stitches moving smoothly across the needles, creating beautiful designs. I love yarn – the look, the feel, even the smell. I see endless color possibilities – there are more patterns than I could knit in a lifetime! I will be a forever knitter – nothing has ever satisfied my need to create more. And of course, nothing is sweeter than having someone compliment your sweater and you tell them that you made it
Alexis Tabor said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
I knit because it keeps my mind occupied when I get lonely or worried about my husband. I also love the items knit, how it makes me feel so accomplished (it the whole, “Wow, I CREATED that garment” thing), and give me a sence of self worth.
For sure I’m a knitter for life. Why would I want to stop something that makes me proud of myself (and is cheaper entertainment?! Woo hoo!)
heather said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
I started knitting bacause I wanted something to pass down to future generations. I wanted to have blankets and sweaters that family could remember me by. Now, I knit to keep me from loosing it on a daily basis. ; ) I am knitter for life. It has become a part of who I am. When I can’t knit, I feel a little less like me.
Elisa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
I started knitting because I couldn’t sit still and the only way to watch TV with anyone else in the room was to be knitting. Now, I can’t imagine watching TV (or depending on the pattern, listening to TV) without my knitting.
While I also love to quilt, knitting is still my way of relaxing. Also makes me much calmer when waiting in line, riding in airplanes, or visiting in-laws!
Kim A. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
I knit because for me it can be meditative or challenging, but in either case is generally absorbing. Since I do emotionally intense work for a living and rarely get to see the outcome of my efforts, it is very satisfying to produce something tangible and sometimes beautiful when I knit. It is a self care activity for me.
I think I’m a knitter for life; I can’t imagine giving it up forever.
Patty Baron said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
Knitting, for me is an expression of the joy in my life. I love thinking of the person for whom the item is intended and knitting love into and all around the project. After our first daughter died it was years before I was able to knit again and then it was only small, small items. That has grown and, although I will always grieve the loss of that lovely, I am able to express the joy of having known her as well as the joy of my living daughter and husband. For years I seemed to always be knitting a baby blanket, now it is socks and chevron scarves. I guess, with long pauses, I am a lifelong knitter and dabble in other crafty types of things. I pet my yarn, I keep my yarn in little litters like puppies, I knit with a group of encouragers once a week. I do have other things in my life that are more important, but knitting is easily in the top 10.
SarahJ said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
I knit (so much) primarily because I can’t/don’t read for pleasure anymore now that I read for a living. It’s my stress relief and my way of keeping my hands busy. And when you think about it, it’s probably even more productive than reading — I get the same amount (if not more) of hours of enjoyment, and I have a finished thing when I’m done rather than just another dog-eared book to put on the shelf.
I’m pretty sure I’ll be a knitter for life. I can’t imagine losing interest in it anytime soon, and there’s always going to be a need for socks or sweaters or hats or mittens in my house.
Laura said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
I knit because I sit at a computer all day and I wanted a hobby that was the complete opposite of that. I also just enjoy making beautiful things, and I love all of the pretty yarn that is out there! I think I’m a knitter for life. I can’t imagine not doing it anymore, plus at this point I have enough yarn to keep me knitting forever! That won’t stop me from buying more though
Laurie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:30 pm
I knit because I love to knit, because it is so relaxing, because I love to create and because my stash is way beyond life expectancy, but there is always hope that I will get through it some day…nahhh…not as long as there is a Loopy Ewe!LOL
I definitely think I will be a knitter for life. Knitted things make wonderful gifts, and I love my handmade socks…My goal is to throw away 99.9 percent of my store-bought socks and fill my sock drawer with socks I have made!
Timmie B said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:32 pm
I knit because I like having something to do with my hands while watching TV, because it’s relaxing and fun, because I can use what I produce, and because I enjoy hanging out with my knitting friends. I love to feel yarn and fabrics and see the beautiful colors of the yarn.
Since I’ve been knitting off and on for 40-plus years, I suspect that I’m a knitter for life. I also have enough yarn to last me the rest of my life.
Belinda Giliberti said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
I originally knit at the insistence of my mother who had been trying to get me to knit for years. Finally, after a trying time in my life, I took her up on it and I have been knitting ever since. The funny thing is that I am not a crafter and never had any hobbies at all, until knitting. Now, I don’t even remember my life before I started knitting and can’t imagine me not knitting, nor can any of my family who see it as a running gag! What was I doing with myself before knitting?? Of course, their answer is that I wasn’t looking crazy knitting socks in 90 degree weather!
Windy Brown said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
I knit because I do not like yoga. I need something in my life to help me unwind. I tried cross stitch but it was too stressful. I tried quilting which I still do in bits and drabs. But knitting is my stress relief. I knit on my commute to and from work. I knit while watching TV (except for Lost because you have to pay too much attention to the show).
I think that I will be a knitter for life. Ever since I joined Ravelry last year, I do not think that I will ever run out of things to knit. I have over 140 items in my queue and keep adding more every day. Plus it will give me an excuse to purchase more and more of the pretty yarn that exists in the world.
Sarah said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I knit because I love it. It reminds me of the woman who showed me how to knit. I love creating something from what seems to be nothing to nonknitters. Sometimes I knit because I want to , because I have to, just because I want to see if I can actually knit- whatever it is. That’s how I started knitting socks. I figured that if I could knit socks surely I could figure out how to knit nearly anything.
I will absolutely be a knitter for life. I can’t imagine not knitting. Even if I have knit so many things my next project has to be a house cozy! It may very well take me about 100 years to knit up my stash anyway- and you keep making it worse!
Those chocolates sure look yummy!
Kay said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
I knit because I breathe! I knit when I have decisions to make, thinking to do and anxieties to calm. I knit when I’m upset or nervous. I knit when my life gets busy and I need to slow down. Knitting satisfies some deep part of my being. I love the process, the yarn, the patterns: all of it. I have become a somewhat obsessed sock knitter in the last two years and my extended family (bless their kind hearts!) enables me in this by using and appreciating the overflow. I will always be a knitter.
We are defined by what we do at times more often than who we are: I love being defined by “KNITTER” and the history that word implies. I am part of an on-going work of art that has endured through generations and I gladly carry it forward to the next generation.
shelley said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
When I started it was a connection to family. My grandma had taught me when I was much younger and after she passed I asked me mom to reteach me. It made me feel closer to grandma. As I got better at it, I realized what an amazing stress reliever it was for my incredibly challenging job. Plus I was traveling a ton and it was something I could do while traveling and still people watch. Today, its the joy of creating with beautiful fibers. I love picking up a skein (or several) of my favorite yarns and making something beautiful from it.
And I’m DEFINITELY a knitter for life. I tend to get obsessed with something crafty for a while and then move on to another craft. However, knitting invaded my life hard core about 5-6 years ago now..and my other crafts have suffered! I’m a new spinner now, and thing thats just a progression of my desire to knit up beautiful amazing things. Takes the creativity to a whole different level.
A :-) said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
I never thought about why I knit – I’ve been knitting for so long that it’s just a part o me
I can’t really imagine that I wouldn’t be knitting in the future – although it’s funny – I was thinking about this just this morning: I don’t really play my bagpipes much at all anymore. I think they remind me of another time that ended up being a sort of “worst of times.”
I think I’m a knitter for life, but does come and go, though – when I lived in Southern California, I rarely knit at all. I mean, who wants to sit around in 100+ degree weather, with a pile of wool on your lap, knitting a sweater you’re never going to be able to wear because it seems to be pretty much always 100+ degrees?! ;-D
Those mice were way cute!
jacqueline said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
1) I knit because it’s creative, as hard or easy as I want it to be, eminently portable and therefore practical, it produces real product that I can use, it’s cheaper than therapy and because there is always something new and harder to challenge me. OH and I LOVE TO HANDLE THE MATERIALS. It’s an aesthetic experience.
2) Yes, I will likely always knit. I can’t imaging getting bored of it and even if I was it’s a real time-passer. I am like the Yarn Harlot – I knit because I DON’T have patience and attention span, not because I do.
Nancy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
In my younger days I couldn’t get enough of counted cross-stitch. I loved it, but, alas my eyes got old, and even with reading glasses…too much eye strain, hence not so fun anymore. My daughter introduced me to the world of knitting about 2 years ago. Although I am a very slow learner, I am feeling good about my accomplishments so far. And I too like the fact that it can be mindless or more challenging, whatever you’re in the mood for. Nothing I have done fo far has been very challenging, so I do need to assert myself one of these days to conquer pattern reading and such. In the meantime, I enjoy the knitting I do, along with projects I buddy up with, with my daughter (who lives 400 miles away)! We have a “sock club” going between the two of us. Every March and September we send a skein of sock yarn to each other. Yes, I will be knitting forever. And thank you so much for the inspiration that Loopy Ewe has given to me these past couple of years. I can’t wait to gift my daughter with a LE gift certificate for her birthday in April. Oops, I hope she doesn’t read this!!!! hehe
Molly said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
I knit because I really like doing something useful with my hands. It keeps me focused and productive at the same time. Plus, I’m a texture and color person, so that’s a huge draw. For the people who love getting knitted stuff, there’s no better feeing than giving them hand made stuff and then seeing them wear it! I still get a huge kick out of sock reciepients who just can’t believe how good they feel. I’ve knitted a lot of my life and can’t imagine not doing it for the rest of it.
Ellie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
I think you hit it on the head. Also it just feels good to watch the fabric take shape and you can knit most anywhere so I’m never board. I will be a life time knitter.
Julia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:46 pm
I originally started knitting when I was in grad school, because I couldn’t read ALL the time! I love the energy of handmade socks and scarves and sweaters – they literally feel different from mass produced items, and I feel better wearing them. Knitting has led to spinning and weaving and felting for me, but I will always come back to knitting in the end. No matter how much I learn, there is always more, and the challenge of making something beautiful followed by the comfort and joy of using those items just can’t be beat!
Stacie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
I found my way to knitting while visiting my sister who lives in another city. I needed some specialty cross-stitch thread, so went to a shop found via the Yellow Pages that happened to specialize in needlepoint/cross-stitch as well as knitting. After looking at all the gorgeous yarn, I asked if they had a beginner knitting class. I haven’t crossed-stitched much in the eight years since that day.
I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I do tend to move between crafting obsessions. Cross-stitch had years of committment. Rubber-stamping as well. However, there is just something different about knitting. You make things that people actually use–not just display. You can put it away, but still pick it back up easily and continue. I’ve started spinning–yes, it looks like a new obsession, but I still need a way to use all the yarn I’m creating.
Claire said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
I knit for the feeling it gives me, for the pleasure of the colors and texture and the unfolding of the fabric from string…kind of like what a stone sculptor or potter or any kind of artist feels, perhaps? The magic of the medium and the universe creating through a human. I’m pretty sure I’m in it for life, if the rest of whatever life I has allows it physically.
Diane said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
I knit for the challenge and the mental stimulation. I love that knitting calls upon my latent mathematical skills and makes me THINK, in both creative and functional ways. There is always another technique to master, another pattern to alter, another chart to interpret. Will I always knit? As long as my mind, hands and eyes hold out I can’t imagine NOT knitting.
ClaireR said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:53 pm
I’m 39 and have been knitting since I was 8 and I do it now and will always do it because it is simply part of my identity, part of who and what I am. Everyone who knows me knows that I knit whether they admire me for it or think it’s one of my personality quirks. I learned from my mother who learned from her mother; my sister knits also and it is something that I will pass on to my children. I’ve tried other crafts and hobbies and nothing has stayed with me like knitting. I can’t imagine what I would do with myself if I couldn’t knit. Life would go on but I would find it a lot less fulfilling.
Meesh said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
I knit because I love to work with the fibers, and to have something to do while watching TV or waiting in line. I will HAVE to be a knitter for life, because my stash is already grown beyond my ability to knit it up during my expected life (and I plan to live to 125)!
Malia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
I live in a world of the theoretical. I create things on a computer that can be printed out if needed, but mostly stay in the computer as a reference. I handle people, it can be a tricky, ethereal job. My job requires dealing with human emotion and theoretical practice. When I knit there is a tactile thing that I am creating. When I’m done I have produced something from my own hands. And then add the fact that I spin into it and it’s like I’ve created my own little world. There are many people in the world that can create the same type of thing as I do. They can knit from the same pattern using the same yarn and the same needles, but this object is unique because my hands were used to make it. I knit to create. And I will knit until the day my hands tell me I can’t anymore (and then I’ll probably still be teaching other people how to knit)
Alicia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
I knit because it’s relaxing and it keeps my hands occupied so that I don’t fidget too much. Plus I love the feel of the fiber in my hands and the sense of accomplishing something with my time.
I’m fairly certain that I’ll be a lifetime knitter. I have enough stash to last me a good portion of my life, certainly, and I enjoy knitting more than I do most of the other fiber crafts I’ve dabbled in. While I may wander away for a bit because of other demands on my time, I’m sure I’ll always come back to the knitting.
Brooke said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
I knit for many of the reasons already stated, but I must add, i knit so that I can watch tv without being ‘lazy.’ I mean, I’m making something over here! The same principle applies to avoiding housework
)
Though I tend to knit in “spurts” and have periods where I don’t pick up the needles for a while, I will be a knitter for life. I love to knit gifts for my friends, and I know when I have babies, Lord willing, I’ll want to knit for them.
Melissa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
I’m pretty sure I’m a knitter for life. I’ve been knitting since I was ten–I don’t see why I should stop now!
At the moment I knit because it helps motivate me to do my homework. Plain stockinette=getting my reading assignments out of the way quickly and painlessly! And it keeps me awake in class.
Tammy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
Why do I knit? Because I’m a capital “K” Knitter. I actually didn’t want to learn how – my sister asked me to learn so I could teach her (rather than finding someone else to teach her). It was a year later before visiting my friend in Alaska when I finally learned because my friend was knitting. I didn’t know any better and bought fuzzy Lion Brand Yarn and long metal needles from a Fred Meyer Store and my friend said she wouldn’t teach me with those – that she’d take me to the yarn store for the proper supplies. A yarn store? A store that only carries yarn? I couldn’t believe there was such a thing – seriously? When I walked through the doors and saw the colors, the textures, (the prices!), something happened and the inner Knitter was released.
I’ll definitely be a knitter for life – and I can combine my other hobbies, photography and travel, with it. Next up, spinning.
CathyR said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
I knit because it makes me feel good. I’ve either knit or crocheted for as long as I can remember. It is a great stress reliever and I love the way the yarn feels as it moves through my fingers. I love all the pretty colors and textures of the different yarns. I enjoy the process and once I’m done, I have something I can wear or something to keep me or a friend warm.
I can’t imagine not knitting. I think the only way that I will ever give it up is if my arthritis gets so bad that I won’t be able to knit anymore. I hope that day never comes because I don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t knit.
Mary Ellen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
I knit because I enjoy it…..the fibers, colors, LOVE LOVE LOVE handknit socks, LOVE LOVE LOVE Malabrigo.
I learned to knit as a child in 4-H but didn’t progress past the scarves/afghans/baby blankets etc. for a long time. Now that we’ve got such amazing resources (that we didn’t have back in those days – YAY Ravelry) I’ve ventured into socks and beyond. So yes, definitely I’m a knitter for life. I’ve got a never ending queue of useful items to knit and I enjoy every single stitch. I never go anywhere without a couple projects to work on.
Danielle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
I come from a family of knitters. I will knit for as long as I am able. I love knitting to see the FO and usually end up giving my work away to those who will use it better. I live in a pretty warm climate.
Adina said,
February 18, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
I started knitting while I was trying to get pregnant….about 2 years into the 4 it eventually took. Mostly for something to do with my hands. It became sort of meditative. When we had to do IVF to get pregnant with out daughter, it was nice to have something to do while I was on the mandatory 5 day bedrest.
I love knitting and have always made things, but knitting gives me much more satisfying results.
I will always knit. I find it hard now to buy a sweater in a store, because I could always make it better.
I want to learn to spin – but I see those as mutually beneficial. 
jessnyc said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:00 pm
i knit simply because it makes me happy. although, it may make me want to pull my hair out sometimes, its like family, they drive you crazy sometimes but you know they’re in your heart forever.
i think i will knit until i can’t knit any more! as long as i can pick up sticks as string, i’m gonna do it
Heather H said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
I knit to keep myself occupied and entertained. I’ve become a wee bit obsessed but een if that wanes, I’m sure that I’ll still always knit some.
LadyO said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Part 1. I knit because I like that I create something, that at the end of the day I have something to show for my time that is useful, beautiful, and no one is going to ask “what are you going to do with that?” (like they do with my degrees…) [they may of course ask why I didn't just buy it at the store... but that is a different problem.]
Part 2. I’m pretty sure I’m a knitter for life (though who knows, I’m hoping there is lots of life ahead…). I have lots of other hobbies, but none of them can replace knitting; mostly because they aren’t portable, or at least aren’t as portable as knitting. I also spin, so I figure those two with feed one another for years and years to come. Besides once you start down the road of handmade socks… is there really any going back?
jen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
I knit because I love to make a tacile product. so much of my day and work is electronic, I love being able to take string and some pointy sticks and make something useful or pretty. It can be relaxing or challenging, and I love it. I am a knitter for life.
Carla Willingham said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
I knit because I have just enough ADHD that my mind constantly wanders. By keeping my hands moving it seems to focus my mind so that I can concentrate!! This added to the fact that I’m addicted to lace knitting makes for a win-win situation for me!!
Carla
I’ve done most other crafts and knitting is going to be the one I stay with!! I’ve only considered spinning to make it easier to have a mega-stash on hand!! LOL!!
Elizabeth D said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:08 pm
(1) color, texture, adventure, socks, presents for special people, meditative qualities, boredom aversion on car trips and large outdoor music festivals, artistic challenge, making stuff to help people in crisis and/or need.
(2) knitter for life, definitely — I’ve been a knitter for more than 40 years, and the thrill still isn’t gone .
Bonnie H. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
I knit partly for the process and partly for the finished items. Knitting is very calming to me but I also love creating something for myself or someone else. I love fibers and color, feeling the different textures of yarns and stitch combinations and experiencing the visual stimulation provided by the colors.
I believe I am a knitter for life, although I am also a counted thread embroiderer for life, too!
JoAnn-WI said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
Hmmm – I think you’ll enjoy reading all these responses.
I knit because: it relaxes me, I need something to keep my hands busy while watching TV, my good friend owns our LYS, I like to show the world that I made something worth wearing that’s unique, and most of all – I knit to use up all the yarn I’ve boughten from TLE the past 2 years
I hope I’m a life-long knitter. I have been now for 13 years, so I don’t see it as a passing fad; although the mojo may go here and there. I also used to do cross stitch and stained glass. You’re right in saying there’s only so much of those things a household can display.
Thanks for putting this question out there for us to ponder.
Heather said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
I knit for my sanity. It’s repetitive and rhythmic and soothing, and even when it’s not, it still distracts from the unpleasantries of day-to-day life. I knit to have tangible proof that yes, I CAN be good at something. I am most definitely a knitter-for-life, and like you, I may never live long enough to use up the entire stash, especially if I continue to buy more yarn.
There’s a million other reasons why I knit, many having to do with colour, texture, fit, warmth, luxury in small packages, etc. etc., but so many others have said what I feel eloquently already, so I’ll just leave it at that. Thank God for knitting.
Corey (KnitDiva) said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:16 pm
I knit to feel a connection with my great grandmother. I was lucky enough to know her through a good portion of my early life and loved to watch her knit and crochet. She used to knit everyone in the family slippers for Christmas and they were the best slippers ever! I always wanted to learn from her, but sadly , due to distance and her passing I never was able to. Now when I knit, I feel a wonderful feeling of relaxed-ness, calm, and a wonderful connection to generations past.
I will always be a knitter. It’s something that I can create and honestly say I’m good at. It gives my family great enjoyment when I come up with a knitted gift for them. I never want to loose that excitement from them. My 23 year old brother, who gets excited about NOTHING, was absolutely thrilled with a set a fingeless gloves I knit him for Christmas. So, yes, I will always be a knitter!
Corey
Lou said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:16 pm
I knit because I need a creative outlet and knitting meets that need in so many ways on so many levels. I love colors and seeing how they relate and play with each other. I like interesting patterns with interesting construction or a new to me technique. I enjoy the challenge of learning something new and with knitting, there’s always something new that I haven’t done yet. I can work on something easy, or something that requires more focus. I fell so proud of myself when I master a new technique or finish something complicated (lace). My knitting is there for me when I need to relax my mind and soul or to recharge my creative spirit, and it’s there when I need to keep my hands busy and brain preoccupied. I knit to bring comfort to others and to share my love for them in a tangible way.
I’d say I’m a knitter for life. I was knitting off and on while in school, and as my life got busy, but I don’t see me putting it down again for any period of time longer than 24 hours. There are too many wonderful yarns in my stash and yet to be bought and wonderful patterns I want to make to stop now!
Leslie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
I knit because it is cheaper than a therapist (well, maybe not anymore with the amount of yarn that I buy) and because it gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfies my need to be creative.
I have been knitting since I was a little girl and that was a really long time ago so yes, I am a knitter for life.
Beth said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
1. I knit because I can. (although, even when I had a broken wrist I knit ..when I couldn’t!) I enjoy the challenge of learning new things. I enjoy color. I enjoy tactile experiences (playing keyboard, making bread by hand, cooking and gardening in general). I enjoy being creative. I enjoy giving gifts. All of these things qualify knitting to be my favorite activity!
2. Knitter for life – why not?!? There will always be new challenges, new yarns, new patterns…why stop!?
Meredith said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
I knit because its peaceful and yet productive. It’s one of the few activities I can do where I can just turn off and sink in to the rhythm of the activity (spinning is the other). And I get mittens or a hat or some socks etc at the end.
I think I’m a knitter for life. I do other crafts, but knitting is the only one I can do anywhere, on the bus, in a plane, waiting for an appointment, or at home. All my others require studio space, so have less staying power.
Maggie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
I knit for a few reasons. First and foremost, I like it. It’s an activity that makes me happy and entertains me. It also addresses my love of all things pretty and soft. I’m also super-competitive and knitting lets me channel that energy into something positive.
I’ll knit until they pry the needles (Addi circs, plase) from my cold, dead hands.
Kathleen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
1 – I knit because it’s a way to express myself and create unique items at the same time. No matter if you use a pattern or your own design each knitted item is unique via the yarn, color and yes even the mistakes you don’t catch until it’s done.
2 – I’m be a knitter for life. I love to sit and create, knitting is relaxing and calming for me. I’m constantly learning new stitches and techniques. I love the feel of yarn as it slips through your fingers into the latest creation. What’s not to love?!
Toni D. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
Part 1: I started knitting to get through a very rough time in my life. I was diagnosed with a severe panic disorder about 2 years ago that made leaving the house nearly impossible. I tried painting to help ease my mind, but I only ended up being frustrated. It wasn’t until I started knitting that I truly found peace and contentment. Knitting gets me through every single day, and because of that, I’ve never been so happy! I love the whole process: feeling the stitches move under my fingers, the pretty yarns in all their colors/textures, and the feeling that comes over me after I finish a project and I step back and think, “Wow! I did that with my own two hands!”. Being able to share my knitting with others by giving handmade gifts that are loved and cherished makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I am learning to crochet and spin, too, because I never can seem to get enough.
Part 2: I am going to be a knitter FOREVER!! And ever, and ever, and ever…. I enjoy knitting and everything about it too much to even think about giving it up. Unlike when I was painting, I can knit anywhere, anytime, and there’s no big mess to clean up when I’m done so I can knit right up until I go to sleep, which I do every night.
Sara said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
1) Why do I knit?? Hmmm….I knit because it calms my mind. I knit because I can no longer JUST watch TV. I knit to be creative and yet make something that is useful too. I knit to bring comfort to others. I knit to challenge myself. I knit for all the pretty colors
2) Knitter for life. I only wish I had started sooner. I can’t imagine what I would do if I didn’t knit anymore.
Kim Bradley said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
1. I knit because it calms me, it gives me something to do in endless school or church meetings, and because I love handknit socks.
2. For life, for sure.
Amanda P. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
I knit because I love everything about it, from the different fibers and amazing colors to the wonderful patterns. I always find myself getting restless and knitting gives me something to do with my hands while calming my mind. Also, I always feel amazed at the magic of knitting. How can these things be coming off of my needles? Amazing!
I will never stop knitting. I could never give up my favorite creative outlet. There are just too many possibilities in the knitting universe and I couldn’t possibly discover them all in my lifetime.
Angela said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
Oh this is a good one. I knit every day because it relaxes me and I enjoy the slow mediation that comes with each stitch. Family gatherings are no longer crazy for me and I can fly anywhere with no worries as long as I have my knitting project. I love being asked to make a specific project, surprising someone with a gift or just knitting for a great charitable cause. I like learning new techniques and the challenging myself to try different yarns and patterns.
I will knit as long as my hands can stand it. I would say forever but looking at my lifestyle I would say I’ll knit until arthritis makes it too painful to stitch. If my hands ache now at 30 after 2 hours of knitting I can’t imagine what it will be like at 80!
Kathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
I knit because I want to and I can. Rather simple answers for a question that really is not that simple. I also knit because I enjoy seeing the end result, I waffle between garter stitch items and plain stockinette items. Knitting did not come easy to me as I fought double points but then I discovered Addi circulars and then nothing could stop me. I enjoy knitting and making things for others plus there is a challenge in some patterns that really can get the old brain a moving and then there are some patterns that you can just “do”.
Knitting will be with me for as long as I can easily do it. I have been crocheting off and on for over 40 years while knitting is a relatively new passion. The patterns and the yarns and the colors, in the short time I have been knitting, have been evolving so wonderfully that I cannot see me slowing down at all. In fact I am going through my other hobby items like cross stitch, beading, and crafting to weed those things out to focus on knitting. If your fingers hurt go to a project with bigger needles, if you want quick do a scarf, the choices are endless. As the stash is endless (it sure seems like it at times) there will be a never ending supply of yarn so I therefore must continue to knit til there is nothing left or you know what…..
Josiane said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
I knit because it’s a fantastic creative outlet that gives me the opportunity to create things that are both beautiful and useful. I enjoy the process, and I enjoy the products. As you said, it can be mindless or challenging – there’s a pattern to suit every mood and need.
I will be knitting for life, but I won’t necessarily be a very productive knitter all the time. It will always be part of my life, but the place it takes in it depends on where I am in my life and what else is going on at the time.
Sharon said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
1 – I knit because I crave making things with my hands. I’m a crafter starting when I embroidered pillowcases at age 10. I learned to knit in the 80’s but didn’t love the yarn I could find in my small country town. I turned to quilting and cross stitch. Shoot to the present time and I was no longer cross stitching and aching for something to work on. And stumbled down the rabbit hole into knitting again. but this time found yarn shops with fabulous yarns as well as online places like The Loopy Ewe.
2 – I’m a knitter for life, too many things I want to make, too many patterns to try, and too much yarn in my stash to knit before I die! Now through spinning into the mix and there is no hope for me. Happily!
Mandy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
Oh my gosh, those little meese are so cute! Now, on to serious matters – I knit because I have to. It calms me down better than anything else. It helps so much with my chronic pain; sometimes I can hardly believe it. I also love my cross stitch, but knitting is a heck of a lot more car friendly. Plus, it can be as much or as little of a challenge as I want it to. I can work on the shaping of a sweater, lacework on a sock, or there are always swatches to be made
Barbara said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Have to have busy hands, taught myself to knit about 30 years ago, left it and started cross stitching, christmas tree full or handmade ornaments and walls full and a drawer full of to be framed if I had wall space. Now, 30 years later knitting again, love the fact that I can make such neat things, I want to conquer socks.
Yes, I will knit forever, love the feel of yarn and the fact that I can make nice gifts for people who actually do wear what I make.
Knit Witch said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
I knit because I love having a portable hobby and something I can do while I sit around and watch tv or whatever in the evenings. I am the kind of person that has to always be busy! My husband was so happy when I took up knitting so that I could actually sit on the couch through an entire movie instead of being up and down to do this, that and the other. Also, I love the challenge and meeting all of these wonderful knitting comrades.
I am definitely a knitter for life. I’m kind of a slow knitter, because I only knit in the evenings when everything else is done, so it will take me a lifetime to knit through all of my desired projects!!
Paula said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
I am a knitter for life. I knit my first garment at age 10 and I’m 57 now. I’ve gone through different phases of knitting – knitting for myself, knitting for my kids, knitting for others, afghans, dishcloths, hats, mittens, scarves, prayer shawls, knitting for my grandkids. The current addiction is socks and its by-product the sock yarn blanket.
I knit because I love to create unique, useful yet beautiful items for my family and friends. It is an expression of love. I like to have something handknit for all my family for Christmas.
I don’t feel as guilty watching TV when I’m knitting at the same time:-)
kimchi said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
i knit because its calming. because i’m really impatient and can’t sit still. it gives me something to do while waiting for other somethings, and it relaxes me. i also like the end result of knitting. i like the challenge. i like to teach other people to knit. i’ve decided i’m a knit-vangelist. i like talking about knitting to anyone who will listen. (and my husband, even though i know he doesn’t really care!) i absolutely am a knitter for life. its in my blood!
Angela said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
Knitting is my therapy. I knit for my sanity. I knit because I’d rather knit than do just about anything else, and I’m really not sure why. I think I will definitely be a knitter for life.
Donna said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
I knit because the rythym of the needles and the texture of the yarn relax me. I knit to challenge myself by trying new techniques and more intensive patterns, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment by conquering each one of these things. I’ve been knitting off and on for over 45 years, but it’s only been in recent years that I’ve caught a serious knitting bug. I can’t imagine going back to any other craft for enjoyment. My stash is large, and the adventure has only just begun!
Amy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
I knit becuase I love love love to create things and feel the accomplishment of having made something beautiful. I usually try any craft at least once and some stick and some don’t. Knitting has stuck. I only regret that I didn’t give it a try when my grandmother was alive becuase I hear from my mom and my grandfather that she was quite the knitter and I would have loved to been able to share that with her. At least my mom and I get to share it!
I also knit becuase it is the only thing that keeps me sane at my job – I knit at lunch every day and I can feel the morning frustrations ease as I knit away. I find it very calming.
And yes, I am a knitter for life!
hillis said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
I love to knit, Morning, Noon, and Night. When I retired I taught myself to knit socks and I haven’t put the needles down in 21/2 years. I will knit forever. I love to share my patterns and to knit special gifts for my family and friends…..AYK
WendyT said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
I knit because, gosh, I don’t know – - I just do! I love it – I love how relaxed I am, how entertaining it is, so many lovely patterns to choose from, the yarn – - the yummy, yummy yarn — I even love the knitting gadgets and the bags oh, the bags!! I think I will be a kniiter for life – - it is just too much fun to give up! Geez, I need to get back to my knitting!
Ruth Martin said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:44 pm
We all seem to be on the same wavelength here…interesting that everyone (I think) has said they will be knitters for life, as I will be – it speaks to the addictive-in-a-good-way essence of knitting. My only problem is that I am running out of people to gift with knitted goodies and our own sock and sweater drawers runneth over rather embarrassingly. Do I stop knitting or buying yarn? NO!! Do I stop spinning more yarn? NO!! Like many others, I find knitting to be calming yet challenging, simultaneously about both the process and the product, and just plain habit-forming. If, as in some cultures, I were to be buried with grave goods representing my life, they would certainly include knitting needles, yarn, and my spinning wheel – I would need a VERY large tomb, like an Egyptian pyramid!
Tana said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
Knitter for life here. It makes me think, or it keeps me occupied while I think about other things. And so many pretty things to make and such pretty yarn to make it with. The challenges are never ending.
suzanne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
I knit because it soothes me. After a busy day at work I can come home and just listening to the rhythmic click of my Addi needles I feel immediate peace. In this busy world we live in I can see myself knitting forever. Taking care of myself is my New Year resolution and knitting is a huge part of that.
Lindsey said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
I knit because I love it. It makes me happy, it keeps me sane, sometimes I think it’s the only thing that keeps my brain from turning to mush.
I don’t imagine I’ll stop knitting anytime soon. I love it too much!
Kathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
I knit not only because I love it, but because it’s cheaper than therapy!!! I also think I’ll be knitting for many, many years to come. I’m a lifer!
Julie Z. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
I knit for the creative expression, the tactile-ness of the yarn , the challenge and knowledge in learning learning a new technique.I do other things as well, primitive stitchery, wool applique…
I learned how to knit as a child, tried it off and on again through the years, but know that now it is with me to stay. In part because patterns are now contemporary (not like when I was in college) and the types of yarns available are limitless.
Margaret G. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
I hate to admit it, but I actually learned to knit because of my boyfriend. My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was a child. And for years and years I was perfectly content only knowing how to crochet.
Then, the BF and I went to a Stitch N Pitch event at an Astros baseball game and during the entire ride home and for about a month afterward he poked fun at me because all of the other women at the event were knitting and I was “just crocheting”.
This made me angry because I love crochet and do not consider it the ugly stepsister of knitting. Apparently, the rest of the world does not agree with me (at least according to the BF). So, I taught myself to knit with some help from online sources. Now I just can’t stop. I love knitting.
It’s something I can do while watching TV, pretending to listen to the BF, riding the bus to and from work, and there are even needles that glow in the dark so you can knit at the movie theater! I also knit because I love to be able to make stuff for other people. Stuff that doesn’t just end up in their closet, but gets worn in public where I can actually see it from time to time.
I’m quite certain that I will be a knitter/crocheter/spinner for life. I’ve been playing with yarn since I was a child and I hope to one day have children of my own to teach. I like having finished products that I can wear in public and give as gifts. I love the fact that this is an artform that is (usually) fully function – it can clothe you and keep you warm! If the global economic crisis continues for much longer, we may all be making our own knitted underwear out of recycled yarn for crying out loud!
Debra said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
I knit because I am ADDICTED! I really cannot sit on my couch without picking up something to knit. This also goes for riding in the car. I have also made some wonderful friends through knitting and we try to get together to knit whenever we can. I will be a knitter for life, I can’t imagine my life without it! I love to make socks, scarves, sweaters and handbags for family and friends. I love it when they tell me all the compliments that they have received on the items that I have made for them and I also love it when they request something! I’m trying to teach my sister to knit and it is something we can do when we get together (not very often, unfortunately, since we live so far apart).
Amy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
I knit because I like creating something handmade and because of the beautiful colors. I’ll most likely be a knitter for life (I mean I already have a lifetime stash, lol) but reading books will always be my #1 hobby. : )
Ann Rose said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
I knit because I love all of the colors yarn comes in, the textures, the “ooh, shiny!” appeal of new-to-me fibers and simply because at one point in my life, I thought I couldn’t and would never be able to knit. (I have non-normative, “disabled” hands and find some fine-motor stuff beyond my grasp.) I’m just stubborn and contrary enough to do what I “shouldn’t” be able to do, or at least give it a try before I admit defeat. I also like the idea that I can make something which is tailored just for me or for someone I love, in terms of colors or form or the length of sleeves (another disability-related rant of mine).
WIll I always be a knitter? I think so, as long as I’m not causing myself pain and as long as I have the physical ability to knit. It’s soothing, exciting, challenging and rewarding, all at the same time.
Marie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
I’ve been knitting since elementary school days took a break for a while and then while on vacation in Sweden visiting relatives I saw a sweater in a store window and went in. I left with enough yarn for 3 sweaters and yes I did knit all 3 sweaters with just notes from the designer – she didn’t write up patterns. You got little sketches with notes – but it worked . That was in the early 80’s and I’ve been knitting ever since.
Life time knitter doesn’t cover it because I’ll probably need 2 or 3 lifetimes to knit up the stash I’ve got and as you know, I keep buying. Plus all the new bags and gadgets you just have to have to accompany the yarn.
I knit because I need a stress relief from my job, I knit because it’s my creative outlet and I knit for the challenge. My goal for 2009 was to learn one new knitting technique each month – so far I’m 2 for 2.
While knitting and through knitting, I’ve met tons of wonderful people (both in person and via the internet) heard many great stories and gotten tons of compliments – whats not to love.
pattie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I knit for the sensuality of the yarn, the triumph of making something beautiful out of beautiful materials, and to own and give handknit garments. YES, I’m a forever knitter: I have SABLE, and I keep buying more! I’ve knit for around 55 years, so I think it took.
Susie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
I knit because it keeps my hands busy when I’m watching TV! Otherwise, I get bored too easily. I also love to see how beautiful yarn gets transformed into even more beautiful objects. I’ve been knitting for 30 years already, since I was a kid, so i’m sure I will be a knitter for life
Kirstie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
I knit for a lot of reasons. Mainly because I still find it a wonder when my sticks and a long piece of string turns into something functional or beautiful, or both. It’s a very sensual activity, and I enjoy the tactile pleasure of handling lovely fibres and materials. I love that it’s something I can do while I do other things, like watching television, or waiting in a doctor’s office. And I love the way it’s brought me lots of friends, both online and in real life.
I usually stick with a hobby for a few years, then it falls by the wayside when I lose interest, or something shinier catches my eye. But for all the reasons above, I think this will be one that I keep doing for the rest of my life.
Karin said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:00 pm
I knit to relax me. I knit to occupy my hands and mind. I knit to feel a sense of accomplishment. I made this. And yes I will always be a knitter. Hobbies have come and gone and every time I return to knitting. My worst fear is that one day I won’t be able to knit. Knitting is such a part of me.
Valerie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
I honestly can’t say whether I knit for the process or the product. I think it’s both. I totally need the reward of the finished product to keep me going, but I wouldn’t be knitting if I didn’t love the process as well.
I’m sure I’m a knitter for life. I’ve picked up knitting at least 3 times previously in my life (12 yrs, 19 yrs, 23 yrs old) but I put down the projects and forgot about them after a few weeks. Now I’ve been knitting without hardly stopping for breath for nearly five years. It’s not going to stop.
Manon said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
I knit because I love it. It allows me to relieve stress, to have something to do while I watch TV, to wait patiently at airports, to pass the time on a plane. I knit every single day, I will knit for the rest of my life, it is not something I can imagine myself ever getting tired of or not doing anymore. Ever. Plus, I have to use my stash which is ginormous.
Jean said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
I knit because it is relaxing and occupies my hands. I find it difficult to just watch TV so I need to do something else like knit while I watch TV. I am a knitter for life. I love to create beautiful things from all the beautiful yarns.
Nancy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:06 pm
I knit because it makes watching some of the junk on TV seem less like a total time waste, in some way it makes me feel connected to my grandmother, mother and aunt who were all wonderful knitters and who are now gone. And now the yarn is so fabulous who could resist. I will be a knitter for life because I like the idea of the “consumability” of knitting. You make a garmet, give it as a gift, or wear it. Counted cross stitch and needlepoint (and I have done lots of both) lead to a lot of stuff hanging around–pillows, samplers, etc.–and I find that as I get older, I want less stuff. Stash never seems like just stuff and the more stash the better.
Chrissie Morneau said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:07 pm
I love every part of knitting…the yarn hunt, the pattern choices, casting on, learning new stitches, watching fabric appear before my eyes, and finally finishing. Lately, taking pictures of finished projects and posting them on Ravelry has been part of the knitting love, too. It’s very relaxing for me, and gives me something to do with my hands while watching TV or talking with my husband and/or other knitting friends. I feel a connection with my mother’s family when I knit, as they are all fiber artists as well.
I am absolutely a knitter for life. I’ve never found another craft that has interested me so much, and that I have so much success with.
lorent said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
I knit because I love color, texture, feel. I knit because I love to make beautiful things. I knit because my kids love their “mommy hats.” I knit because it soothes me, nourishes me, and keeps me warm. I knit to keep my fingers and my brain active. I knit because I cannot sit still. I knit to stave off boredom. I used to knit alone, but now I have a huge community to share my passion with.
I’ve been knitting seriously for 20 years and I can’t see myself ever stopping, as long as I’m physically able.
Jo Anne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
Why do I knit…not only because I felt it was my destiny planned from when my mother gave birth to me (she knitted all the time and I never took the time to learn from her, and because when I cleaned out my books/magazines years ago…I threw out all the other crafty published stuff…but not my knitting patterns!)…but because it’s the one craft that I hope to “master”…and someday have the capability to “whip up” beautiful garments and socks for family and friends….and oh yes…I will definitely knit for the rest of my life because I will always be chasing my dream to “master the art”….
suzanne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:15 pm
There are so many reasons why I enjoy knitting. First of all I love how relaxing it is. I can’t think of a better way to unwind and clear my head than to sit down and knit. I also really enjoy being creative. I have other creative hobbies but knitting is always a favorite because I can do it just about anywhere and can take it with me wherever I go. Another reason that I enjoy knitting is because it’s a challenge. There are always new patterns and projects to try and I enjoy the challenge of it, even though it sometimes can be a little frustrating. LOL! I’ll admit that I have tried some hobbies over the years and ended up giving up on them after some time but I don’t ever see myself doing that with knitting. It’s become a big part of my life and I can’t see myself ever not doing it.
L G Howell said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
I began crocheting when I was about 14. It gave me sonething to do with my hands. I crocheted gift afghans for 3 occasions only – marriage, retirement and babies. I continued crocheting until about 8 years ago when I finally caught on to knitting – yeah continental style. I have always had a large stash of yarn and contrary to most crocheters I did not use Red Heart or other cheap yarns – I liked working with the best and giving the best. I knit every day and I feel like something is missing unless I knit. I am truly a knitter for life who loves the feel of the yarns and stitches that are formed. I knit mainly socks, koigu chevron scarves and the occasional sweater or wrap.
kit said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
I knit because I like that I can customize a garment for myself or the person I am knitting for. I love the feel of the yarns and the endless array of color combinations. I can definitely say that I am a Knitter for life. I am good and hooked. There is always something more to learn and I am always moving forward, even when I choose to do a mindless dishcloth (or 6) after finishing a particularly challenging project
limedragon :-: Harriet said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
Knitting started out as therapy–I had just quit graduate school with no confidence and no idea of what I was going to do. Now I knit because I love everything about it, the process, the colors, the fibers, etc., and I love making useful items. I’m pretty sure I’m a life-long knitter; I may go back to school later this year and plan to have needles and yarn on hand so I don’t go crazy. : )
Allison said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
I knit because I am very antsy. If I watch a movie without knitting, I bite my nails. If I’m sitting alone somewhere, I’ll pick at my clothes or fidget. I’ve been like that since I was little, and knitting has calmed my antsyness down 100% (plus I love the feel and colors of yarn!). I’ll definitely be a knitter for life, since I can’t imagine my current life without it. When I think back to my younger years, I have trouble remembering what I did before I learned to knit. Probably nothing.
Martha in Dc said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Hi Sheri, Thanks for the link for the chocolates. Had to order some.
I knit to relax and for fun and for gifts. I love the colors and the textures. I hope to knit forever.
now about that woman with the nails. how did she get dressed, earn a living? She had to be functionally disabled. They looked horrible. Now she might be able to take care of herself.
paula said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:28 pm
Knitting is my therapy, my pleasure and my creative outlet. I am a knitter for life (since I was a child) and become more passionate about it with every year that passes. I never knit for me – it is always for someone else. Whether a friend or family member, it gives me great pleasure to knit something for someone! I see myself growing as a knitter and attempting to knit things outside of my comfort zone and enjoy the challenge. From sweaters to scarves, blankters, socks – I love them all. I love to look at and feel the yarn! My best day is when there is a yarn delivery from The Loopy Ewe!
ChristyH said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
I knit to make something beautiful. Not that everything I make it beautiful. The need to create is strong and I used to just bake a lot to create something beautiful, but as you people eat it fast and it can make you chubby. I will be a knitter for life because unlike most other hobbies I can still sit close to my DH and knit. Quilting needed its own room and baking is still but you need to be upright to do it. Oh, I can’t forget all of the color. All of the color just fills me up.
Jan said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
1) Why do you knit? I knit because it helps keep me sane, on an even keel. It gets me through bleak northern Ohio winter days (like today) and feeling productive in long, boring meetings and short, fun meals out with friends. I knit because I love wearing and giving things that I have seen made, because I know they were created with special intention (and attention). I also suspect I knit because I was born to do it. Despite growing up in Alabama with no close relatives who did it (and no youtube tutorials or even thousands of ravelers across the globe to offer advice), I found myself a book in a dime store around 1970, like so many others of my generation, and proceeded to figure it out. I have been doing it ever since, with a couple of breaks off for grad school and illness. I also think I knit because I really like being around knitters and fiber-producing animals and plants. Knitting gettogethers are the only kind of social event I enjoy any more.
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually? Knitter for life. I pick up and drop other things every 6 or 7 years, but the knitting is always close by.
Kat Jorgensen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
I learned to knit from older ladies in the neighborhood when I was 5. I’ve taught many people to knit since then. And although I’ve had spells where I’ve done other crafts like needlepoint, cross-stitch or quilting, knitting always resurfaces in my life.
It has the uncanny way of showing back up when I’m stressed. When my mom died 8 years ago, I took up her unfinished knitting objects and completed them. It connected me to her and melded us together through the projects.
When I broke a wrist and they told me it would never be right, I picked up the knitting needles and cast on to prove them wrong and to keep my muscles moving. My wrist is fine now, plus the knitting took my mind off of the pain. Tylenol and a yarn sure beats heavy-duty pain killers and endless rounds of physical therapy. Not sure which is cheaper, though.
So I knit to relieve stress. I knit to create beautiful things. I knit to connect with others who share my passion. I knit to warm the souls of my loved ones.
I’m definitely a knitter for life.
Mary Anne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
I knit because it connects me to the past and to the future, even as it keeps me grounded in the present. It connects me to my godmother Dodie who taught me to knit when I was a child, and to my crafty mother, grandmother, aunts and other foremothers. It connects me to the future via my teenage daughters who now knit, too. It’s my treat in the evening, my sanity-saver during meetings and travel, my art everyday.
I am a knitter for life because I cannot imagine life without knitting.
Debbie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
Knitting is the only artistic or crafty thing that I am able to do. I have tried drawing, painting, potterymaking, photography, sewing etc. and I am awful at all them. Knitting is the only thing I “got”. I’m not a great knitter but I love figuring out something difficult and making something recognizable out of string and sticks.
I will knit as long as I am able to. I already have problems with my hands which keep me from knitting as long as I woud like.
Liz said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
Oh, yuck, those nails! Come on, how do you even manage the basics of personal hygiene????
So, back to your questions:
1) I knit because I love color, I love the feel of the yarn, and I love watching the item develop like a very slow Polaroid. And because I love making things for people I love.
2) I’d better be a knitter for life. Long life. The state of the stash–yikes!
singlewhiteknitter.com said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
i knit because it helps me relax and because it’s just challenging enough to keep me interested. i think i’ll be a knitter for life because origami, basket weaving, pine-needle basketry, quilting, cross stitch, embroidery, dyeing, decoupage, drawing, etching, carving, and painting only lasted for a few weeks each before i ran out of inspiration. knitting never seems to bore me!
Trish said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:34 pm
Those chocolate mice are seriously cute!! I don’t think I could eat anything that cute.
I knit because it’s what I was born to do. I think I must have been a knitter in a past life. I originally learned how to knit out of boredom and my mom wanted to teach someone but it turned out that I loved it so much I went searching on the internet to learn more. I knit my first sock, discovered the wonders of TLE and the rest is history. I’m most definitely a forever knitter. I can’t picture my life without fiber in it! The smells, feeling, colors, no way do I want those out of my life…..that would be a sad sad world.
Nanette said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
I knit because I enjoy making things with my hands. My mom has always been very creative, and I remember watching her knit, crochet, sew, cross-stitch, and paint porcelain when I was a child. It always left an impression on me that being creative was important, and that making things that are beautiful is a very good thing indeed.
I’ve been knitting for long enough that I anticipate that I’ll be doing it for life. I find that I do it more frequently than I weave, spin, quilt, or make jewelry. I’ve already started accumulating my stash for “the home” (as my mom puts it). There’s always a new technique to learn with knitting, and I don’t see it becoming boring any time soon.
Ann said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
I knit because
1) it calms me
2) I love the colors
3)It connects me to my mom and her mother who taught me to knit many years ago.
4) the fibers feel so soothing in my hands
I will always knit. I have done other types of handwork but when I am knitting, it’s kind of like I enter a peaceful world of comfort.
Kjirsten said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:40 pm
I knit for many of the same reasons that you knit! Knitting is very relaxing to me…sometimes I need something challenging to take my mind off other things…sometimes I need a mindless project just to keep my hands busy…Plus, it’s nice to have a creative outlet that I’m actually good at! Knitting is great because it is so portable and so versatile. You can make so many differnt things, and it doesn’t require a huge workspace, or a lot of set up or clean up. (Just a lot of stash storage space!)
I will definitely be a knitter for life. I have an endless number of knitting challenges to tackle, and I can’t imagine ever running out of projects that I want to make. Plus, the stash is way too large and too treasured to leave behind. I could never tear myself away from all the beautiful colors, and fibers, and patterns…
Linda said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
1) I love the feeling of accomplishment – that I made something myself…for me or as a gift
2) I am a lifer…I feel there is not enough time in the day and I surely won’t be able to make all the things I want to make and use up my stash before I die. (I have a big stash) I wish I had started knitting sooner!..I also do some sewing and quilting, but not as much as I use to since I started knitting.
Pat said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
I’m a lifer. It’s funny because all my friends were knitting and I wasn’t interested at all. Then one of my friends was knitting something really cute. That’s all it took and I was hooked. It’s so relaxing and I love that I’ve created something. I’ll still go on to other things but my constant will be knitting.
Emily said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
I knit because I enjoy it. It’s seemingly so opposite of what i normally am, which is a woman working in a man’s field, surrounded by men (the kind of man who would never knit, or at least own up to knitting to someone else.)
I think I’m a lifelong knitter, although I’m only 3 years into it. It’s one of the few things that I’ve started that I haven’t stopped quickly.
Megan said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:44 pm
1. I knit to make things. I have always been crafty, and knitting just feel into my life one day. Now I knit to make wonderful clothes. I knit to feel the soft yarn. I knit to have beautiful yarn in my life. I also knit because I love when people enjoy my work, even as it is in progress. I feel smart and special.
2. I hope I will be a life long knitter. I have many crafts hiding in my craft room, but knitting is by far my longest, and deepest obsession. I feel like it is becoming more of a way of life. I now always have a place to look for on vacations, and places to make day trips to. I have people I can talk to. (At least I WILL once I move to a place with knitters.) Plus, I feel like there is always something to learn, or another way to try any pattern. I could knit forever and still never be done.
Shana said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:45 pm
I learned to knit because I was in a job that had me sitting in front of a computer all day with nothing to show for my hard days work. I wanted something practical and portable. That was five years ago. Now, I knit to help me relax. I knit because knitting means that I don’t have to pay some corporation for things I could make myself. I knit because it gives me options. I knit because I love it. I started knitting five years ago and if I die with needles in my hands, I’ll be happy.
LittleWit said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
I knit because I really enjoy making things and knitting is way more portable than my saws.
I also think that I will knit for life. It’s in my genes. 
Julie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
I knit for therapy! The rhythm and repetition are very relaxing. I knit to keep busy at kids’ sporting events and during tv time. I knit because it allows me to be creative where I really don’t have many other artistic talents.
I can’t say that my knitting is economical. I certainly am a yarn snob and figure if I am going to put the time in, I really should use exquisite yarns. After all, if you start with cheap supplies, you will still end up with a cheap finished product.
Probably will be a knitter for life. But, I do enjoy taking a vacation from knitting every so often–keeps me inspired to start new things!
Susan said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
I knit because I like the idea of creating something from something else in a relaxing way but in a way that still keeps my fingers busy (that’s counterintuitive, I know!). I suspect that I’ll be knitting off and on for the rest of my life!
sue from the UK said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:46 pm
Gosh! I’m definitely a whole life knitter-how do I know that? because I’m nearly 60 and ever since I started knitting in my early teens, there has never been a time when I haven’t knit.
Sometimes, admittedly, it has gone on in fits and starts in the background of my life; I lived and worked in Nigeria for several years -and the knitting thing got sublimated into dyeing and sewing. (You just can’t have the same relationship to something you do with your hands and wool in temperatures of 125 degrees farenheit in the shade!!) I love the texture and colours of the yarns and the way they play, and the whole creative process of trying out different stitches. I’m first and foremost a process knitter-but I still get lots of pleasure from finishing things and giving them to friends and family. No-one has ever been anything but delighted by hand knitted socks!
My mum was the most undomesticated woman I’ve ever known, but she painted. I got chucked out of art class as I couldn’t draw and the school didn’t need another failure in its stats; but I grew up with an enduring sense of colour and learnt that I could paint with yarn. However, what has kept me knitting has been the rythmn -the music and the power of the needles. Something to do with my hands; something to do with my mind; something to keep me in my seat; something to engage all my brain cells or to be done on auto pilot. I think all kinds of difficulties through when I knit-my thoughts unravel and become more orderly as the stitches line up. I knitted through lectures at college; to relax after teaching demanding kids in London’s east end; to quit smoking; to just be alongside messed up teenagers in care-and to help those kids feel special too. (there was one lad who was in danger of being sent to borstal for GBH, -grevious bodily harm -whom i taught to knit-and so passed on the torch of peace!) I knitted when my kids were ill; and when my mum was dying. I knit in the car, train and plane; on buses in india and pubs in england. But mostly I knit after work and unwind with the yarn.
Now, of course, like all of you reading this, I have an absolutely inexhaustible stash of gorgeous, scrumptious yarn from TLE that cries out to be picked up and played with. So I’ll press send and pick up the needles!
Elinor said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
I knit because I love the process, but I especially love the finished products. I love making socks for the making, but I love making hats and scarves and sweaters for the finishing. Actually I guess I love both. I love finishing thins, and getting things done, but if I didn’t enjoy the process at all I’d just go buy crap at Target. I love the feel of handknit fabric, and I love the way the yarn just glides through my fingers while I’m knitting. I love the handwork, and it helps me concentrate, too. I feel so productive when I knit, and I love surrounding myself and my loved ones with knitted things.
I think I’m a forever knitter. I’ve been knitting for 3 and a half years, but I feel like I’ve already mastered a lot of the skill. At 19, I stand out at college for being a proficient knitter, but I fit in so nicely in our little stitch ‘n’ bitch group, and I anticipate I’ll be leading the group before long. I brought all of my yarn to school with me, too, and if I expect to get through it all, I’d better knit for a good long time. =D
Claudia R said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:49 pm
I knit to take relax, as well as to finish something. I love starting with yarn and then days, or months, later having a finished product. I think I’ll knit forever–I just love it–and I can’t imagine not wanting knitted items.
Barbara said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
I knit because it helps take my mind off my problems and gives me knitting
problems, because there is always something new that I want to make, because I
love the colors and textures of the yarns. Also if you are able there are so
many knit groups and retreats that are fun. I also love making things for my
grandchildren. It is also a very productive (but expensive when you don’t use
your stash) hobby.
sparklypia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
I knit because it slows me down, calms me down and makes a hobby into something that also produces a tangible item. It’s so nice to know that the day I was stuck in O’Hare Airport was not a total waste, as a sock was nearly completed!
I can’t imagine my life without knitting. Not only for the knitting itself, but I have made some fantastic friends in the meantime…
Ali said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:54 pm
Why do I knit?
The process is calming, plus co-workers know not to disturb the chick with the pointy sticks at lunchtimes. I can make something unique, and perfectly fitting, that’s just the right colour. People I’ve gifted handknits to LOVE them, and that warms my heart.
Am I a knitter for life, or just for now?
I honestly think I’m a knitter for life. Learned when I was 7, dropped it till 16, then took off with a vengeance and ploughed through sweaters and cardigans, dropped it for a few years, came back and figured out socks and lace. I keep coming back to it. And now I spin too, I can create my own yarn to knit with, it doesn’t get better than that!
Seanna Lea said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
I can’t remember why I started knitting. I know it was sometime around when the first SnB book came out, and I think it was the excitement of picking up and seeing all of these yarns at the shop. I stuck with knitting (though I do still occasionally cross-stitch and other crafty things, especially cooking) because I loved the feeling of finishing something. It was a glitzy scarf and it wasn’t the warmest thing ever but it was mine and it was pretty. I got the same feeling from cross-stitch, but something that was 10 hours of knitting would be 10 days of fairly constant cross-stitch.
I’m a knitter because I like feeling accomplished. Knitting provides me a physical object that I can point to and say, “That is mine. I created that.” I don’t get to do quite the same thing at work. I will knit for life because I hate the feeling of spending hours doing something and getting nothing out of it (umm, a bad video game habit led me to that one). I’m also not a very patient person, so it helps to have something that I can focus on to keep me contented while I wait for the train on a Friday night when I just want to get home.
Trish said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
I knit because I love making something out of relatively nothing. You start with miles of yarn and end up with something functional. And, I knit because the possibilities are endless. You can make anything. I am a knitter for life – for the same reasons as you all are. It’s so amazing to be able to create and I like the challenge of trying to use the stash.
TMTTYRR said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Me? I knit because it’s soothing. I knit because it’s beautiful. I knit because of the way the yarn feels. I knit because it’s creative. I knit because it both calms me and challenges me (though some projects are too simple for the later). I’ve known how to both knit and crochet since I was three years old, and while I don’t always knit with the voracity I’ve been doing it recently, I always come back to it. Because it’s soothing, and beautiful, and the yarn feels good, and it’s creative, and it calms and challenges me. So yes, so long as my hand work, I will be a knitter. (And a crocheter.)
Janet said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
I knit for relaxation, meditation, creative inspiration. I’m a process knitter–much more interested in the act of producing a lovely fabric than in utilizing the final product. I am most definitely a “lifer.” If I can’t knit every single day, something is wrong in the cosmos. I’ve been knitting for nearly years and I love it more now than ever. Just can’t get enough!
noallatin said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:57 pm
At this time I knit because I can. It keeps my hands busy and I get something useful out of the process. It helps pass the time at meetings and doctor’s appointments. Will I be a forever knitter? I don’t know. Hopefully, with the stash and library I’ve built up in the last two years, I hope I’ll be doing this a looong time, but who can tell. I still have the unfinished afghan from 1983.
Kelly S said,
February 18, 2009 @ 4:58 pm
There are so many reasons that I knit. Right now, the most important reason that I knit is to save my sanity. As a stay-at-home mom with 2 young children, I find that I really need an outlet. For me, knitting is the perfect outlet. I love to knit, and it helps keep me…well…me! It is an activity that feeds both my mind and my soul.
Even though I have only been knitting for a few years, I think that I will be a knitter for life. There is so much diversity in knitting that I can’t imagine ever becoming bored with it. I also really love the “art” that knitting allows me to create. I only wish I could convert more of my friends into knitters!
Marylu said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:00 pm
1. I knit because I find great joy in it! It’s relaxing and allows me to be creative!
2. I will definitely knit for the rest of my life. I’ve tried many other crafts, but knitting seems to fulfill whatever it was that I was looking for, and besides I will have to knit forever in order to use up my stash!!
3. Plus, if I stop knitting, then I won’t be able to purchase from The Loopy Ewe anymore, and that would make me really sad!
Barbara said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
I forgot to add that I will be doing it as long as I can. I love to knit and see the
finished product althought sometimes I am dissapointed that it doesn’t look
exactly like the picture.
Sharon said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
I learned to knit when I was a kid. I picked it up again in college, and then put it down for 20 years. I started again in my 40’s. I can’t believe that I was away from it so long, because it is now such an integral part of my life. It calms me, it makes me feel smart, and it makes me feel competent, because It comes naturally to me. Show me something once, and I have it. I will knit until I can knit no more, it is my passion in life.
Misty said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I knit because there is something reassuring about taking a single strand and making it into something to warm, comfort, cover, or even just adorn. Whether you create something for yourself or for someone else, you are giving back and connecting back to your own creativity. It is so refreshing on an individual level in a world of such global connection or disconnect depending on your views!
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
I want to believe that I am a knitter for life. I cannot imagine not being able to knit. I look forward to knitting. I make time for knitting. I need knitting.
Lisa Kay Wilson said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
I knit because it relaxes me and keeps me sane. My husband thinks I snap at his mom a lot, but he has no idea how many things knitting helps me filter.
I’m a knitter for life. Love it!
Lisa
Laura said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
Why do I knit?
I like the idea that I am creating something. I don’t know if any of my “creations” will ever become heirlooms or be appreciated by others in the same way that I am wowed by what other knitters create, but it’s fun and I keep learning things as I go which will hopefully make me a better knitter.
Am I a knitter for life, or just for now?
For life, or until such time that my eyes can no longer see or my hands can no longer work. However, I reserve the right to lay it aside from time to time.
Jocelyn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
haha I am thinking about quitting because I’ve never knit with Wollmeise…
… what?
I hope I knit forever.
Kristin said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:07 pm
First off, I hate fluorescent lighting…sigh.
Why do I knit? I am a nervous person who does not like to just sit still. This keeps my hands occupied when I need my mind and body to be quiet. I also love handknit socks. Sometimes when I have to work a particularly ugly shift, I put on my hand knit socks, and they make all the difference in the world. I also knit because I think it’s part legacy….my great grandmother, my Nana, and my Mom are all beautiful craftswomen, whose works grace our homes yet today. I hope mine will do the same. Absolutely a knitter for life. It’s portable. I can take it with me to the doctor’s, on the car, on the plane, in the rain………you know. What an interesting contest. I hope I can read all the comments!
Michelle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
I knit because it is soothing. My other soothing hobby is baking sweets. But my boyfriend bans that during the hot summer months or when he is trying to loose weight. I knit because I cannot sit still and I love having something to show for in the end.
I love color and texture and believe I will be a knitter for life. I may slow down at times but I keep on knitting.
Sandra Knapp said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
I knit because it is a wonderful way to show family and friends how much they matter to me by making them lovely, soft, warm gifts. I knit because it helps me to relax and to cope with stressful situations. In November of 2007 my hubby was diagnosed with lung cancer. Over the following year, right up to the hour of his passing, I sat in waiting rooms and/or beside his hospital bed with knitting in hand. Looking back I don’t know how I would have survived all that pain and heartbreak without my knitting. And my knitting has been a great comfort to me as I adjust to being a widow and now living alone.
As I learned to knit at my Mother’s knee at the tender age of 6, which now translates into 60 years of knitting (almost 61) I would say that I will always knit. At least I will unless or until it become physically impossible. And that is exactly as I would want it to be.
Happy Knitting!
Lynne E. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
(1) I knit because I’m a “Type A” personality. I wouldn’t be able to watch television at all, if I weren’t able to knit while watching and thus make myself think that I’m doing something useful.
(2) I am a knitter for life–and the afterlife, considering the size of my stash!
Bonnie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:12 pm
I taught myself to knit from a book when I was 12, more than 40 years ago. Why did I do it then? I don’t remember. Why do I do it now? It’s therapy — constructive fidgeting. I’m mostly a results person, and I love that I have something in my life that I do for the process. It’s soothing. It’s anchoring somehow. And I’m a color junkie so I find something deeply satisfying about gorgeous yarn. And I love knitting for someone else and thinking about/praying for them in the process.
I think I’m in it for the long haul. Or at least until I physically can’t do it anymore.
And that woman with the nails is one of the creepiest things I’ve seen in a long time. My mind boggles. Dressing? Eating? Driving? Uh, wiping? Ew.
Ma-2 said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:12 pm
I’m knitting because it relaxes me, it is a part of my “culture” as I’ve been knitting since age 4. After having discovered the Wollmeise and also been at Sauerlach to stock up, I’m mainly knitting with Wollmeise for the time being. I’m not a pattern person as I tend to make my own pattern while knitting.
Yes I’m a knitter for life.
sara b said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
I knit because I loooove to make things (including scrapbooking, sewing, cross-stitch) and it is the most portable of all my hobbies. Seriously, there is the initial set-up (getting things together for a new project) but after that you can just about whip it out anywhere.
I think I will knit for life. There are always gifts to be given and I sure like new things too!
Katie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
I started knitting while I was pregnant. I had decided to use cloth diapers and was looking at all the cute longies that cost anywhere from $40-$150 and thought, “I could totally do that!” So, knitting started out as something to do to save money. It has since transformed…it certainly doesn’t save me money anymore. lol I knit because it’s relaxing to me, but moreso than that, I knit to create things that I can look at and think, “Wow, I MADE that!” It still amazes me that I can take some sticks and yarn and make things with it. lol
I am definitely a knitter for life. I tend to start projects (not knitting projects, but projects in general) with gusto, but they soon fizzle out when it no longer holds my interest. I’ve been knitting for almost three years now. I figure if I get past the one year mark and I’m still enthralled by it, I’m a lifer!
Samoo said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:16 pm
I knit to relax and fidget less. It’s also challenging and rewarding. I love that I end up with a finished piece (most of the time).
I have only been knitting a few years but it seems to have stuck. There are always new things to learn so i don’t get bored. And it’s portable. And relatively mess-less.
I’ve had those chocolates. Very yummy, enjoy!
AngieK said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
I knit to keep my hands and mind busy. I knit because it is something that my grandmother taught me as a creative outlet.
I know that I will be a knitter for life. Everytime I pick up the needles it makes me feel like my grandmother is still here with me. My hope is that my son will pick up the needles and feel the same closeness to me when I am gone as I do to her.
Gladys said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
I’ve been knitting for 30 years now, and I turn 42 in a few days! At this point, I’m pretty sure I’m a lifetime knitter.
I knit to relieve stress, pass the time, keep my hands busy, and make beautiful things. And now, with Ravelry, I knit with friends who GET the obsession, which just adds to the total fun of the hobby.
Michele in Maine said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
I knit to express myself in color. It gives me patience and helps me cope with things I cannot change in life.
I don’t see why I wouldn’t always need this. Fortunately my stash will allow me to continue indefinitely!
Dixie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
I knit because I like it. My socks (I no longer wear store-bought socks) bring me inexpressible joy. Having something to do with my hands has enabled me to watch movies and TV again, which I didn’t do much of before because I didn’t like to sit still that long. This caused some problems with my social life. Besides being a nervous fidgeter, I’m what they call “a tactile person” and I love having a hobby that involves using things that feel as nice as they look.
I can’t say I’ll be a knitter for life because, well, you never know what’s going to happen. I don’t think I’ll ever be without a sock project again, barring sudden catastrophic loss of my hands, but it’s hard to say what the future will bring. I do hope I will be.
Lyn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
I knit because I love knitting socks and love working with wonderful hand dyed yarn. I prefer working with small needles- mostly sock and lace knitting. I know I’ll be a knitter for life because I have too many projects and there are so many wonderful yarns to try that I couldn’t possibly run out of inspiration.
Stacey said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
I knit becasue is calms me. It soothes me. I can wind down and chill. Ironically, on occasion at work, I am asked to knit. I work as a CNA at a nursing home. Sundowning is a big problem and the some of the residents get antsy, for lack of a better word. We have found that sometimes, when I just sit beside them closely and knit, it can calm them. I dont know if it is the rhythm of the needles or the process, but it works. The other CNA’s will say “Stacey, grab your bag and do your trick!” It gets me out of a lot of paperwork too! Cuz I can’t knit and write! LOL! So knitting to me, has proved to be a comfort to me and those around me. Will I knit for life? I better! My Hubby will kill me if I don’t knit up all the yarn around me!
Rebecca said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
I knit and crochet because of the endless variations that come from a few stitches. I love working on something and showing it to my crochet group. We then talk about the different techniques, the yarns we could have used, the progress made, who it’s for, what charity we’re giving it to, and on and on. The projects they bring have inspired me to explore new techniques, new sweater shapes, new yarns. They are an endless source of inspiration and creativity.
Crocheting and knitting will definitely be with me till the end. I’m surprised that I’ve already been at it for 9 years. Before learning, I would begin a new craft, accumulate all the tools, and then quickly lose interest. It was a sad, expensive cycle. Then I met some beautiful yarn, and I haven’t wandered since.
Cindy (maxfun) said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
I knit for a variety of reasons. I crocheted since I was a kid, but since I’ve learned to knit, I don’t crochet much. I like the finer fabric that knitting creates.
I knit because I love yarn and fiber in general and I like to see it turn into something useful.
I knit because I’m a person who needs something to do with my hands. If I didn’t knit, I’d be falling asleep a lot more, especially in front of the TV.
As long as I’m able to use my hands, I will be a knitter for life, along with crocheting, spinning and who knows what else. Frankly, if I knit every day for the rest of my life, someone would still have to figure out what to do with all the yarn left in my house when I die!
Victoria said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
Why do I knit? Because I love having something in my life that I can enjoy while relaxing, but is still productive and gives me such wonderful results. I’m ansty and this helps keep me from being fidgety. Plus, it’s fun. (Most of the time…)
Will I knit for life? If I can. Both of my grandmothers have/had arthritis, so I’m hoping that I can keep doing this forever, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Sheryl said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
I love that I take some string and make a useful sometimes beautiful item. I like the feel of the yarn and later the feel of the knitted item. I love that when someone says… oooh that is nice that I can either thank them and say I made it.
I found out that I am really a process knitter. I love making the items … most of the time I give them away. I am most definitely a knitter for life. I have been knitting since I was about 14.
knitopia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
I learned to knit because I was always drawn to it. I enjoy it for so many reasons and won’t quit any time soon.
Lori said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
I knit because I must. My soul compels me to do so. It’s in every “fiber” of my being to knit and spin. I will never quit! It takes up the majority of my life. Knitting, planning to knit, reading about knitting, thinking about knitting…knit, knit, knit!
Leslie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
I knit as a way to express my personality, and I love having an end result that I made. Wearing a handknitted item always proves to be a conversation starter! I don’t know if I’m a knitter for life, I hope so, and I’m sure my fiance does too considering the amount of yarn I have!
Nancy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
I knit to give my hands something to do while watching TV. I also went through the cross-stitch phase, but a person can only use or give away so many pictures or pillows. I love the idea of being able to make truly useful items like socks, hats, mittens, gloves, and sweaters. Now that I’ve got the bug, I can’t see stopping any time soon.
Pamela said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
I started knitting to keeop me busy while watching tv so I wouldn’t eat. But I still eat. I just knit at other times!
I better be a knitter for life since I have enough yarn to last that long. But then 20 years ago I would have never dreamt I would be a knitter, so who knows.
Jane said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
I knit because… well, just because. I love the fibers, I love the colors, I love the texture, I love the usefullness, I love the uniqueness, I love the “relaxability” of it, I love that I can concentrate better when knitting. I love it for lots of reasons. I am/will be a knitter for life. Having been knitting for 50 years already it’s not something I’ll “cast” aside anytime soon.
Kathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:54 pm
I find knitting to be very soothing. The rhythm of the stitches and the colors slipping through my fingers just make me happy. Knitting also reminds me of summers with my grandmother and the beautiful sweaters she made.
Other crafts have come and gone, but knitting has always been there for me. I’ll be a knitter for life.
Erin said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
My very first knitting project was a Gryffindor scarf. My best friend begged me to make her one, but the crochet I was use to just didn’t look as…smooth? sleek? finished?
I taught myself to knit because I liked the look and feel of the finished product, but I continued to knit because the process was meditative and I felt pride and accomplishment when I mastered a technique or finished a project. Additionally, knitting has introduced me to so many awesome people (non-knitters and the knitting envious alike!) and I love the sense of community that I’ve found in them. I can’t think of any other hobbies that have been so universally effective to my person; I’ll definitely be a knitter for life! =)
Crystal said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
I’m definitely a knitter for life! I picked it back up a few years ago after being taught in my teens. I knit for a alot of the reasons others ahave mentioned but also because it gives me a sense of being connected to my mother (who’s since passed) and my grandmother
Janice said,
February 18, 2009 @ 5:58 pm
Gosh, I don’t know why I knit – I knit because it’s what I do. I love it, I’m pretty good at it, it is part of how I define myself. Unless something happens to me physically to make knitting impossible, I will knit for life. But even if I can’t knit, I will still be a knitter.
Carolyn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:02 pm
1) For the relaxation of it. It is almost like meditation for me. And my loved ones get some pretty awesome hand-knit swag out of the deal…
2) Knitter for life, definately. Too handy, fun, portable and timeless not to be.
Grace Yaskovic said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:02 pm
I learned to knit as a child but 6 years ago as a retired stay at home mom I became bored and was crocheting a baby blanket, I got excited about all the different yarns the store had and thought I wonder if I remember how to knit, Well know with over a 100 shawls completed and many many more items knit it has definitely become a part of me, I love it, i dream about it, I will be a knitter for life, if only to use up my stash!!!
Mary said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
I’m a stay at home mom with two small boys and, while I love it and am so thankful that I get to be with my boys every day, it can get a little tedious! Knitting is such a nice diversion. Truth be told, I love the pattern browsing, blog reading, project planning and yarn collecting at least as much as the actual knitting process. But I love that too! I’m definitely a knitter for life. I may not churn out the FO’s (none yet this year!) but being a knitter is part of who I am.
sue said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
I started out as a teen-ager crocheting, but I wanted to do more with yarn, so I learned how to knit 25+ years ago, so I guess I’m a knitter for life. I also wanted to be like my maternal grandmother, who I loved dearly and who also knitted. I actually learned how to knit throwing the yarn with my right hand, but my grandmother knit throwing the yarn with her left, so I re-taught myself to knit the way she did.
For me, knitting is (mostly) relaxing and calming; I like to knit small projects, so currently socks are great, though I have recently started branching out into sweaters. Knitting is the perfect portable hobby and I can’t imagine *not* knitting.
Cathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
I knit because it is one of the first creative outlets that I’ve tried that I’m actually good at. I also love the challenge of learning new techniques and trying new yarns and projects. There is constant inspiration of colors and patterns.
I also love the contradiction that the analytical, detail-oriented, instruction-following side of by personality can result in a creative, colorful and often useful work of art.
I really believe that I will be a knitter for life. My other crafting attempts have come and gone because I’ve often been frustrated by the results of my attempts. But, I’m so happy with most of the knitting projects I’ve knitted and I can’t imagine running out of inspiring knitting projects to add to my to-do list!
Nancy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
I knit for so many reasons. The yarn, the patterns, the socks! I love to have something to do all the time. I can’t just sit and watch TV. I have to knit. I can’t just ride in the car. I have to knit. And so on… I will be a knitter for life.
Elizabeth said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
I love yarn. Always have. My mother tried to teach me to knit when I was a teenager, but it didn’t take (me being a teenager). Last year I went to a yarn shop with a friend and thought “I wonder if I can do this?” I set out on my own to learn and by golly I actually understood how it worked! I like figuring out patterns and watching a hat or mittens or a scarf take shape, and I especially love knitting socks. Knitting makes me feel smart! Knitter for life. Definitely. Besides, I have all this yarn now! ; )
Alison said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
I knit because I can’t Not.Knit. Don’t remember when I started–I’m sure my mother taught me kintting, as she taught me to play the paino and to read, all long before formal schooling. I fit it in around work, as used to fit it in around flock duties when I had sheep. I knit for other folks, hardly ever myself (although that may change with the recent flood of gorgeous fibres and patterns), because there’s always some hatsmittenssweaterssocksblanketsbabyclothes needed somewhere.
And, I just love doing it.
I knit, therefore I am?
Knitter for life, for sure!
PS those nails were Groooossssssssss how on earth did she function??? On the other hand, the chocolates were fabulous–thank you!
Diane said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
I like to knit for several reasons. There’s something old fashioned and comforting to fashion anything from different natural fibers into something else. One of those keeping the arts alive things I guess. I have always love doing anything creative so this is part of my list of creative things to do. Also, when you knit something out of your choice of pattern and yarn(s) you make it into a one of a kind item where (unless you duplicated a pattern using a same yarn as pictured in the pattern) there is not another one like it in the world.
The other reason I like knitting so much – is a spiritual one for me. In Psalms it says that God knit us together in our mother’s wombs – so it puts me closer in touch with God and I understand more about how he made each one of us as I knit and follow patterns and choose yarns and the like. I just came to realize that we were each made with much care, much thought, much craftsmanship and very unique – giving Him as much pleasure to make each one of us.
Yes, I will continue to knit and hopefully one day – should I have a granddaughter – teach her to knit along with me.
Wendy in Cambridge said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:14 pm
My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was 7. I made a lot of doll blankets!
I took it up again when I was in high school (I graduated in 1961) and have been going strong ever since.
I knit because I love it. The colors (the brighter the better), the fibers, the feel of creating something–it’s all good. I know I’m a lifer!
eve said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:16 pm
I knit b/c it makes me happy. knitting is my stress reliever at the end of the day and i knit periodically throughout the because it’s also fun. i’m most definitely a knitter for life!!
Michelle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
When I first learned to knit, it was to keep my mind off of things. Now, sometimes I use it to distract me, but it is relaxing. It also makes me feel better about tv time. I actually have something productive to show for it. I knit a variety of things, and think this is something I will continue to do.
Ksigman said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
I knit because it is relaxing and I have something to show for it when I finish. I am somewhat ADD and can’t do just one thing at a time so, I knit and compute, I knit and read, I knit and watch TV. I can now sit through an entire movie! My special education kiddos at school LOVE to watch me knit and they love trying it out!
I will be a life long knitter. I give away most of what I knit and it makes me happy.
Debra I said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:20 pm
I learned to knit when I was a kid, from a Seventeen Magazine pamphlet. No one else in my family does fiber things. I like knitted items, I like using natural fibers, especially sheep wool. I got into the process of it, the feel, the smell, the color — and so I began to spin when the opportunity presented itself (historical recreation society). It’s an old-timey kind of thing, something that people have done since they started gathering shed fluff from the bushes and their animals. I had a problem with gauge and “doing it the right way” so gave it up for a while as other hobby things took precedence. I started knitting again after being treated for carpal tunnel (wearing full braces for 3 months) to strengthen my atrophied forearm & hand muscles. Who knows my body better than Me? Anyway, just the rest did the trick, and taking it slow got my wrists in better shape than they’ve been in for a long time! Knitting as therapy and an exercise in awareness. And something to do while watching TV. So projects got more complicated, I finally knitted socks, and then moved on to lace. (I can knit lace!) Knitting lets me be bold and brave and daring and I can pick and choose what to make, what color(s), patterns, etc. If it isn’t out there in the market place, I can dream it up and make it myself. Two sticks and some string — how exciting!
Katrina said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
Oh, I’m a knitter for life! Since I first started knitting a few years ago, wool has taken over my life and my house! I think I started knitting so that I could make clothes for my daughter, but it has gone way beyond that. I love to knit because it is relaxing and I love making anything with yarn and needles! I couldn’t stop knitting now even if I tried!
Debra I said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
Sounds like I’m a lifer, huh?
Megan said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
I knit to relax and forget about all the stress of grad school. I’d like to think I’m a knitter for life, but I pick up a lot of hobbies that peter out after a few years (my room is full of scrapbook supplies I never use). I think it will depend on what my life is like in the future. I hope I’m still knitting in 20 years though.
LeeAnn Wilmot said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
I knit beause it relaxes me, it makes me STOP and just sit and is pretty close to meditation for me. I also love the feel of fiber in my hands, the rythym of the needles and the flow of”something” as yarn becomes “something.” I’m a knitter for life.
Mary said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
1. I knit because Sheri and the elves are such enablers!! And because I love the magic of string and pointy sticks in my hands result in art. It’s magic.
2. I’ve been knitting for 40+ years, so I don’t think it’s just a trend. Besides, I have enough yarn to last another 40+ years…
Dawn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
I started knitting for something to do. However, in the past couple of years I’ve learned to use knitting to relax me after a stressful day at work. I’ve found that I get so excited when I finish an object and can’t wait to cast on the next project. I really feel that if those feelings continue I’ll be knitting for a long time!
Lori said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:27 pm
I knit because I find it relaxing, and I’m constantly cold so the woolies are most needed. And after 38 years, I’m betting that it will be a lifetime obsession.
Elisa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
1) I knit because I can make beautiful things that make me happy and are useful to me. The act of knitting is meditative for me, even when doing complicated lace or cables. It also helps keep my joints exercised loosened despite arthritis. 2) The only reason I’d stop knitting for good is if arthritis gets the better of my hands. I never have been into crafts much otherwise, so I doubt I’ll switch to something else.
Sharon G said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:31 pm
Caught up on scrapbooks? I can’t imagine what that’s like. That’s one of the hobbies I abandoned for knitting. I also don’t quilt much anymore. Knitting is so much more portable. You don’t have to get out a sewing machine or or multitudes of supplies. I think I’m a ‘for life’-er. If I go too many days without knitting, I feel like something is missing.
Crystal Baker said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:31 pm
1. I knit because I like the feeling of the yarn, the beauty of the colors coming together to create something that can be worn or used. I knit because it’s relaxing, creative and fun. I knit because I really like freaking people out.
2. I don’t see any reason to ever stop knitting. I learned a long time ago to never say never, however, I don’t plan on ever quitting. It’s really something that is part of me.
Misty said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
I knit because sometimes I need to turn my brain off, or something to focus on.
I think I’m a lifer…I hope so because I have a ton of stash to knit up!
Danielle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
1) Knitting is one of the best ways to combat stress that I know of. I love the items one can create by knitting, hats, gloves, scarfs, sweaters — useful beautiful things that can be worn by the knitter or given as gifts from the heart.
2) I’m definitely in it for the long haul, as one can never have too many nice pairs of handknit socks, hats, and mitts. Plus I adore knitting for babies!
Barbara-Kay said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
I knit because there is yarn! I also knit because I continue to improve, and to knit more beautiful things than I could last year or the year before. I find knitting extremely soothing, and I can’t imagine life without knitting.
Although, I must admit that I told DH the reason I continue to knit socks when I have 36 + pairs in the drawer is that when I get too old to knit I don’t want to have to wear Wal Mart socks! VBG! Hopefully, I will have enough pairs to carry me through.
Mary R said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:46 pm
I knit because I can’t imagine not knitting.
I learned to knit when I was five and have been knitting, with a little bit of a hiatus (in high school and college – just no time for it) since then.
I knit because I love the feel of the yarn — in the skein, on the needles and in the finished products.
I knit for something to do with my hands. I knit to calm my mind which is always racing in a million different directions. It’s almost like meditating.
I knit because it makes me feel connected to the other knitters in my family who have come before me. Alas, I have no knitting daughter to knit with, but sometimes get to knit with my knitting sister and knitting niece. It connects me to them.
I knit because there are so many beautiful yarns to try and I want to try ALL of them.
I knit even when arthritis makes my joints swell and it aches, because it keeps my fingers from totally stiffening up. So, I knit because I can.
I knit simply because I love to knit.
Will I always knit? I can not imagine NOT knitting, so I think that I probably shall. I also have this terribly large stash that is begging to be knit up!
Castiron said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
1. Because I like to make things. Because I get bored easily, and knitting is an antidote to that. Because I enjoy patterns and watching something emerge.
Of course, all those apply to other needlearts too. At this stage in my life, though, knitting is the one I spend most time on: A knitting project is generally more compatible with child-herding than a cross-stitch or embroidery project (where I have to look at the stitches). I can knit without hand pain for longer than I can crochet. Knitting doesn’t require me to pull out a bulky device (unlike machine sewing, weaving, or bobbin lace).
2. I’ve been knitting for over 75% of my life, and I still enjoy it, so I suspect I’ll still be doing it as long as my brain and hands allow. I might spend less time on it in future when I’m finally able to get back to cross-stitch (I still have several gorgeous Teresa Wentzler patterns that I want to see in my house someday), but I hope to still be knitting for many years yet.
Jen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
I learned to knit from my grandmother because it built a connection to her and I wanted to take something she did and continue it on in my generation. (I learned to make perogies from my other grandmother) I continued with it because I needed something to fight being lonely when I was living in the US with my husband and I didn’t have a work VISA. I derived a keen sense of joy and accomplishment from my knitting and it gave me something to focus my energy on. I knit because I identify myself as a knitter, it gives me zen when I need it, a sense of accomplishment on the difficult days and a sense of pride when I forget why I should be proud.
I am absolutely a lifer! I can’t imagine my life without my daily dose of knitting in it- besides I’m pretty sure with all my stash my husband would kill me if I took something else up instead.
Melissa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:52 pm
I started knitting to help calm me while I waited for my daughter to have open heart surgery at 11 months old. I knit to relax, to create, to keep busy.
I will most definitely always knit – I’m a knitter for life. It’s my sanity, my center. It makes me happy and whole.
Leanne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:52 pm
I knit because I can and I love it.
I will knit for as long as I have hands and eyes that work and even then I may find a way to continue knitting. Other hobbies have come and gone but only knitting gives me that certain level of sastisfaction that I need to have for my own well being. There is not enough time in my life to complete all the projects I desire to knit; there are not words to explain the feeling of euphoria that one gets after having finished a hand knit item. It is a life long commitment for me.
JulieM said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
I knit for many reasons — relaxation, a challenge, the sense of accomplishment, the beauty of the yarn as well as the finshed products and many more!
I think I am a knitter for life. The repetitive nature of some knitting is so relaxing and I can make things that will be appreciated and used by others. It is a great way to share.
Meg said,
February 18, 2009 @ 6:59 pm
I knit for so many reasons. I know of no other activity that both relaxes me and challenges me. I love the rhythm of it, the endless variety of stitches and yarns, the high I get when I finish a project, and of course the feel of handknit socks on my feet!
Knitting used to be something I picked up once in a while, but was never really serious about. Now not a day goes by that I don’t manage at least a row or two. Over the last 3 years I have become so hopelessly addicted to my craft that I know I will knit for the rest of my life. I’m not quite 30, so I hope this is a good long time!
Jennifer said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:04 pm
I knit for the magic of it. I find it endlessly amusing that I can produce fabric with nothing more than (basically) string and two sticks. Also, carrying knitting with me fills my perpetual need to be “doing something.” I’ve been knitting for 4 years, and suspect I’ll be knitting for life.
Kathleen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
Knitting is very satisfying to me. Nothing make me happier than to make a hand knit item for someone you care about and then see the wonderful reaction on their face. I very recently began to learn how to knit socks and I find them a bit of a challenge but I know they will get easier as I get better at them. Knitting is also a very portable project. Very easy to take in the car, I bring it along while my son has swim practice and I also do work on my knitting during my lunch hour at work. I will definitely be a knitter for the rest of make life — knitting is like a close friend — alway there.
Kay said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
I knit because I love it and I would not be as happy if I didn’t do it. I know I am a knitter for life, though the output might vary over time.
Sandy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:12 pm
I knit for the satisfaction that I actually made something and that people compliment and are amazed that I made it. I knit for something to do. I knit because I love to knit. I knit because it gives me pleasure and I enjoy it. I knit because there are so much beautiful yarn in our world that needs to be knitted. I will definitely be a knitter for life.
Delia said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
I taught myself to knit as a distraction from my pain. I’ve suffered from chronic pain since I had a series of abdominal surgeries about 10 years ago; the best analogy I can give you is that I feel like I’m in labor all the time, even though one of those surgeries was a total hysterectomy.
I can’t work as an RN due to the dosage and frequency of my pain medication, so I began to knit about five years ago. When even the drugs aren’t enough, I have to relax and calm myself to get relief. Knitting helps me do that. I look for complex patterns so I have to concentrate on the stitches instead of the burning in my lower belly.
And I do see myself doing this forever for quite a few reasons. First, my pain is going to last forever (unfortunately, so sayeth Mayo Clinic) so if I give up knitting, I’ll have to replace it with something that likely won’t be as much fun. I don’t have any shortage of people for whom to knit, because my son’s friends are lining up to get their own handknitted socks and blankets. Besides, I’m waiting for my daughter to get over her “Mom knits but I’m too cool for that” stage. I have to still be knitting so I can tell her “I told you so” when she does.
Anna said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:22 pm
I knit because my mother did and because I think hand knit things are wonderful. I like the fact that I can keep my hands busy with knitting when I’m waiting somewhere. I may knit more sometimes and less other times, but I am definitely a knitter for life. I too have a huge amount of yarn to use up before I die, some of which is from my mother’s stash.
SusanB said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
I knit because it is relaxing and I like the process. I like knitting gifts for others and constantly see yarn and patterns that would be just right for ____. I am just now making stuff for myself and trying not to feel guilty. I love the colors and different yarns available today which is so much better than 30 years ago. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things to knit! I’ll be a knitter forever.
froggiegirl said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
Those little mice individually wrapped were my wedding favors. They were so cute and everyone ate them right up.
I started knitting because my husband’s hobby is watching movies and likes me to watch most of them with him. (He has to watch scary or gory movies by himself) Of course now I knit everywhere because it meets my need to always be doing something productive.
I’ll always be a knitter because no other hobby has ever been as fulfilling. It’s the thing I’d always been looking for!
Desiree said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
I knit because it is what helps me relieve stress…when I am knitting I don’t really have to think about things that worry me. I think I will be a knitter for life…there are so many things in “queue” , I don’t think I could ever get tired of it.
Karyn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
Knitter for life!!!
I love, love, love it. So many different yarns, so many different projects, so many techniques–how can anyone ever get tired of it? I am obsessed, and knit because I have to. ‘Nuf said.
Kym Hretz said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
I knit so I don’t kill people. Although I regularly point out that knitting needles can be an effective weapon. I will knit forever, I can’t function properly with out it!
Suzanne said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
I knit because the movement of hands, yarn, and needles is deeply rooted inside me somewhere, and because those movements are, together, connected to peace. Knitting rests me. It stills me. It lets me mull over ideas that need attention in other parts of my life. And yes, if you haven’t already guessed, I’m in it for life.
Michelle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
I began knitting when I was 10 or 12 with my grandmother in Sardinia, Italy. I only was able to knit squares and rectangles.. but longed to knit more, but the language barrier did not help…
Cut to the year I was married.. I wanted something to do for our Craft Weekends… so I took up Cross Stitch, sewing and stamping…. it just didn’t do it for me… I mean I like it all… but there was still that little nagging feeling that I hadn’t found “it” yet.
A few years ago, I was sad about my Nonna dying and I decided that I would get myself to a real yarn shop and get some real lessons and make her proud… and I did.
I can truthfully say that I will always be a knitter. I love the feel of the needles and the yarn together, I like that it is completely portable, that I can teach others, I can knit with my girls, if I were to ever forget my supplies (fat chance) I could walk into any LYS and pick up a project to work on… I love that you really don’t need so much stuff to set up and carry around while you knit…there is always *something* to learn.. there is the bonding over a knitting project, blog, or store… I challenge myself with each project… I could go on and on and on….
Hmmmmmm what do I not like about knitting would probably get you a shorter answer
What do I not like about knitting? That I can only knit on one thing at any given time…
I will always be a knitter! Always!!
Leslie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
I am a relatively new knitter. I’ve always wanted to learn, but never made the time or knew anyone that knitted, so it was always put on the backburner.
In the process of putting together my family tree, I discovered that my great, great, great grandmother was an expert knitter and used knitting as a means to support herself and her twelve children when her husband died suddenly of cholera back in the late 1800’s. Now, they lived in what was really the Wild West (Northeastern Arizona) and I was so impressed that she was able to eke out a living with something she loved in what must have been a very stressful situation to be left in. Her hands were terribly crippled as a result of her knitting and I thought that what better reason to learn to do something that I’ve always wanted to learn to do than in honor of this woman. She lived to be almost ninety and I only hope that one day I can knit as well as she did.
I do believe I’m a knitter for life. I’ve found myself drawn to all the wonderful fiber and in awe of the endless objects that can be made from it. I can’t imagine doing without it even for one day. It helps me relax my brain and keeps my hands busy whilst watching television, riding in the car, etc…
I’ve found it to be an integral part of my life.
Kristie Hammond said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
I knit for lots of different reasons! I love dreaming about new projects, looking for just the right yarn, thinking about what colors I would like and what the finished object will look like. I knit to stay calm in the midst of life’s storms. I knit when I am happy and when I am upset- the same reasons I eat chocolate!
And I will definitely be a life-long knitter! I can’t imagine not knitting, even for a day.
Kathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
I knit to give my hands something to do while watching TV or movies. I’m a bit obsessed with classic movies and just sitting and watching them seems like a waste of time. Knitting while watching them is productive!
I’m a knitter for life. One cannot have too many pairs of hand knit socks.
Debbie O. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
I started knitting almost 20 years ago now when one of my best friends showed me a sweater she knit. I was immediately hooked! I mean, I started stashing before I had even finished my first project, which was a sweater. I knit because I am a busybody and always need something to do. I knit because it is a good escape from my day job. I knit because I love the finished product. I knit because there are always TOO MANY IDEAS for ne w projects bouncing around my brain. It is most definitely a life long addiction for me. I don’t know what I would do instead!
Lynn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:52 pm
I knit because it helps me relax. I love the feel of the needles in my hands and the satisfaction of creating something beautiful. I’d never sit still if I didn’t knit.
And I definitely am a knitter for life. I was a cross stitcher too before I learned to knit and like you, just ran out of things I wanted to stitch and places to hang them. I love the endless possibilities that knitting gives me. I can’t ever imagine running out of inspiration.
Vicki said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:53 pm
I love to knit because it is relaxing and gives me something to do while I am riding in the car (not driving . . . . although I know some of you do!) At a class the other night, one gal actually admitted that she “made a scarf while at stop signs.”
I knit because I like to make handmade gifts for my nieces and nephews. Some of the items I treasure most from my grandmother and aunt is something handmade.
I knit because crotched doilies are out of vogue.
Kntting is my winter form of gardening. I will be a knitter (and gardener) for life.
Vicki
Lisa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
I knit because it’s mindless and medatative, I knit because it’s challenging and interesting, I knit because I love creating something from 2 sticks and a string, I knit because I love making something that will be used. I’ll always be a knitter.
Jeannie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
I knit to get through sports! Sounds funny but I am married to a guy who loves watching sports and I love hanging out with him but I am too antsy to just sit so I knit! My son is also in sports and knitting gives me something to do between games, during timeouts and while waiting for practice to finish. I also knit while I wait for my daughter takes piano lessons.
As long as I need socks, I will knit. I can never give up hand knit socks. So I will be a lifelong knitter.
Melissa B. said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
I love to knit because it relaxes me. I know people who knit while they exercise-Yes there is a lady who knits while she rides the bike at the Y!-and while they walk. I find comfort in sitting down and pulling out the yarn and going into a “zen” state. I also find the sound of the metal needles clicking relaxing. I have tried crocheting, but I much prefer knitting. I love to knit while the tv or movie is on. I can’t even sit very well through a movie and pay attention if I don’t have yarn in my hands. I have been known to wind yarn by hand at the theater!
I feel I will be a knitter for life. I have had things I have “been into” for awhile and the excitement always go away. But with knitting, the fascination that I get from the yarn and the final project always makes me want to cast on something else.
Becky said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
I knit because it’s fun! And because it’s amazing the things you can create with yarn and some long sticks.
I’ll definitely be a knitter for life.
Marji said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:08 pm
I knit for many reasons. I like to make things. I love learning to do something new. It can be a social or independent activity. It is portable. I love yarn. I like making things for loved ones to wear.
I hope that I will knit forever. I only started knitting 4 or 5 years ago and now have a stash that could last me a long, long time.
Carrie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:13 pm
I knit because I like to make things, and because it’s the most portable craft around–perfect for travelling! It also absolves me of the guilt of watching so much bad television, which is great. I’ve been knitting semi-seriously since I was in college (yikes, that’s about 20 years), and I expect to be knitting forever. My interest is sometimes diluted by other crafts, but I try to keep a steady stream of projects going even if I’m not making a lot of progress on them.
I love those mice–L.A. Burdick’s chocolates are the best! They also serve the most delicious hot chocolate in their cafe in Harvard Square.
Kay C said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:13 pm
I knit because a day without knitting is like a day without sunshine, grandchildren, dogs and chocolate.
BalletMommy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:17 pm
I almost wish I was a “just for now” knitter but I suspect I’m a forever knitter. I learned when I was recovering from brain surgery (I’m fine, thanks!) just six years ago but can see that it’s going to be something I depend on for “down time.” There are plenty of crafts I dabble in and I doubt I’ll let go of any of them; knitting is pretty solid.
Rosann said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
I love to knit. I have been knitting for a long time, but I’m still learning. I have been teaching my 10 yr. old granddaughter to knit for a few years. She has been keeping up.. Last week my daughter -in-law called and said Leigha had been home from school with the flu for a few days. She thought she was sleeping and went into the living room to check on her and she was knitting on the scarf we had started together the last time she was here. She said it was sooo cute to see her. I hope she remembers me later in life when she starts to knit again, just like me who remembers my grandmother teaching me to knit.
Knitting is so relaxing!
Tasha said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
I learned to knit in grad school. I was terribly unhappy in my degree program and just trying to make it to graduation. Night after night, I stayed up extra late working on my first project: a baby blanket for a college friend. After graduation, I put knitting away for a while. I picked it up again after my first child was born. Now, knitting is a way for me to find calm in each stitch. On crazy days, the simple repetition gives me a chance to focus and breathe. The finished objects are wonderful, but for me, the peace lies in the creation. I think that I will always be a knitter, even if I’m not always knitting.
Edna said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
I knit because it relaxes me by taking me away from the daily grind of life. I knit because I love being able to create beautiful things with a couple of sticks and some string. I’m pretty sure I will still be knitting in years to come. It keeps me connected to my mother and grandmother who also knitted and crocheted.
Dorothy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
I knit because I love the feel of the yarns and the fabulous colours. I love creating something…mostly socks…to give as a gift with all this luscious fiber. I have knitted all my life and will continue. While I do other things mostly quilting, I always have a knitting project in process!!!
Michelle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
There’s a Burdicks in Harvard Sq (20 min walk for me) and they have the best white hot chocolate. And lots of yummy treats and cute little chocolate mice and penguins. Love that place but don’t try getting a seat on a Saturday! I’m a life long knitter at this point. Been doing it since I was too young to ever really give it up. I knit for lots of reasons. Extra money knitting samples, to play with new colors and textures, to get nicer clothes than I can find/afford in the stores. Plus I can’t stand to ever just sit. Need to have something more active for my mind than TV.
Laura said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
I knit because it brings me peace. I have knit, on and off, since I was six. The “off” years were the years it wasn’t “cool” though even then, I furtively knit in secret some of the time! I will always knit! I love the socks too much to ever stop again!
Deanna Zinn said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
I will be knitting for life. I’ve just started, and fallen madly in love with the feel of yarn, and all of the different colors and textures that are available. I adore hand knitted items and always have, and am a sock ho and a sweater ho….so, this is just an easy way to feed my addiction. Look for orders from me soon!
Elise said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
I knit because I can’t sit still and watch tv or a movie. And also it feeds my creative side, before I knit so much I used to sew, when I moved several years ago the sewing machine couldn’t come too, so I started knitting. And yes, I think I will knit for life, forever.
Susan said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
1. I knit because I love the feel, look and smell of yarn. Because knitting connects me to women across history. I knit to have a useful completed product to give or keep. It makes me feel productive, relaxed, creative and “earthy”.
2. If I am truly blessed, I will die with my family by my side and needles in my hands.
Helen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
I knit because my mother taught me. It’s my connection to her and I enjoy it. I am planning on teaching my daughter to knit. I was planning on making this her winter project but she had broken her arm and is still experiencing numbness in her hand. For me knitting is relaxing and I enjoy the process. I took a break from age 13 until I was expecting my 2nd child at age 30ish which was 12 years ago. I have been knitting ever since and I have a stash to show for it.
I know I am a knitter for life and I hope I can stay healthy enough to continue until I am done.
Jennifer in SC said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
I knit for the feel of the yarns, the colors. I love the creative process of knitting, crocheting and weaving. I still cross-stitch a little, but mainly knit.
Lifer? Of course! I can’t wear the yarn in it’s skeined state!
Amanda said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
I knit because I love the feeling of taking nothing but string and a couple of sticks and transforming it into something beautiful (well, sometimes it’s beautiful!). It’s so relaxing! I also knit because I love the fibers, I love the colors, I love the textures, it’s obviously the wool fumes!
I’ve been crocheting and/or knitting for the better part of my life now (over 20 years and I’m only 30) so I think I’m a lifer. I can’t imagine not doing it.
AnneS said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
The mice are too cute. I looked at the chocolate company’s website and fell in love with their penguins too. Do’t you think you should consider a small box of chocolate mice for the sock club?
I am a knitter for life, God willing. I learned to knit when i was 7 and have knitted off and on since then. I started back about 5 years ago and don’t intend to stop. I teach knitting to middle school girls in an afterschool program and lead a Wednesday night knitting group at my church. I would love to knitblog or design, but just don’t have the time right now.
I may go back to weaving for a while but I will always be knitting since it is so much more portable.
Knitting lets me be creative which keeps me sane and it gives me something to do with my hands durng lectures, seminars and sermons so I don’t doze off.
Because of knitting I’ve met so many people I would never have gotten to know.
I also have to knit until I die because I have this huge stash to use up.
Carla said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:13 pm
I knit because I have always been in love with color I have woven and painted and many other things but knitting is what is sticking for me so yes, I will knit till the end! I am also in LOVE with the mice!
Jean said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
I’m definitely a knitter for life! The whys, however, are more complicated. I love yarn. I love color. I love the feel, the softness, the watching something great emerge off the needles. I like being able to give my loved ones warm, one of a kind gifts. And it’s so versatile! There’s knitting for every occasion – mindless stockingette for tv watching, mildly interesting but still easily memorized patterns for travel, and the hard stuff you have to concentrate on for when you want to take your mind off other things. I could go on and on!!
Sarah (potterknitter) said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:19 pm
I feel like I’ve already been a knitter for life! I started when I was about 8 and clothed all my dolls in acrylic. Then took a 10 year break and started over in college. I decided one day that I was going to knit socks. No one to tell me that they were supposed to be hard.
Katie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
I knit because I always need something to challenge me and teach me new things. Plus I get really comfy socks out of the deal. I am certainly a lifer – what would I do without my hand knit socks?
Carrie @ Three-Girl Circus said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
I definitely knit for relaxation. I realized that when several people were talking in January about their knitting goals for the year. I knit to escape goals and to do lists….no rush….and the fact that I’m actually creating something useful is just a plus. Why else would I spend three weeks and about $20 to knit a pair of socks when you can buy them at the store for $2 ?!? And yes, I will also be a knitter for life and my five year old is already hooked on finger knitting too!
Jean said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I love to knit and gives me peice of mind and very relaxing with all the neet things you can make. for yourself or to give away which happens all the time. Also you meet a lot of nice people in this world of knitting. Can’t think of doing anything else
Lisa said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I will abbreviate because I don’t want to crash your server with all the reasons why I knit.
I knit because: (1)It is the most relaxing hobby that I discovered. (2) I can enjoy my hobby and still be social. (3) Turning “string” into something functional still feels magical to me. (4) I love giving gifts from the heart. (4) It allows me to delight in color and texture. (5)It makes me so happy!
Knitting is definitely life-long for me. My first knitting teacher was terrible, but I still kept trying until I got it. And I’ve never been able to put the needles down. I try other crafts, but they don’t get me the same tactile and sensory pleasure.
another Michelle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:38 pm
Sheri, That chocolate looks great!
I learned to knit in college and made an afghan and then stopped knitting for many years while trying different things. I’m back to knitting and will keep it up because I find it very relaxing and the yarn is gorgeous!
Joanna in CA said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
I started knitting when I was a kid to prove that I could do it! I have knit off and on for close to 50 years and seriously doubt that I will stop. I enjoy both the process and the product so, hopefully I will be able to make a dent in my stash so that my son won’t inherit too much yarn. I have found that a good side-effect of all my knitting these days is that my arthritis is not ass bad this winter as it has been in the
Karen said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
1 – I knit because I love the act of creating something. I love making things, for me, others and my home.
2 – I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I can’t imagine not having something on the needles.
Joanna in CA said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
oops… past.
I do not like using a laptop with a cat helper…. say hello Harry….meow….
Julianne B said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:45 pm
I knit because I love seeing the project emerge and then having something great a the end that I can wear or use. I have always been a creative person, but oil painting isn’t quite as portable as knitting:)
I feel like with the size of my stash I am now committed( or going to be committed) to a lifetime of knitting just to put a dent in it:)
And I took up spinning, so now I make my own yarn as well as buy it from TLE…. I need to knit faster if anything!!!
Help!!!
Juli Bredestege San Diego,CA
Cathy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
I knit because I love yarn…color, texture, smell, ect. I knit because I love being able to create something beautiful from a ball of yarn. I knit because it connects me to my family history… my mom, grandmother and great grandmother all either knit or crocheted. I knit so I can keep the history going on to my own children. I knit because it keeps me sane! I knit because it connects me to a wonderful group of women every Tuesday night. I AM A LIFETIME KNITTER!
Erica said,
February 18, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
I knit because its a hobby I truly respect. Its so amazing that you can make something as simple as a dishcloth to something so intricate as some of the amazing lace pieces i’ve seen. I love the skill and attention to detail that knitting can offer. I mean, think about what one is creating with yarn…the possibilites are absolutely endless (okay maybe they are endless but look at how many patterns there are on ravelry). I love knitting because there’s more than one element to the knitting, but you can make knitting as simple or difficult if you want. You could spend years finding the perfect yarn, then more years finding the perfect pattern for the yarn. Or you can get instant gratification because of the availability of yarn. I also love starting the project, working through a project, and then looking at the end product and then looking and realizing what you just made, just created.
I definitely will knit forever. I may take a break (whether its days or years) but I know knitting is something that will run through my veins forever. I’ve tried tons of hobbies and after years and years the only two that I still have now are knitting and cooking (okay playing video games and board games too but those don’t count for me). Its something I do get tired of, but its something I always come back to. Its like that novel you read ten times, get sick of it, then a few years later read it ten times more.
Kelly-ann said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
I knit because it can be rewarding, challenging, and relaxing. I love having a craft that allows you produce something usable for any age or gender. I have only been knitting for about 18 months, but I can never imagine not knitting. I had 2nd degree burns on my hand last summer and the first thing I thought of was how am I going to knit!
Christine said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
I knit because I love creating soft colorful knit wear. I love the feel of the yarn through my fingers, and the sense of accomplishment as the piece grows. Also because I really enjoy yarn shopping and it would be silly to buy yarn without knitting it. I am definitely a knitter for life. I’ve been doing it for 20 years and I can’t imagine life without knitting, spinning, and other fiber arts.
nancy said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:03 pm
I knit because I have too. I used to think I was being goofy when i said that but I have come to believe it is true. I will knit as long as I am able to do so. I love the magic of turning yarn into something beautiful and soft. Something that can be comforting, twice. Once for me as I make it and once again for the person who received the gift.
I love the feel of the fiber as it flows thru my fingers and the perfume of the yarn in the sun. Knitting is soothing and reduces your heart rate and makes your brain work. It can keep your mind from worry and yet soothe at the same time. Geez, I really sound goofy, don’t I! I will always knit.
Beaweezil said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
I’m completely a process knitter and it keeps my hands and brain busy. Will I always knit, yes, I think so. I wax and wane a little over the years but I always come back to it.
There’s always a new challenge.
Gayla said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
I knit because I LOVE it. I am a sales VP for a company that depends on consumer spending. We all know how that is going right now, right?
It”s the only thing that keeps me sane right now. It’s something that I do only for me. When people ask me if I can make this or that for them my reply is “of course, I would be happy to make that for you. Just know that it will come when I’m ready to make it.” Knitting is the only thing that I do on a daily basis that is on my own schedule. I LOVE it when I’m asked to make things for people because they like what I create. I learned to knit as a child and I returned to it around 10 years ago. Even though I have other crafts I like to do like jewelry making, knitting is my number one, dessert island favorite.
Kate Hamm said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I actually learned to knit from my mother when I was just out of High School. She learned from her mother & grandmother. So for me it is a continuation of a family tradition of knitters. It is also a need to feel connected to our past. I love the fact that I can relax and be productive at the same time. I really enjoy trying new fibers and colours, it is becoming addictive. =D
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
A knitter-for-life hands down. There will always be new patterns, indie dyers, fibers and accessories to find out about & try.
Maggie said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:20 pm
I knit because of the variety-the beautiful variety of yarns, the huge, vast, mind-wiggling variety of patterns and stitch patterns, the variety of people, and I think I am really a product knitter, who knits for the joy of both the knitting and especially the finished object.
I think I will knit for my whole life. There are things I’ve gotten over but knitting has so many facets to it I don’t think I’ll get over it.
Jane said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:20 pm
I’ll always knit (arthritis permitting) but I’ll also needlepoint and quilt. Keeping my hands busy keeps me out of trouble and my thoughts more to myself!
Jessimuhka said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I knit so I can relax. I’m the hugest multi-tasker, so it used to be really hard for me to sit down and watch a movie, or just chill on the couch in the evening with my guy without getting up every 45 seconds to do something. It’s definitely good for my stress level to just stop sometimes.
I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I do love embroidery still, and want to learn weaving and spinning, but the portability of knitting just makes it too perfect to give up.
Samantha said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
I knot for the relaxation…. well and because I’d always wanted hand knit socks. I actually learned the basics of knitting by making one scarf and then decided I’d figure out the rest with my first pair of socks. I’m so glad I did because I really do love knitting… how peaceful I tend to feel while doing it, choosing colors, fondling different fibers, and in its own way it keeps my mind active. I feel like I never stop learning. I just recently learned that my favorite great grandmother was a knitter (she passed on when I was fairly little so I never learned from her) but I kind of feel closer to her now than I did before. I love that it transcends generations that way. I think I’ll be a knitter for life but it might have to share my time with spinning. =)
Vicki said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:47 pm
If I didn’t knit, I think I would probably have gone insane by now! Between the stresses of work and the “joys” of menopause over the last few years, i don’t know what I would have done without my knitting.
Yes, I am most definitely a knitter for life. I can’t ever imagine not doing it. When I’m not knitting, I’m thinking about knitting or reading about knitting or drooling over gorgeous yarns in magazines and books and online.
Oh, and Ravelry!
Alexis said,
February 18, 2009 @ 10:51 pm
I knit because it makes me feel creative! I spent most of my life thinking I was terrible at anything artistic, but in knitting I’ve found a creative outlet I’m good at! And I love all the beautiful colors in the yarns, and the way the yarn feels in my hands as I’m working. And I love making art that’s actually useful. Yeah, there’s a lot to love!
So I think I’ll probably be a knitter for life. My mom taught me when I was little but I didn’t go far with it until a couple years ago. Now I’ve always got something on the needles and my eyes open for new projects to start next!
Marcia Short said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
I also knit b/c of the beautiful colors and the endless possibility of what the yarn could become. It’s the inner need to create! I also knit b/c it draws me closer to my mom who was a wonderful knitter. I didn’t learn to knit until after she died but it still seems like a connection we have.
I am a knitter for life!
Holly said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:13 pm
Like most people, I knit because I’m independently wealthy and have so much free time on my hands that it only makes sense for me to buy large quantities of yarn and spend weeks knitting a single sweater or pair of socks. What else was I going to do with that trust fund anyway? Leave in the stock market? In this economy?!!? Don’t be ridiculous. Wool is a much more stable investment. I’ll be knitting for life, definitely.
P.S. Please don’t let the fact that I am filthy rich keep you from picking me to win the Wollmeise. Money can’t buy everything, you know!
Kelly said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:24 pm
I knit, sez the old cliche, so I do not kill people.
Okay, obviously I’m kidding. OTOH, it does keep me out of trouble. I’m not the type who can just sit there and do nothing. I’m always fiddling. Fidgeting. Picking at my cuticles and stuff like that. I can drive a person sitting next to me batty if I don’t have something to do. Having a sock or a scarf tucked away, ready to pull out if I have to wait for something or someone is a great way to use up that nervous energy.
I think I’ll be doing it for a long time. After all, I’ve got all that sock yarn you sold me sitting there, blinking at me. I’ve got to do something with it.
turtle said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
i knit because i cannot sit still and do nothing with my hands. before knitting i never made it through a movie…we do not go to the theater because i cannot sit still! At home i can sit and knit and watch the movie and see the entire show! I also knit for the process, the meditative feeling i get, the creation as well as the end result. Since learning (just about 3 years ago) i have taken up spinning and dying as well. yes, this is a lifetime creative effort with it continuously growing….. want fleecy animals next!!
Debbie D said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
I like the peace that knitting gives me; when the day has been nuts and things in life are just not going well – or even if they are – knitting (and sock knitting in particular)really seems to bring things back into line for me. And I, too, think I will be knitting for life – especially since that stash of mine just continues to grow and grow!!
Teenuh said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
I knit because it is relaxing. It is enough of a thought process to keep my mind entertained and it is fun to see a ball of yarn turn into a finished object.
I am definitely a knitter for life. I am hopeful that my baby to be will be interested in learning as well (whether it’s a girl OR a boy!) but even if not, I’ll at least have a smaller person to knit stuff for a few years at least!
Kristi ~ Ohio said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:38 pm
I tried to teach myself to knit in my 20’s. I couldn’t figure of out. There were no LYS, Internet, etc to learn from. I then did cross-stitch and quilting and still do…but 20 years later I wanted to learn to knit socks and I love it. I knit because it is fun, relaxing, and a source of pride when I know my family enjoys the hand knit socks I make them. Knitting is so portable. I never leave home without a knitting bag. I love all the different yarns and patterns available. I will be knitting for life! So much yarn to knit up. And it’s brought me so many wonderful friends… and TLE too!
StephCat said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
1) Why do you knit? Creation, creativity, practicality, the fiber, the textures, the colors
2) I’ve knitted on & off since junior high, doubt I’ll ever give it up
Michelle W K said,
February 18, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
I love knitting. 3 different friends tried to teach me before I finally got it. I love to knit because it is relaxing or could be challenging depending on your mood. I love the fiber and gadgets as well. I am sure I will knit for the rest of my life or until I am blind and can’t see to do it. Lord knows i have enough yarn to last me til then!
Liz said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:00 am
First I knit, then I became a lover of yarn. Now I knit to spend time with the yarn, so to speak. It is fun, relaxing, and rewarding to see a creation bloom. I am certain I am a knitter for life!
Kay said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:04 am
I think I’m a knitter for life. I remember years ago wishing I knew how to knit but I was intimidated by knitting patterns. I knit now to feed my creative cravings and it is very relaxing to me. I also love the social aspect of knitting. In fact, that group of gals from Oklahoma who was in your store a couple of weeks ago…..every single last one of us met in a yarn shop. It is so very special to me to have the friendship but to also share the common bond of knitting…..not to mention how good we are at enabling each other.
Kitten said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:04 am
I started to knit because I wanted to make cute scarves and baby blankets. I still knit because I fell in love with knitting and how it makes me feel when I complete a project. Also, yarn! YUM!
As for whether I’m a knitter for life? I think I am, but I have started other crafts such as sewing and I go back old crafts like cross-stitching.
Sherri said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:14 am
I learned to knit when I was in elementary school. My mom’s best friend taught me the knit stitch, and I made a couple of blankets. Then I stopped for no more inexplicable reason than I didn’t have the resources to buy yarn, and I didn’t have my mentor available to me any longer. My family was never very crafty, and thought something like knitting took away valuable study time.
Years later I now work with a lot of great people who are avid knitters, and I got the bug again. With all the gorgeous yarns, and a LYS that offered a class on knitting socks, I am hooked for life!
I love watching the heel turn on a sock, and how a simple basket weave pattern can show off the lovely colors in a special yarn. I have no end of appreciative recipients to knit gifts for, and there is always someone expecting a bundle of joy that gives me an excuse to make tiny little socks!
With all the stress abounding, I feel grounded when I knit. It’s meditative, relaxing, and produces something of value. I can’t foresee a time when I will ever stop knitting again!
Ellen Hartzler said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:21 am
I knit because it makes me happy. I love the texture of the yarn and the challenge of the patterns. I like the comradery of knitting with friends. I’m a knitter for life.
mariannem said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:41 am
I knit because I like knowing where things come from. It’s wonderful to have things that come from my own hands. And yes, I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I love it.
Donna said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:48 am
I knit because I like the process of creating something from “nothing”. I knit because I love color. And I knit because I love warm cozy things. I just told someone recently that this is a “keeper”. I will knit as long as my fingers will let me – hopefully a good lnog time.
Carla B. said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:55 am
I knit mostly socks right now. They are easy to carry around. But I am working on a sweater for me (Hey teach) and my grand-niece (Reid). I will always be a knitter. I love it. It keeps my hands busy, my mind sharp.
Dana said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:04 am
Wow… deep thoughts.
ha! I like the process, the calming effect of knitting and I love to give knit items as gifts.
1) Inknit because I liken it.
2) I’m pretty sure I’m in it for life. I’ve knit for 19 of my 27 years, so I think it will be for the long run.
Dana said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:05 am
OH… bad typing on that last post… sorry, cat was impeding the process.
Emma said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:19 am
I knit because I like keeping my hands busy. I used to sew a lot until I went to college and didn’t have space to bring my sewing machine with me. Knitting filled that void and I discovered I liked it a whole lot more. I also am happy because knitting has brought me closer to my grandmother and opened a whole new level of our relationship. She lives overseas so we weren’t very close but I feel I have connected with her a lot more now. I am stuck being a knitter for life because now I go crazy without my hands moving!
Jamie I said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:32 am
I think I knit to challenge myself. I started knitting to be different from my mom. I loved being creative, but knitting was the one thing that my mom didn’t do…so that’s what I set out to conquer. It was somewhat lonely, trying and failing so many times at first. I had one lousy book to teach myself and no other way to learn. I kept trying though. I gave up for a while, and let it sit. Finally, I picked it back up one day and caught on. Since then I’ve been trying new things. I am still learning (and think I always will be), but knitting has become an accomplishment for me. It is something that is more personal than making a sweater. That’s why I love it. So many different answers for so many people.
I think that I’ll be a knitter for life. I know that there will be lulls here and there, but in the end, there will still be that urge to challenge myself. I look forward to those challenges.
GinkgoKnits said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:57 am
I knit because otherwise I would eat a lot more chocolate. I’m a fidgeter and it really helps me relax to have something for my hands to do.
I think I’m going to be a knitter for life since I’ve been enjoying it so much since I learned two years ago. I find that not only can it be good spacial reasoning exercise to read patterns and learn new techniques, but that knitting has improved my hand strength so now I no longer struggle to open nearly as many jars!
Dana said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:08 am
I knit for meditation and for relaxation, and because I love the magic of it. There’s nothing like taking some string and sticks and turning it into something beautiful and one-of-a-kind. For me, it doesn’t matter how great a pattern is- I either screw it up or decide to change something, so everything I make is one of a kind! Sometimes I don’t understand a stitch pattern so I’ll just monkey around with it until it looks like I want it to- which is often nothing like the pattern! Haha! I do believe I’m a knitter for life. A while back, my hand was broken, and I kept on knitting anyway. When my doctor took off my splint, she said my fingers were in better shape than anyone she’d seen that soon post-surgery, and when I told her I’d been knitting she smiled and said it was the best therapy I could do, apparently! I don’t let anything keep me from my knitting- I knit sick, well, happy, sad, distracted, focused, etc. It’s just my way of centering myself, and I don’t see myself ever getting to the point where I don’t need or want to do it anymore. Plus, I just love yummy yarn!
Joan said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:25 am
I knit because I can constantly find new challenges
yvonnep said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:42 am
I knit because I like my hands doing a rythmic thing mindless, or not so mindless. I knit because knitting teaches me things about myself, that I can figure out how to knit a difficult pattern, it gives me (self-)confidence and self-appreciation. I knit because I like projects to become finished products and give others or myself pleasure with these gifts.
And yes, therefor I Am a knitter, now and in the future.
Dan said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:54 am
I knit because it’s creative, fun and challenging. I also find it soothing and meditative. And nothing makes a long flight pass faster. I will always knit because of the great variety of techniques to explore.
Lori Bollinger said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:02 am
I will knit for the rest of my life. Knitting is my relaxation among other things. My que on Ravelry is 7 pages long! It will take me the rest of my life to get through it, not to mention what else will come along that I NEED to knit. I can’t wear store bought socks anymore so I have to keep knitting socks for myself. I also hate to waste time and knitting fills up time that would otherwise be wasted. I love to knit!
Melissa said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:15 am
Dear Loopy,
I knit because it “centers” me. During the worst moments of my life having needles and yarn in my hands made me feel able to cope somehow. Besides that knitting opens up new adventures for me. I’ve tried new yarns, experimented with new pattern and made new friends through knitting. I’ve been knitting since I was 12 and I’ll be 53 tomorrow so there’s no doubt I’m a knitter for life. As a matter of fact I can’t imagine my life without knitting.
Wendy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:33 am
I am a knitter on a genetic level. It is in my DNA. I knit because I am.
Jen said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:10 am
I knit because I can. I knit because it’s one of the most enjoyable things I know how to do. I knit because I get to hang out with all my cool knitter friends who I would not have known otherwise if it weren’t for this hobby. I am definitely a knitter for life.
Mary Anne said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:31 am
I knit because it doesn’t take any batteries! Knitting is just two sticks, string and me. I don’t need an owner’s manual for it. I can knit anywhere, without electricity or other power source. If I make a mistake, it’s mine. It’s not that the system crashed or the server is down. I’ve been knitting for 45 years, so I suppose I’ll be knitting forever. I wonder if there is knitting in heaven? Mary Anne
Abby said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:40 am
I think I knit for a combination of process and product. Mostly product, though. I always am thinking “I want this to be done so I can wear it” or something to that effect, although I really enjoy seeing the fabric grow beneath my needles. =)
I was actually wondering the other day if I’d be a knitter for life. I tend to go through phazes, although I think that knitting is something that won’t be phazed out, even if it sits in the background for a little while.
Arlene said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:48 am
I’ve been a quilter for 30 years and have come to the knitting world rather late in life (I’m 59), but it has quickly become a passion for me. For me, knitting just offers such immediate gratification – I love seeing the pattern emerge from whatever I’m working on at the moment and usually have trouble stopping what I’m doing (the “just one more row” syndrome!) And the fibers – oh, the fibers! What bliss! I plan to keep knitting forever – just too many sock patterns I need to try and too much yarn I must own to imagine ever giving it up.
Robin said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:49 am
I knit for many reasons. I like to keep my hands occupied. I’m a tactile person and the feel of the yarn and the colors it comes in are highly enjoyable.
It’s hard to read the future, but the way my stash is going I’m going to have to knit for a lifetime! It doesn’t help that I love to shop either!
Knitting is a way to relax, to have fun, to keep busy, to create, and I absolutely adore it.
Connie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:59 am
I knit for many many reasons, but I think the biggest reason is internal peace. I love all aspects of it and cannot imagine ever stopping. I am definitely a process knitter.
Doris said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:15 am
(1), I knit because it’s one of the ways in which I express me. (2), I have been knitting since I was in 5th or 6th grade, I know I am a knitter for life. Like you I cross stitched so much that I have a rubbermaid tub in my closet filled with finished unframed items. All in all I love to, have to, need to knit, hope I don’t sound too wierd!
suzanne said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:07 am
I knit for so many reasons–I started b/c I was home w/ small children and needed something to do that STAYED DONE! So much of childcare is Sisyphean–change a diaper, change it again in an hour, wipe a nose, wipe it again in an hour. Always pushing that rock up the hill only to have it roll back down.
My knitting never undid itself!
Knitting is so gentle and creative–its not a strain to make things, and lovely things can be created in those small pockets of time we all have–soccer practice, drs office. Its a creative hobby but not a demanding one–I can just follow a pattern and with time and effort something appears.
I think I am a knitter for life. Knitting has so many facets and applications, and I love the company of other knitters (I think knitters are NICER!) I’ve been knitting for about 6 years and I still knit almost every day, even though now I have work and other demands on my time.
Knit on!
Janine said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:09 am
I taught myself to knit as a teenager, but I didn’t really become a knitter until I met my husband. Back then he did a lot of traveling, and knitting was portable, entertaining, and something productive I could do while he was away from the campground. Over time, his hobbies changed and so did mine, but I never left knitting for long. It’s something I do now because it’s part of who I am, and I can’t imagine ever giving it up. Just the thought of not being a lifetime knitter gives me the shivers!
Syd T. said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Why do I knit? Might as well ask me Why do I breathe!
Jessi said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Hmm- I knit because it’s something to do and I love yarn, and I love the feeling of brilliance that I turned string into something real. I actually started knitting because I love yarn so much but never did anything much with it- this was a way to use yarn! (of course, then yarn was limited to “red heart” and I’d make god’s eyes or pom poms with it! Knitting has expanded my yarn love!)
I think I’ll be a lifelong knitter. I didn’t know knitting was cool when I started it- I was the only person I knew who knitted, though I taught many of my friends, and then in the next year or so it was suddenly everywhere! I got frustrated with it 2 years ago and went on a hiatus where in that time I only made a hat and a scarf, but I came back to it, so I imagine it will be much like that. It will go in times where it’s all I do, and times where I do some, but I can’t imagine it going away completely.
Kathy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:25 am
I have been knitting since childhood (many, many years!) and hope to remain able to do so for the remainder of my life. Quite honestly, I think there will be knitting in heaven too!
The reasons I knit are plentiful. For me, it is the best way to express the creative side. I love color, texture and how wonderfully they work with each other in a pattern. The process itself brings a tranquility like no other. My days are planned while knitting; problems are solved while knitting and the stress of the day taken away. I also consistently work with non-fiber related media (glass and metal). Although I enjoy these processes, they pale when compared to knitting.
Yes, I am a knitter for life.
Jeanne said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:36 am
I first took up knitting because it was something that my then teenage daughter and I could do together and it still is a strong bond between us today (she’s 22) which I am so grateful for. I also knit because it is meditative for me and I’ve gotten to the point with my basic sock pattern that I could do it with my eyes closed! And I too, just like to give gifts that I have invested my time and talents in. It’s way better than “stuff” I might buy at a store and don’t often put any thought in to! And yes, I think I’ll be a knitter for life, except for the times I have to rest my wrists due to problems with tendonitis. Does anyone else experience this? How do you take care of it?
Kathy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:49 am
My mother tried to teach me to knit as a child. It didn’t stick. I started knitting regularly about 4 years ago when my youngest daughter took an afterschool knitting class. It was something that we could do together. I still knit, she does not knit with regularity. My mother also passed away about the same time I picked up the needles, so my siblings just think that it is a way for me to carry on the family tradition. I almost always have a small project with me, socks or mittens, which is great because I am always waiting for some one to finish soccer practice or a scout meeting. I will be a life long knitter as long as my eyes and hands are working.
Rita said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:52 am
I knit daily because I physically need to. It relaxes me and allows my brain to release all the lists, to-dos, and stresses of life. It’s also the one thing where I can control the outcome. I get anxious, nervous, and jittery if I don’t knit daily. My husband thinks it’s hilarious.
Christine said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:54 am
I have this addicting nature. When I was into scrapbooking, I had to have all the new tools and papers. Now that I’m into knitting, I have to have all the beautiful yarn! (Thank goodness I’m not into drugs – yet!) So, I knit because I have to use up the yarn I have so I can buy more! Seriously, I cannot imagine what my life was like before I picked up knitting. What did I do while waiting for my turn at the doctor’s office or waiting my daughter to be done with hockey practice? I’m still scrapbooking so I will guess that I’ll be knitting for the rest of my life unless a disability occurs where I’m not able to knit anymore!
Brenda said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:57 am
I first started knitting when fun fur scarves were all the craze. I was happy with that, but I took one class (top-down sweater) with my sister-in-law and a friend and I was hooked. In the past few years, there have been many challenges in my life. Knitting has helped me get there those times. There is a line in Finding Nemo when Dorie tells Nemo’s Dad to “Just keep swimming.” My sister-in-law and I have changed that to “Just keep knitting.” and I think that will be my mantra for the rest of my life.
Sharon said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:58 am
I knit for the relaxation, but also for the challenge. I knit because I like to hang out with my knitting friends. I knit because I like yarn. I knit because I like the finished products. I think I will be knitting my whole life — always new patterns and challenges out there. Also, I have enough yarn to last me until I die and beyond!
Patty said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:00 am
I knit for various Charities…always have and always will
Julie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:01 am
I knit because I can be productive even when I am relaxing. It is nice to have a finished usable product as a result of such an enjoyable thing. I love to knit complicated patterns too – it is like doing a jigsaw puzzle but then having something to show for it at the end, that I don’t have to take apart and put back in the box.
I am a knitter for life. I may drop out for a little while and do other things like quilting or cross stitch but then I always seem to come back to knitting.
Terri said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:03 am
I knit because it is relaxing and challenging at the same time. I only wear handknit socks, so a knitter for life is what I will be. Actually, the thought of not being able to knit is heartbreaking.
Theresa said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:07 am
I do think I’ll always be a knitter. I love having something to do with my hands when I am otherwise unoccupied, like watching TV or waiting for something.
When I am upset or edgy or nervous, knitting helps me calm down and focus in a way that other activities like reading or watching TV don’t.
And, the best part is all the fabulous yarn and finished objects!
Lulynn Foster said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:22 am
I began knitting “young”, put it away after the birth of my children. Then occasionally would pick it up again. Several years ago I was once again bitten by the “knitting” bug. I will be a knitter for life. It is very portable. I can knit at stop lights, waiting to pick up grandchildren and on long car trips. If I could find a way to knit while driving-I would. I still quilt- but not as much as I knit. I certainly like the fibers, colors and the feel of the yarn in my fingers and of course the finished product. Like other commenters- it is a very satisified feeling to see someone wearing your work and the comments they relay. Knitting is very relaxing, what a great stress reliever, so therefore I can’t imagine my life without knitting.
Wannietta said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:29 am
I am a Natural Born Knitter – it runs through my veins, the love of it pulses with my heart beat and it flows freely from my fingers.
I knit because I am a knitter – I love the feel of the yarn around my fingers, seeing the fabric growing off of the needles and the sense of accomplishment when the project is complete.
I love the process but I also need a project – swatching is all good if it has an end purpose.
I can’t imagine ever not being a knitter; the very thought of it makes me shaky and I can almost feel my soul dying.
Tanya said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:30 am
Why do I knit? To relax mostly. I love the feeling of creating something as well.
Will I be a life-long knitter? I think so. It’ll take me that long to work through the stash.
Alice said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:36 am
I knit because I totally love it. I am not a very crafty person, but I am able to knit. I love drooling over such beautiful yarns. I love petting such beautiful yarns. I love the feel of the yarn as I am knitting. I have crocheted for almost 20 years, but only learn to knit less than a year ago. I learn to knit just so I could make socks. I am on pairs 8 and 9 right now. There is so much I wanna knit. There will never be enough time to do it all. I am definitely a knitter for life. If I didn’t give up crocheting for 20 years, then there is no way I am giving up knitting. I will enjoy them both forever.
MaryEllen said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:44 am
I haven’t been knitting for all that long (well, almost 10 years now that I think of it…) but in that time It has become such a big part of who I am. I can’t even remember a time when I could watch TV without having something to keep my hands busy.
I knit because I enjoy the challenge of learning a new technique, yet knitting is relaxing too. I love daydreaming about new projects, and sometimes it helps me get to sleep at night to think about things I am working on (is that weird?) Knitting is a way for me to express myself creatively and a personal way to show my family/friends how much I care by knitting something just right for them.
I can’t imagine not being a Knitter.
Barbara in NH said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:46 am
Why do I knit – hmmmm. I love everything about knitting – the feel of the yarn, its colors, having your stitches make something come to life. It really is magical turning the heel on a sock and it thrills me everytime! I love to knit because it’s relaxing and gives me something to do in the car, at soccer games, at meetings, at Taekwondo matches for my sons. And I’m absolutely a knitter for life. I was taught to knit by my older sister and my aunt when I was 5 or 6 – I’m sure to give me something to do and get me out of their hair! My sister was 14 years older than me and a fabulous knitter. I couldn’t imagine NOT knitting!
Linda said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:50 am
I knit for my sanity, or at least that’s what it feels like right now. It’s portable, which allows me to find time at least once each day to work on a few stitches and sneak in some creative time in a day without much wiggle room as far as the schedule goes. I view it as my quiet, me time, and I love it. I think I will be a knitter for life, as there are so many different possibilities and options to explore.
Danielle said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:52 am
I knit because it is an anti-stress for me. I also like to concentrate on nothing but the stitches, great for relaxing the mind, I also like the feeling of the wool, the great colors. I am knitting less now than the last years and I am also much slower but I think I will continue knitting, because I still love it and bisodes, I must knit my huge stash!
Danielle
Nancy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:54 am
I knit for many reasons: the calmness it brings, the creative outlet I need (less fattening than baking!), the portability of the craft, and the joy of my family asking for handknit socks. as long as my hands and eyes permit, I believe I will be a life long knitter, even if the knitting has slow periods. I have a stash that needs to be fed, maintained, and rotated. and it gives me the constant argument to my DH that at least my hobby is a productive one that yields tangible, useful things for the family.
Max said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:59 am
I knit because I enjoy the feeling and look of natural fibres, such as wool, slipping through my hands. I enjoy seeing something take shape stitch by stitch. I also like wearing my latest knitwear creations. I have knit for about 15 years, so I think I will knit for life, but I go through phases of greater or lesser production. Sometimes I knit complex patterns, but I also enjoy knitting while reading a book so I can churn out the simple sweaters and socks.
Cin said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:00 am
I knit because I love holding yarn, and because I get fidgety. My hands start itching for something to do if I don’t have my knitting around. I’ll be knitting for life – this is obsession!
Valorie Ryan said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:08 am
I knit because it is relaxing and calms my mind. I like the challenge of actually finishing a pair of socks, sweater, hat, etc… Knitting is so addictive, the stitches, colors and textures of the yarn are intoxicating. And yes, I will be a knitter for life. I suppose my stash will out live me.
Janet said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:10 am
I knit because it gives me a peace of mind. It helps me to relax and focus on just what I am knitting at that moment. I don’t think about all the other worries in my life when I take some yarn and needles into my hands. I will definitely be a kntter for life. It is the thing I do which gives me the greates pleasure. I am always trying to step up my game and take on a new and interesting project. Bottom line is…I knit because I enjoy it so much!
Kristina B said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:15 am
I started knitting because I got bored at work one day (really slow quick stop coffee joint), and decided that I had two pencils and some string. Looked it all up online and then went from there.
I knit because I like the ability to control my surroundings, and there is nothing like knitting, because you can control how everything turns out simply by adding increases and decreases. I like to be able to create functional objects, and this is why knitting is a lifetime hobby for me, because there will always be people that need scarves or socks.
Based upon my current stash, I think I could knit for the rest of this life and possibly into the next one.
So yes, I suppose I will be knitting for life. And since companies keep coming out with yummy squooshiness, I am also certain that the acquisition period for yarn will never end.
Lisa said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:16 am
I knit because I enjoy making things and knitting is so portable! I really hope I’ll continue knitting for the rest of my life.
Sarah W said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:21 am
I only started knitting in a serious way in the last year. I don’t know what I did with my hands before then. I knit because I always have to be *doing* something and because I am crazy impatient. Knitting is calming, uses some serious brain power, and produces something beautiful. I think I am a knitter for life. I am addicted to the fact that I can make warm, wooly things that fit and are intensely more beautiful than something you can buy in a store. I have wonderful daydreams of being an old woman in a rocking chair (without all my current responsibilities) doing nothing but knitting, knitting, knitting. I am looking forward to being old just for this reason!
valerie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:33 am
i started knitting when i was little because it was something my grandmother and i could do together. then i stopped. i picked it up again because i couldn’t think of what to give my then-boyfriend’s parents for christmas and decided everyone needs a scarf, right? anyhoo, i got the bug again and made some mittens and then branched out to socks and it just haven’t stopped.
so, i’m pretty sure this is for life. i like keeping my hands busy while wasting time wading through my netflix queue.
Alex said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:44 am
I knit because it relaxes me, because I can take it on the bus, because it is complex and mindless, easy and hard. The binary of knit/purl is fascinating. Throw in yarn overs, increases and decrease to turn a two dimensional landscape into a full blown 3 dimensional wonderland. Knitting is Art and craft. It can be frivolous but in its soul, knitting is practical, useful. Short projects give near instant gratification. Long projects gift their maker with a sense of accomplishment. Knitted objects leave the house to a lifetime of usefulness with friends, relative, co-workers’ babies, and strangers in need. With knitting, I can do for others and for myself.
Sadly I am probably not a knitter for life. Twenty years ago I would have sworn by my crochet hooks, now their luster seems dull. Before that cross-stitch was my mantra. (Knitting was a side-bar then.) I’ve switched from embroidery to calligraphy, sewing to flame working. Often staying with a craft for years, there’s comes a time where I need to stray. Yet to some crafts I always return. With knitting it took 25 years, but back I am again. Please pass the yarn.
Suellen said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:51 am
I started knitting when I was 7 years old, and at 54, I’m still going strong, so I’d say I’m a knitter for life. I knit for the relaxation, for the creativity, and because, really, it’s a part of me. I can’t NOT do it – it’s me. I like to try new things, and every year I set new goals for myself.
As I grow older, I also see the value in keeping my mind engaged and forcing myself to face new challenges. Hopefully that will hold off the slowdown!!!
Rosi G. said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:53 am
I knit because I love creating the knit fabric with my hands and two pointy sticks. Seeing the knitted item develop and then finished is very satisfying to me. Not to mention that I feel naked without my knitting.
I believe I’m a knitter for life now. Although I learned when I was about 8, I picked it up and put it down for years. Until like 7 years ago, I picked it back up and never put it down again!! Knitting for me means ME time, which with 4 kids and a hubby it’s very difficult to get ME time.
Dr. Jackie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:54 am
Why do I knit? I can hardly remember. My grandmother taught me when I was 4 years old. Even then it seemed miraculous to me that you could take a single strand and make something wonderful with just a minimum of techniques. I’ve always been a “do-er” rather than a “think-er”, and this was something I could always “do”. My Barbie doll had a gourmet wardrobe, all knit (and…ahem…crocheted).
Through many years I have always turned to knitting for creativity, relaxation, and keeping my hands busy. Even made some money in college and grad school knitting sweaters for people.
Knitter for life? Well, after 50-plus years so far I most certainly am! And judging from the size of my stash, I may be knitting for my next several lives too!
andi adams said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:55 am
I knit because my mom is dying. I learned how when i was a child but didn’t pick it up again until she got sick a couple years ago. Now I am staying at her house and she is on hospice and the KNITTING keeps me from EATING everything in site. so the knitting comforts my mind from the sadness and keeps me from becoming an 800 pound shut-in because of all of this stuff….
i think i am a knitter for life now. seeing how much it has helped me manage my depression and anxiety (along with loads and loads of pharmaceuticals hahahah) makes it worth it…
thank you!
Kathy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:57 am
I knit b/c I have always enjoyed the slow creative miracle of seeing a length of fiber turn into a sollid substantial item, whether a sock, a sweater or something in between. Tthe colors and variety–especially now, as opposed to the olden days when Red Heart tiny skeins and big ones were a riot of vareigated and solids, and Dazzleaire was as daring as anyone could imagine—are enough in themselves to inspire a stash untouched by time.
And I will always knit, as I have since my late great Mom taught me in 4th grade. At Christmas time, I sometimes use her old needles to make decorations for tree or packages, and it’s like a warm touch of her own hand on mine. And I will always do needlepoint, crewel and cross stitch as well. I find that each of these complements my knitting in some ways, as my fingers re more nimble or aware, or simply find joy in other stitching exercises. how lucky we all are to find kniting and other handicrafts that bring us joy even in tough times. None of us will ever be bored—or run out of socks to wear or give.
C said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
I’m a knitter for life. There have been, and will be “extended vacations”, but as long as I can, I will.
Jordi said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I am pretty sure I am a knitter for life since I have been knitting for about 55 years now, though there were some breaks, I still have yarn I bought on my first trip to Italy in 1980 waiting for the perfect pattern …sigh.
I knit for different reasons at different times. If I am trying to avoid something that is driving me crazy I will embark on some complex project that requires my full attention, but if there is a tv show I want to see but don’t want to just sit there is ALWAYS a sock somewhere needing a bit of work. I hope to finish my stash in the next 100 years…
Natalie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
I love knitting because otherwise I am highly strung anxious person. Knitting calms me down, keeps me centered, and helps quell the raging feelings that I ought to be doing something productive. If I’m knitting, it’s okay to sit quietly or watch TV and if I’m not knitting I have a hard time just relaxing. Because of this, I’m pretty sure I’m a lifetime knitter. I have dabbled with lots of other projects, but knitting is so versatile and useful that I always come back to it. Plus, you can never have to many handknit socks!
Christine said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
geee……I knit because it relaxes me……not that you need to have this ot knit to relax, but I have MS, and it’s always good to relax, if that is what I perceive to need to not have an event happen.
BUT I’ve been knitting since I was 10! and am now 54. I have always knit, not constantly thru the years, but when young, then when in college, then babies, and now! and the things I do now are more experimental…testing the felting process and different yarns’ percentages, trying a lace pattern, trying a new technique. I suspect I will always knit or crochet, but since I used to quilt, I’m feeling guilty for leaving the fabric room alone for the last few years. Maybe I will quilt again in the future..but the eyesight! ewww….well, I can at least knit without looking with some of those patterns.
Brenna said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
I knit for many reasons.
I love handmade items. I get a sense of accomplishment when I finish a project. I have excitement when I start a new project. I love yarn. I don’t have restless energy if I sit and knit. I love the process and the finished objects. I challenge myself with new items. It keeps me sane many days.
I will be a lifetime knitter. I have tried many, many other crafts but I keep coming back to knitting (and sewing but it is useful too). It soothes me through the hard times and is a comfortable friend when life is good.
amy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I will always be a knitter! I started at about age 10, and 30plus years later, I cannot imagine life without knitting. I knit for sanity, for creativity, for love, for the fascination of watching a ball of string become a beautiful piece of art. As my husband says, at least with my hobby/obsession, I end up with useful results!
Gini said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I started to knit after I got ovarian cancer. It’s been nine years since so I think the mojo of knitting is working.Listen up Susan, we are on the right track with our knitting. I love the anticipation of the potential of yarn, its all so addictive and fun. Loopy Ewe does a fabulous job of suppying my habit, what a country!!! I will be knitting on , you can’t bottle what knitting does for me in calming me and I have NEVER met a knitter that didn’t add to my life.
Elaine said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
I’m told that I learned to knit when I was 3 or 4; I don’t remember that process. My Grandmother taught me, and because she didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Italian, it was a perfect way for us to get to know and love each other. It has become my passion; I love the yarns, the colors, the textures, the patterns, the variations, the sheer creativity of it all. I knit mostly for others, as one-of-a-kind gifts, or for charities, and that feel-good feeling certainly cannot be denied. A lifelong knitter? Absolutely! I’ve been knitting for 60+ years and see no reason to stop now or anytime soon. Plus, I’m a tad embarrassed to say I have achieved SABLE status. So much yarn, so little time…….
Jessey said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
I knit to save my sanity. I have several anxiety disorders, and life as a grad student in NYC is often wayyyyyyyy too much for me. It never fails to amaze me how simply handling luscious yarn and smooth wooden needles can bring me back to myself (or how bad it can be when I get carpal tunnel during exam week, in the middle of Christmas knitting). I knit to give tactile reminders of my love to those who are most important to me. And I knit so that, every day when I get dressed, I can wear something that is special to me, that contains my time, effort and passion. I can’t imagine ever not knitting – even when I do pick up other crafts, they may interest me, but they don’t fulfill me the way knitting does.
April said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
I knit to fill the world with beautiful things. I think I will for life.
Yvonne said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
I started knitting about 6 years ago because of my dad. My dad was saying he was feeling cold alot more. So I decided to knit for him. My 1st knitting project was going to be a blanket (a queen size blanket) . This took me close to a year to finish.It was so nice and dad loved it. I made it in his favorite color(all different blues) and it kept him warm. I then knitted him a throw for his lap when he was sitting on his leather chair watching T.V. or reading the paper. Also caps, and scarfs.He would always watch me knit. When my dad had to go to the hospital for test he had to have that blanket and the FOOD CHANEL on cable (funny guy).
I lost my dad about a year ago and I just couldn’t knit for about 8 to 8 1/2 months. My mind couldn’t do it. Well I have started to knit again and I know dad is watching me so I will knit for life. I started to knit for a loved one and will always knit for many loved ones.
Diane said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
I knit because there is always a new challenge, a better pattern, a newer yarn, fresh ideas, beauty in every stitch and total excitement from the people around you knitting also. I still find it amazing that I can knit socks that are just awesome and they have come from the movement of my fingers.
I am addicted to yarn and knitting and will knit for the rest of my life:-))))))))))))))!!!!!!I LOVE IT!
Tracy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I knit because it’s relaxing and is also portable (compared to quilting – my other big craft). I think that yes, I’ll be a knitter for life, but I expect my interest to wax and wane along with my quilting. I feel like I need to be sure to balance knitting with other things because I do have some mild arthritis in my hands right now and I don’t want to knit so intensely in the near future that I lose the opportunity to knit over the long term (I have a friend who can no longer knit because of arthritis
– I feel so bad for her because she misses it so much).
Knitting also feels like a connection to my grandmother who first taught me and at 93 is still knitting
Joannah said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
I began to knit during a rough patch during my early 20s. It helped me get through then, it has seen me through many bad and good times since then. It helps with stress and it helps me remember I am creative no matter what the situation.
I expect I will be knitting for life, or at least as long as I can. Judging from my stash, I expect a long life full of knitting!
Jamie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
Knitting is my meditation. It allows me to think, process, relax etc…
I have learned patience and when to suck it up and figure a way around a problem.
I use it to multi-task, I know when I can and I knit during the numerous meetings at work. I find I retain the information better and can actually contribute positive responses to items on the adjenda.
Knitting makes me happy.
Knitting allows me a chance to give something of passion to the people I love.
Knitting is a part of my life and I am inspired by the numerous creative people I have met on this journey.
Jamie
Lauren J said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
I knit because I like to make something with my own hands. I work in an office all day, rarely producing anything tangible that I can see. It’s a creative outlet for me and a way to relax. Added bonus: it gives me something to do while my BF plays video games; we spend down time together doing things we like and just talking.
I’m a kntiter for life. I imagine that it comes in phases. I didn’t knit at all after my brother passed away but I slowly am returning. I enjoy knitting for others and I think that it helps me connect with the past. There is something immensly historical about the process. When I knit something for someone else (or myself), it is quite fulfilling.
Karen said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
I began knitting shortly after 9/11. I really needed something to relax after work and just in general. I was working for a horrible man and everything just made me jump and a friend suggested knitting. I went to a NY Cares charity event that was making baby blankets and if you pardon the pun, I’ve been hooked ever since. I don’t think a day has gone by that I haven’t picked up a pair of needles to knit a stitch and now spin some yarn. My only regret, that I didn’t let my grandmother teach me how to knit when I was young and she can’t see (but can feel, she’s lost her sight) the work that I’ve been doing with sticks and string. I know that I’m a knitter for life and the friends that I have made due to knitting will be for life as well.
Nancy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
I knit because it just feels right. The needles, yarn, patterns, stitches… And it comes together into something beautiful. Right now, I am fully in knitter mode, I expect I’ll go back between knitting and quilting, I always have. But right now knitting is the thing! I can watch TV, pick up a row here or there, and the yarns are so wonderful now that I’ve found Loopy!
Frances said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
I started knitting because I wanted a new hobby and a way to make new friends. This was definitely the way to achieve that. I keep knitting because I love it – it gives me something to focus on, something to do with my hands. I love that I am contsantly learning new things and that there are so many things to try with knitting. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to knit through all the patterns or yarn that I’ve accumulated, but I plan to knit for life.
Karla said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Knitter for life! I love the process. I love creating something that I can give to others. I can’t wait until my 2-year old daughter is old enough that I can teach her to knit. She already watches me and rolls up little balls of yarn. : ) Right now, my stash takes up more space than her toys, but we will just have to see how that goes!
Faith Howarth said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
I knit for the process. I find it very relaxing and I love the feel of the yarn. I also like the fact that I can give my items as gifts and to charity. It makes the expense of my hobby less because it also fulfills others needs to be warm. I also love the community of knitters and especially the ones I’ve become friends with. I am disabled and without my online friends I would be very lonely. I definitely am in it for life. I have tried everything else and this is a keeper.
Trista said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I knit for the soul connection it gives with my head voice. It brings me together as a person. Love the feeling! I also connect with the artistry of knitting. It is a genuine artistic pursuit that I am darn good at, and so I do it because it pleases me to be making (practical) art that I like. I am a knitter for life, I hope.
Malin said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
I’ve been knitting on and off since I was a child so I definitely think that I’m a knitter for life. Considering how much sock yarn I have I’d better be
I knit to relax and to create beautiful things, and I certainly live in a climate that makes woolly things a necessity for a large part of the year. I love to *make things*, to work with my hands. My day job is rather abstract (computer programming and such) so I guess knitting is a sort of opposite of that, the creation of something “real”.
MIchele said,
February 19, 2009 @ 2:54 pm
I knit to keep my hands and mind busy and off of my job. I am totally going to knit for life-I learn new things every time I make something else. I love the finished, and unfinished WIP’s, and love seeing someone’s face when I give them something I made.
Jennifer said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
I knit for many reasons. I love making something I or someone else can wear, so I guess I’m really a project knitter rather than a process knitter. that said I do love that it gives me something to do and relaxes me when I need it to. I think I am hooked for life. I’ve been knitting for 20+ years. I stopped for three when I went back to school, but picked it back up immediately after.
the mice are too cute.
Jenny T said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:14 pm
It keeps me sane! I’m a process knitter who likes to re-do things until I get it right. It’s nice to know that mistakes can be corrected, and I can keep trying until I’m satisfied. It’s also nice to have control in this aspect of my life, having two school age children and a workaholic hubby. I learned early on to never work on a deadline.
I better be in this for life b/c I have more yarn than I could possibly knit in two lifetimes. And there’s always a new technique to learn!
Sarah F. said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
I knit because I have a bit of creativity in me (just a bit!) and knitting is the one craft that really grabs me, and enables me to let that creativity loose! Plus my grammy taught me years ago, and even though she’s now gone, I’ve got her knitting books, needles, etc…. so it’s like carrying on a tradition (or something).
I hope knitting is for my lifetime, ’cause I think I’ll need that long to use up my ever-growing stash
. I look forward to retirement for all the extra kntting time!!
Catrina said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
I started knitting two years ago after my sister-in-law gave me a “start-up kit” as a Christmas present. I find it allows me time to relax and be creative while fully enjoying trying different yarns and learning about color. I love learning new techniques and finding new patterns. It allows me to really personalize gifts to friends and family.
I feel this is the first “real” hobby/past-time I’ve had in a L-O-O-O-N-G time, and I can’t imagine not knitting from now on forward . . .
Thanks for asking the questions, Sheri!
Loide Wasmund said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
Hi Sheri!
I knit because I can’t help myself! I looove squishy soft gorgeous yarn!! And I like creating things out of it. I also enjoy sharing knitting with my 2 daughters when they will stop their busy lives long enough! I will probably knit as long my hands and eyes hold out.
Amy Jo said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
I knit because I like the process and the materials. The process of a sock or a sweater and the steps they involve are satisfying to follow. I think I’ll knit for as long as I can. I sometimes go days without knitting due to other committments, but I’ll come back to the project excited for what is next.
Joan said,
February 19, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
I really got into the whole process of knitting about 5 years ago when my twins were born. I needed something just for me to do for me when they were sleeping and I couldn’t… something small but productive so I could stop and start it and see the progress (unlike laundry… oy!). So I started knitting socks and I’m addicted to wearing handknit socks.
I think knitting takes the edge off of whatever is bothering me. I don’t know if it’s because of the repetition, the feel of the wool… I don’t know but it is positively mesmerizing. And these days, that’s okay with me.
I do think this is a long term “hobby. — if the sock in my purse is any evidence!!
Eileen said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
I knit because I have to. It allows me to sit and watch tv or movies with my family, keeps me occupied on long commutes so I don’t get bus sick, and satisfies my need to create something tangible. It is probably the best form of relaxation I have ever found (except for color-work…which I’m just learning).
I think I will be a forever knitter because there is always something new to learn or make. I can’t imagine not wanting the outlet and comfort it provides for me.
Sandy Lewis said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
I had put my knitting down years ago, but took it up again several years back because the opportunity to knit for charity presented it self. I love television and knitting keeps my hands busy and I accomplish something while watching. I also knit so that when I’m no longer here, there will be items for my family to remember me by. I suppose they will remember, too, that I have knitting with me most of the time. I knit to relax………..I knit in meetings…..I knit to take my mind off worries…… I knit in the car……I knit in the quiet of an afternoon.
I believe I will always knit. I love the way the beautiful yarns of today feel and the many options we have now. Knitting is a way of life for me. I love the way it lets me wander off in my mind.
Carol said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
I knit because it’s frequently soothing – we moved into temporary housing recently and my husband had to make a special trip to storage because my current knitting projects had been packed by the movers (by mistake). Hubby couldn’t stand me – he claims I was figitty :>. I also find it relaxing and challenging, when I want it to be. That’s why I also have three project going – all of different levels of difficulty.
I’ll be a knitter for life – I’ve been knitting for about 20 years now and I’d like to at least make a dent in my existing stash. .But I also agree with my aunt – part of the pleasure of hobby is shopping for it! I’ve learned that lesson well. I also love the beauty of knitting fibers, all the wonderful tools we have to choose from and the great friends I’ve found from knitting.
Sharilyn said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:38 pm
I knit because it fulfills both my right brain and left brain — I love the artistry and I love the mathematical precision of following/creating patterns. And yes, I’m in this for life. It’s good to have a passion — it fuels the soul.
Emily said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
I knit because I love fiber arts and I love being able to touch and work with so many beautiful yarns. I knit because it is relaxing and soothing and I feel less guilty when I’m parked in front of a bad tv show (that I secretly love to watch). I knit because I love handmade things, and I love creating handmade things. I knit because I hope to someday have a daughter and I want to make her things, and I hope I can also teach her how to knit. I knit because I love it.
I’ll be a knitter for life. I’m self-taught and I was hooked on the first day, and knew I would not give up this craft. I do go through phases with it and have had some downtime over the years, but I always come back to it and I hope I always will.
Sherry said,
February 19, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Eww on the nails. How does she go to the bathroom?
I knit because I love all the beautiful colors of the yarn. Because I can still be with my family instead of sitting in front of a sewing machine. Because of all the beautiful projects I can make. And I will be a Knitter for life!!
Janet said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
I knit because……. I saw the sleeves in your pi shawl and had to learn to knit, still haven’t made it. Yet. Now because I like hand knit socks, something I can take everywhere to keep my hands busy. There is all those beautiful handpaints. I will be a knitter for life, how else will I have enough socks.
Grace said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:16 pm
I have a ton of reasons why I knit, I love the textures of the different yarns I use, I like getting something out of it (although, really, how many hats and scarves does one person need? Socks, on the other hand, you really cannot have too many of. Especially in Chicago!), but I think the main reason is that I don’t like to have my hands to be idle. Really, it borders on OCD! And, definately, I am a knitter (plus crocheter, embroiderer, cross-stitcher and sewer) for life! I love handcrafts!
Margaret said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
To me knitting is for life. I have done every hobby/craft there is. Knitting has been the only one that I think about constantly. I love the feel of the yarn through my fingers. Knitting socks is mesmorizing. It is the only time that my mind is completely blank. I love seeing the look on someone’s face when they receive a handknit item from me. Most importantly, knitting is comfort. It makes me feel safe and warm.
Dixie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
Back in the days when little girls wore dresses to school, I sewed for my daughters. I learned to knit when I was pregnant with my son. Life got busy, knitting came to an end for 20+ years, and then my grandchildren started arriving, so I picked it up again. Now I can’t envision ever stopping. The yarns are so much more interesting, and once I learned how to knit socks I was hooked. The frosting on the cake is being able to order on-line from such a friendly, reputable business as yours!
Linda said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
I have always known how to knit but in the last couple of years it has been my salvation, shall we say. Sanity is more like it. Like you, I was really in to cross stitch, but when the bifocals arrived the cross stitch went into the closet. Who would of thought that yarn would have been taken to this new level, colors and textures galore. I am always looking for the next sweater to knit, can’t get enough….it is how my day starts and how it ends….
Sandra said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
Oh yes, I’m a knitter for life for sure now after knitting off and on for a number of years. I find knitting so relaxing that my mind just floats off into another place. The big side benefit is having a finished knitted object in a matter of weeks. It makes me feel so prouctive.
Joyce said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:40 pm
I knit partly because my mother isn’t here to knit for me any more, and I definitely like handknit sweaters! It also helps to somehow keep her closer to me. She always had a project on the needles. I also like seeing the object I’m knitting take shape. I am definitely a knitter for life. I don’t think I’ve ever totally given up a hobby, although there are a few that have gone to the back burner for a while. I don’t have a huge stash, but it will definitely take a while to use it up–I have a lot of sock yarn and lace-weight shawl yarn–both of those tend to be slower projects for me!
Lisa said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:49 pm
I knit when I need a break from crochet. I crochet because I love it and think one of the prettiest things on earth is a lovely hunk of crochet lace. I don’t feel the same about knitted lace. Don’t know exactly why. I’ve done both but I love the crochet more. I already have done both forever. I taught myself both when I was about 5 years old according to my mother and have never stopped.
Monica said,
February 19, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
I have been knitting for so long I don’t think it is a passing thing. I am a lifer.
I knt for so many reasons. I love that my mom taught me and I am able to do a craft that she so loved. I am still amazed all the time by what can be made with some sticks and string. I love all the lovely fibers and colors that are now available and I want to try them all. It sure is a lot better than when I was learning. It is relaxing, it is portable and I just can’t even imagine waiting at after school functions with out it. How do non knitter survive long car trips, long lines in the post office etc…
Those chocolates look so yummy and the little mice are adorable.
Genny said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
I knit because that is how the textile love manifests itself in me. All the women in my family are needleworkers, and to some extent we are all multi-crafters. But knitting is my love and passion. It satisfies my need to create as well as my desire for beauty. I enjoy embroidery, but embroidery is embellishing, not making. And I love spinning, but see that as part of the knitting process – I am a better knitter because I understand how my raw material is produced.
I can imagine times when I won’t knit as much, like when Hubby and I start having kids, but I cannot envision a world where I don’t knit. It is a part of me.
Jana said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:41 pm
I knit to justify watching too much tv – ha. Well, I do love yarn and that may be why I knit. I think I will always be a knitter and a stasher. I always have severals projects goings and seem to be little a kitten attrached to bright shiny things and starting new projects whenever a new yarn strikes my fancy (or my computer screen) as Sheri knows from my ordering history.
Betty H said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
I knit because it relaxes me and keeps my mind busy. I learned so I would know how to knit when I was older and perhaps could not get out to learn and acquire stash. I am a lifelong learner and knitter. Knitting also brings a community of people I am part of which I really enjoy – whether its working with a great store owner like Sherry and the Loopy Elves, listening to podcasts of knitters who love to knit like the Knitmore Girls, or the local group in Hawaii Aloha Knitters who are great to interact and learn from.
allison said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
I knit because I have always wanted to. My mom knit and worked at an LYS when I was young, and I always loved it. I knit because it’s something that my knitting mother and I can do together. I knit because the yarn is awesome. I knit because I love knitted things. I knit because I love giving hand-knits as gifts. I knit because I’ve taken cues from the Bible to do so: “She looks for wool and flax, and works with her hands in delight,” Prov. 31
I think I will knit for a long time. I feel like I’m pretty sucked in at the moment, so it’s hard to imagine life without knitting. I’m sure I’ll take breaks from it at some point, just to keep it fresh and fun!
I need me some Wool Mice and Wollmeise!!!
inky said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
Since I’ve enabled my own knitting daughter (who got her very first Loopy order today!), I can not envision my future without yarn, needles, and patterns. The colors themselves are so intoxicating that I sometimes find myself in a trance looking at them all….. and then to finally pick up the skein and start the project and feel the wool: delicious.
Jocelyn said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:47 pm
It’s so funny you should ask this right now! I’ve just embarked on a research project (I’m a linguist) about knitters, and this is one of the big outstanding questions — I can’t wait to read everyone’s answers
Why do I knit? I knit because it lets me create something tangible that I can wear again and again, or give to someone else to use and enjoy. Knitting can be as hard or as easy as I want or need, and I can be as perfectionist (or not!) as I want. It saves my life (or the lives of others, you decide) in meetings, and waiting rooms, and… And the knitting community is so wonderful, that I think that’s part of it, too. Finally, I love the idea of doing something that people before me have been doing for centuries (with spinning, that feeling is even stronger), in the same way that they’ve been doing it. I can’t imagine that I’d move on to something else to the exclusion of knitting. I spin, too, but that’s in addition.
Lexi said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:47 pm
I knit because it gives me a sense of accomplishment that is sometimes hard to come by. Seeing progress in knitting is easier to see than progress in your life, it gives you an understanding for the passage of time. When I’m stressed or feel like I am going no where fast sitting down and knitting a few rows lets me see something being done that I will never have to do again (unless I have to tink). It gives me a great since of calm to appraoch my day with.
I am sure that I will always knit, if only because my stash is larger than I have the ability to knit in my lifetime (I would have been a great neolithic hunter/gatherer or maybe I was just a squirrel in a past life)
Betsy said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:50 pm
I knit because I love yarn. I knit because I love creating. I knit because I can’t get enough of it. I knit because it’s fun. I knit because I can (as opposed to the things I do not do because I can’t: I can’t cook, do gymnastics, sing very well, or draw). I knit because I love creating – there’s always something new around the bend. And even though I knit patterns other knitters have already made, or use yarn others have already knit with, when I marry the two, it’s something new every time. And I’m the first one every to see it – like when you crack an egg. You are the first human being to ever see inside that egg! I have been crafty all my life: embroidery as a child, sewing as a teen, counted x-stitch in my 20’s, quilting in my 30’s – knitting in my 40’s! Although I learned to knit at 8, I didn’t learn to love it until 48.
just lori said,
February 19, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I knit because I like it. I like the challenge of a new pattern, or the non-thinking but yet creating of miles of ribbing or stockinette. It’s a portable craft, and makes things that don’t just hang on a wall. It’s wearable art.
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
Since I’ve just picked up spinning (this week!) I think knitting is going to get some competition. I’m a multi-crafter, and can see myself picking up and working on several types of crafts at a time. However, I think knitting’s going to have a permanent place in my “project lists” that are always waiting for my attention.
Kirsty said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
Yes, I believe I am a lifer! I knit because I like to create things and roll around in yarn!
Leah said,
February 19, 2009 @ 7:25 pm
I knit because I like having and giving handmade items that can and actually will be used.
I knit because I like having something productive to do when I would otherwise not be productive – watching movies, sitting at the laundromat, waiting in line, walking the halls on breaks at work, talking on the phone, etc.
I knit because I like the challenge of learning – a new pattern, a new stitch, a new technique.
I knit because I like the challenge of perfecting my skills.
I LOVE to knit because it’s the perfect excuse to hold yarn.
Definitely a Knitter-for-Life!
Jennifer said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
I knit because I’ve always been interested in it and got up the guts to take a class. I found I loved the challenge of trying something new and the satisfaction of completing something I could wear. Seriously…being able to knit socks is awesome!
Jennifer
Michelle said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
hmmmm… that’s like asking why do you breathe, I knit for a myriad of reasons, the list too long to post… mainly I knit because i love it and yes it is a part of my daily existence on this planet that is so engrained in my day ~ it wouldn’t be life without it. Wow ~ deep huh! Did you say we were winning wollmeise or a pullitzer?! Anyhow sheri thanks for keeping us knitters entertained! xoxox
Kim said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
Why do I knit? My stock answer now is “so I do not kill people.” The real answer is tougher to pin down. I love the feel of nice yarn. I love wearing hand-knit socks that I’ve made myself. I love the sense of accomplishment when I’ve completed a sweater knowing that I started with two sticks and a bunch of string. And lastly, I love being able to make things for people who appreciate it (but the first time one doesn’t appreciate the effort is the last time I make that someone anything else. Just ask my husband. I made him a sweater about a year after we were married, and he liked that one well enough, but the next one…let’s just say the yarn got recycled into something that someone else, namely me, appreciated more. I’ve never even thought about making him anything else.)
I learned to knit when I was 8 years old, but I didn’t really do much with it until I was in college. I’ve never looked back. Sure, I’ve done other things, like counted cross-stitch, but I’ve always got something on the needles (or a few somethings). I am definitely a knitter for life!!
Ringer said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
I knit for the creative outlet and the meditation but mostly because I’ve never been happy with my hands still. Seeing as I’ve been knitting almost daily for 20 years, I expect to be a knitter for life, or at least as long as my hands and eyes are good!
Karen in Toledo said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
I started knitting a few years ago (less than 5) so that I would not eat while watching TV. It was part of my new healthy living plan and helped me lose weight (65 lbs lost and kept off!). I found that knitting also helps me concentrate and relieve stress and has opened many doors to me in terms of friendships and learning opportunities.
Yes, I’m a knitter for life. I love it too much to abandon it now!
Carol said,
February 19, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
The reasons I knit are many. First, there is always something new to learn, but all knitting isn’t a challenge. When I just want to do something rhythmic and relaxing, there are projects like that too. The end result of knitting is warm pretty stuff for myself or others. Finally its the ultimate “green” hobby if you ask me–we are using all those natural fibers. It would be a shame just to throw away wool from sheep or rabbits or alpacas, wouldn’t it?
I’m a knitter for life. I have to be–I have too much yarn not to use it.
New Jersey Laura said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
I knit whatever people ask me to make for them – so anything from jeweled bracelets to socks to blankies. I hope I’m a knitter for life. So far the motrin is keeping the arthritis at bay…
Pamela said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:11 pm
I knit for meditation, for creativity, for product and productivity, for relaxation, for fun, for challenge, for simplicity, for history, for preservation of traditions, for satisfaction, for sanity, for therapy, for the shear joy of it. And many reasons I’m sure that have slipped my mind.
I have several hobbies besides knitting that circulate about my life but they come and go in cycles (stained glass, sewing, quilting, cross-stitch, painting, guitar, spinning). They never fully leave my life but they haven’t yet fully enveloped it. Knitting has however taken over and is something I know I will do always. Knitting is so much more portable, both inside and outside the house. I definitely see knitting as a constant that I do in combination with whichever other craft has become my obsession of the moment. Besides, something has to be done with all this yarn I’ve bought from the Loopy Ewe!
Ruth Ann said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
I knit because I teach. Knitting keeps me sane. Teaching keeps me on my toes.
Dawn said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:19 pm
I knit for many reasons, but the main reason is I like to be busy and need something to occupy my hands. I also love the fact that I can make things for myself that I can chose the pattern and the yarn. I also knit for my family and friends who are far away, because I want them to know that I am thinking of them and praying for them. The knitting is something tangible that I can send them to remind them of that. I can see myself knitting for the rest of my life, because I don’t think I could ever get bored with so many yarn choices and so many patterns.
Julie Ballinger said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
Oh, those chocolates look yummy!!
I learned to knit about 4 years ago and I am sure I will be a knitter for the rest of my life. I originally wanted to learn to knit because I loved to look of knitted clothes (give me good ol’ stockinette stitch any day!) but once I learned I have continued because I love the challenge of knitting something new and the meditative nature of knitting something more familiar. I love the simplicity of taking 2 sticks and a string and creating something from it. And I love the beauty and creativity of it!
Lynn said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:42 pm
I knit because I love handmade things and I wanted a portable craft. I can pick projects that are challenging or mindless and either way the end product will be beautiful and useful!
I am a knitter for life…and a spinner…and a yarn buyer
Kim said,
February 19, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
I love to knit because I get to enjoy making something out of a ball of string and making a connection to past knitters. I am definately a knitter for life!
Kathy Sue said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:03 pm
I started knitting to make sweaters for my daughter. Then moved on to baby blankets and sweaters. Then about 5 years ago I tried socks and got hooked on the little details of knitting. I am now into lace, and am figuring out how to do fingers (gloves).
I knit because I learn something new with every pattern, and it keeps my hands busy. I now cannot watch TV without yarn in my hands. If I try, I fall asleep!
I imagine that I will knit forever. I have always done some kind of needlework. My Mom taught me to embroider when I was 8, my Grandmother had already gotten me started with a crochet hook. But knitting is the most satisfying of them all.
Linda said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
I knit because I like the meditative quality of the process, and because I love to wear the finished products. I have always loved fiber in any form and love creating things with fiber. I will probably be a knitter for life because even though I may take a hiatus from knitting for a while, I am always called back by the yarn and needles.
Candace said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I’d always wanted to learn how to knit and when I learned it just seemed to make sense. I was never really “good” at anything (not that I consider myself a “good” knitter though). So when I finally learned I was incredibly happy because finally there was something I could DO. A hobby that I absolutely fell in love with. I knit because I love the feeling of satisfaction I get when I finish a project. I love yarn – the colours and the feel of it. I love the whole process of knitting, stitch by stitch. I knit English, and I know many say Continental is faster… but I prefer English. I just LOVE knitting each stitch. I still get a little bit of satisfaction from each and every one. I think I will always be a knitter. The beauty of knitting is that… there’s always something new. A pattern that you’ve never knit. A technique that you’ve never tried. At this point I can’t imagine not knitting.
Melanie said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
I knit because I like the process of creating something out of the ball of yarn. As I set and knit I think about many things. Knitting has helped me with my school work. I read for school and then after a section I start to knit and reflect on what I just read. I find that the association with the knitting and the reading helps me to maintian the new knowledge. I will be a life long knitter. I have been knitting a very long time and I find that it is portable and invites much conversation. I love knitting socks. As long as I need socks I will knit. Each year I knit my brother a pair of hand knit socks for Christmas. I knit because he needs some nice warm socks.
karen (morsecode on ravelry) said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
oooh, I love Burdick.
As for me, I learned to knit relatively recently (a little less than 2 years ago). I love the process, the pretty yarns, but most of all the sense of accomplishment when I’ve finished something.
One of the things that appealed to me about knitting is precisely the fact that it is a hobby I could have for life. Lately I’ve spent a lot of time knitting for others so my next project is going to be something for myself.
Katherine said,
February 19, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
I knit for lots of reasons. I love working with my hands, and it’s something I don’t get to do often in other aspects of my life. I like creating something. It also keeps me sane — take now, I’m coming up on finals, have been so busy that I haven’t knit in weeks … and I’m a mess! Reading this post made me realize that tonight, whether all my work is done or not, I will take a moment to knit. I like the meditative-ness of it … feeling the fiber slip through my fingers and watching the work grow row by row. I also love that it’s something I share with my mom — while I’m at school, we talk about knitting by phone. When I’m home, the first thing we want to do is sit down together. It’s a really special bond we share.
I know that I will always knit. In fact, I keep trying to figure out if, after graduation, I can find a career that somehow involves knitting. I can’t imagine my life without it!
Kim said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
I clearly remember sitting on the sofa with my Mom over forty years ago, needles in hand. Cast on. Unravel. Cast on. Repeat. Too tight causes sore fingers. Loosen up! Over and over again until it became second nature, done with thinking. Knitting is part of the rhythm of life. I find deep comfort and contentment in the process, delight in learning new patterns and skills, and joy in the finished product. Although my knitting may be set aside for a season, it always returns. I am a knitter for life.
lisa33 said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
I’ve always liked the idea doing crafts, but never found anything that really interested me or that I was good at. I think I’ve gotten pretty good at knitting. It’s fun to find the perfect yarn and the perfect pattern to go with it.
And as long as there is purple yarn out there to buy, I will keep knitting!
Lee said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
I became a knitter to earn a Girl Scout badge…many years ago. I became a daliy knitter when my husband deployed to Iraq (1st of two), as a way to cope with my grief , fear and anxiety. I started knitting prayer shawls for the widows . It took me months to work up the courage to actually mail the first shawl . I ran into the widow one day at a store, she said the shawl arrived on the day that would have been their 25th wedding anniversary.
My husband is now home with us, but I still knit to cope …with everything !
Yes, I will always knit .
Lael said,
February 19, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
I knit because I started spinning quite a few years ago and my husband teased me about my hobby of making yarn. And I had nothing to do with it besides displaying it in baskets. I, too, have to knit for the rest of my life just to use up my stash – of both handspun and store bought yarn. That and I enjoy knitting!
Jenny said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:21 am
I learnt to knit from my maternal grandmother and knitting continues to help me feel closer to her. I also love the challenge of trying to get it right, the motions and the warm fuzzy coziness of wool !
I will be a knitter for life despite my husband thinking it’s boring to focus on one hobby. What does he know?
Michelle said,
February 20, 2009 @ 6:06 am
I knit because I love the process of each and every stitch, I love the process of making something usable out of a piece of yarn. I love the motion of knitting, I love the quiet and rhythm of the action of knitting.
I will be a knitter for life.
Jennie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:25 am
Hi Sherrie!
These comments are so fun to read!
Why do I knit?? I knit for relaxation. After a long day at work it helps me to clear my head. I don’t think about anything else (usually, anyway) but what I am working on.
I originally took up knitting during the fun fur craze a few years back. Now I can’t stand to look at fun fur!! My aunt Marjorie before she passed away from ovarian cancer, knit a beautiful scarf for my mom out of Punta yarn. My mom never wore the scarf. Instead she tucked it away in a drawer for safe keeping. As a mother’s day gift to her, I wanted to recreate the scarf so that she would have one to wear. So, I taught myself with a book and a set of needles. I loved it right away. Needless to say, it was a very emotional mother’s day that year when I presented her with the scarf. She didn’t know that I had even taken up knitting.
Do I knit for life? ABSOLUTLEY! Knitting is something that if it were ever taken away from me, I would be devastated.
Jennie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:27 am
Oops! Sorry for changing the spelling in your name, SHERI! I spelled it like my favorite aunt Sherrie!
Danielle from SW MO said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:46 am
I learned to kn it when I was a young child sitting at my great -grandma’s knee and have done it off and on ever since. Then 3yrs ago I had a spinal cord injury that robbed me of most of my upperbody strength and usability. After months of physical and occupational therapy that only helped me regain part of what I lost I was told by my OT and Doc that if I knew how to knit or was willing to learn (since its 2 handed) and Type the best therapy I could do would be to use the computer and knit since they (OT and PT) had done all they could do . Since then I have made time to knit everyday which isnt hard since I have been declared disabled and dont work. Beyond keeping me from losing what I have (use it or lose it) I happen to love knitting and both the process and products I make! It relaxes me and has helped me to connect more freely with my mom who is a crocheter. I have also taught my husband and son how to knit tho the boy would rather crochet (its faster LOL).
I will be a knitter for life thats for sure or at least for as long as my hands allow
PS: I also am among those that love the sensuality of a beautifl handyed yarn and while for me the tactile sensation (no feeling in my hands) isnt there I still get joy out of seeing the fiber slip through my fingers while creating something beautiful for myself or another family member. I choose the yarn and pattern and while knitting it it tells me who it is for with only minor exceptions
Gretchen said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:51 am
I knit because it relaxes me. I love the feel of the needles and yarn and it makes me feel smart and creative knowing that I MADE something. If I need a challenge, knitting can be a challenge. If I need something mindless, knitting can be that too. Also, it is a hobby that doesn’t need electricity which all my other (computer) hobbies seem to.
I hope that I am a knitter for life. In the first trimester of my pregnancy, I lost my knitting ‘mojo’ and didn’t want to for a while, but I came out of it. I’ve learned that I don’t like knitting under pressure, and that makes me take a break as well. So, now I don’t do any knitting that puts me under pressure and I don’t knit anything I don’t want to. There is always something new to try in knitting and I think I’m in it for the long haul.
Marsha said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:16 am
Knitting is my zen meditation–although I do watch TV when I knit. I believe I’m into yarn for the duration. Like you, Sheri, I have enough yarn to keep knitting forever. I love to start projects and do finish them eventually. I have been a cross stitcher, needlepointer, basket maker, quilter, doll maker and so on. My hobby room looks like a craft store. But knitting is my passion and my daughter’s too, so I can’t see ever quitting!
Enjoy your weekend!
Robin Fremer said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:26 am
I knit because I love the creativity of it and it is rewarding to have beautiful one of a kind items worn by those I love-I always tell them to think of the item as a hug from me when they wear it.
I started knitting at age 5, many moons ago. I quilt, crochet, cook but knitting is always a constant, except right after my stroke when I couldn’t hold the needles. When I was able to knit again I knew I’d be OK.
Paulette said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:31 am
I was introduced to knitting when I admired a cool Noro striped felted purse a new friend had made. Before I could ask her to make one for me (I was going to pay her!) she said “I’m going to teach you how to knit!.” Well, there was no saying “No” to Amy — and I’m so glad for that! I love to knit! It can be so relaxing, so frustrating, er … challenging! But I love it. I never mind waiting on anyone anymore, it’s great for traveling (my husband drives on long trips), you can pick it up even for a few minutes. I find it very calming (mindless kind of knitting) when I feel kind of stressed
and when I want a challenge, it is certainly there, too. I love the colors, the texture, the patterns, the fun of the process, the feeling of accomplishment when you’re done. I love it and I’m defintely a knitter for life!
Karen Wong said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:32 am
Knitting is a form of meditation for me–I have a stressful life (who doesn’t!) and it takes me to that “quiet place” where I can refocus and get on with the stressfull stuff. It also allows me to express myself creatively and just enjoy the moment. I think I’m a knitter forever!
Theresa in Italy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:37 am
I knit because I love playing with yarn. I love the colors (especially if I’m working with a hand-painted yarn), I love the feel of the yarn through my fingers, I love making stitches, I love it all. It’s the best way for me to relax, it helps me focus, it helps me meditate, and in the end, if I’m lucky (and haven’t frogged the darn thing) I end up with something to wear—or something to give to someone else to wear!
And I’m definitely a knitter for life, if only because I long ago went past the point of SABLE-ness and feel morally obligated to try to make something useful with all this yarn!
emily said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:52 am
I knit for a couple reasons. I love working with various yarns and creating something with them for my family to wear. I love watching what I am creating grow and grow until I cast off. I also knit, because having to keep after four kiddos during the day is draining and knitting is what I do to relax, destress, and meditate.
I am definitely a knitter for life! I am learning how to spin and I am trying to convince hubby that we need sheep one day, LOL!
Patti said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:58 am
This will be a lifetime enjoyment. Need to knit a little each day. Some days a lot!!
Thanks for providing such wonderful supplies to make that happen!!
sandy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:02 am
thats easy. I’m a lifer. I knit so I don’t hurt people. lol and it keeps me sane
Sue Apple said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:35 am
I knit because I love to create beautiful things. I love making things for others and myself. Yarn has so many textures and colors – it’s an endless portable palate to express myself artistically. I also knit because I can’t just sit and watch TV (I even take my knitting to the movies). It relaxes me – it’s my nightly stressbuster. I’m definitely a lifer – I’ve been knitting (and crocheting) since I was 8. Knitting has allowed me to create friendships near and far and to meet some interesting people that I never would have if I didn’t knit and have an obsession with yarn.
Shells said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:39 am
I knit for so many reasons, to keep me sane, to give me a creative outlet, to feel beautiful fiber run through my fingers. A day without knitting is a sad day indeed, which means that I am a knitter for life. Seeing as I come from a long line of fiber artists, knitters, weavers, quilters, seamstresses, etc. It is not unexpected that I would take such a passion for it and feel like my life was lost without it.
Kelly said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:50 am
The reason I knit is that it is in my family history and in my blood. Being creative, using your hands, making something you or someone else will love, working with yarn… It is relaxing and the solution to boredom. I could not live without it. FOREVER KNITTING!
Michelle Hoggatt said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:55 am
I knit because I love to create things, and I have no talent for drawing, painting, or any other “art” activities. I also have always loved fabrics and fibers and colors. I grew up with family members who all did some sort of craft.
I knit because it keeps me calm and sane. I also enjoy supplying family and friends with socks and scarves and hats and sweaters. Since I have been knitting steadily for the last 25 years, I imagine I will be a knitter for life.
Mary Jane said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:00 am
Knitting keeps me from running screaming through the streets! It is my #1 stress reliever and creative outlet. Not surprisingly, I took it up after the birth of my second son-imagine what it’s like to live in a house with 3 boys(who’s ages are 5, 7 and 49). Also, the friends I have made either through my area guilds or on the web are absolutly golden. My life has been blessed with this craft!
LaLa said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:23 am
I knit for a number of reasons including that it relaxes me, that it’s something to do with friends and family, it creates a community as a whole, and for no other reason than I just love it. I’m a knitter for life.
Robin said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:23 am
I knit because it is very relaxing to me. I enjoy the repetativeness of making stitches and I think it keeps me from biting people’s heads off sometimes. It also helps me to keep my mouth shut at others. It is also fun to take a ball of yarn and make something useful out of it.
I am not sure if I am a knitter for life or not. I thought I was a cross stitcher for life but apparently not huh???? If I had to say right this moment if I was or not, I hope so because I really enjoy it.
Wanda in AR said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Knitting is very relaxing for me. I also love sweaters and I love having a custom sweater that no one else has. I also enjoy the process of knitting. I also love having friends that I have never met in person but don’t hestitate to be there for me when I have either a knitting challenge or a personal challenge.
I have been knitting since I was a child so yes I am a knitter for life. I tend to cycle thru what I like to knit. I have my sweater times, like finishing 3 sweaters during Dec and January. In the summer, I tend to only knit socks. It is probably because they aren’t as warm as some other projects..
Abigail said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:42 am
I knit for a number of reasons but the primary one is that I need something to do with my hands. I’ve never done well concentrating on only one thing at a time so uncomplicated knitting keeps me just enough occupied that I am able to focus on the rest of the world. This means, to the dismay of at least one friend, that I do a lot of very simple patterns. I knit because it creates very personal gifts and I know I’m keeping family and friends warm. I knit because the Malabrigo tells me to and no one refuses the squishiness of Malabrigo.
I will be a lifelong knitter. I’ve gone away from knitting periodically but it’s always there. One of the last things my mom put in the car before I moved out to go to grad school ( my “official moving out” though we didn’t really talk about it that way) was a basket of yarn and knitting needles “just in case.” And now I have the better part of a half a room of knitting.
tasha. said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:44 am
I never thought I would be able to learn to knit when I saw others doing it in my craft group several years ago, and I balked a little when my mom (who was re-learning to knit after a 20-odd year hiatus) wanted to show me how. I could crochet, but I thought entrancing little Vs was always going to be out of the question for me. Well she did teach me, and I did love it, and I DO make little Vs and I do it because I can’t imagine how I lasted nearly 30 years NOT doing it!
I do it for the joy of hooking a little loop over a stick, I do it for the pleasure of watching a creation unfold under my fingertips, I do it for the lust of color and fiber. I do it for the love that even as an adult, I am able to say “My mom taught me to knit”. And to me, there is a lot of power in all those things!
Polly said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:49 am
I learned to knit wehn I visited England at 15 and immediately made socks. but then I gave it up for 30 years until my twins were born and now I’m back at it. I love it because it gives me a creative outlet with an useful result and I can put it down when I have mommy duty and I have something at the end of the process. I’m so thoroughly hooked now that I’ll never stop knitting again….
Annette Hill said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:01 pm
I knit to create! My life has always been full of making things. My first creations were clothes. I began to learn to sew when I was 10 and joined 4-H. In the years that followed, I also took up knitting, quilting, beading, kumihimo, smocking and many kinds of embroidery. I have been a member of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America for decades now, and have learned techniques ranging from Hardanger, to Silk and Metal, Cutwork, Pulled Thread, Drawn Thread, Temari, Canvaswork and more. But knitting holds a special place in my heart, because my knitted creations spend more time with me and with the special people that I knit gifts for. Once a picture gets framed and hung on the wall, I think it gets forgotten and overlooked so easily . But when someone you love pulls on a sweater or a pair of socks that has been lovingly knit for them – they can’t help but remember you!
I’ll be knitting until the day I die. Maybe I’ll ask to have some yarn and needles in my casket with me. You never know what you might need in the next life!
Vonda O said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
I will always knit because I love the feel of wool through my fingers and find it very relaxing and I keep my loved one’s feet, hands necks and heads warm. It’s my way of still lovingly caring for my babies even though they haven’t been babies in 30 years.
Patti said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
I knit because I like to create things. I still find it amazing that, You take things so primitive as yarn and two sticks, and you can make beautiful objects. I have not done a sweater because I think the perfectionism in me would not enjoy it, but scarves, hats, tea cozies, little things that I can finish in a few days keeps me content. I can see me doing that for a long time
Donna said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:45 pm
The challenge of a new pattern that stretches my skills is exciting. I enjoy knitting with different yarns and trying out new stitches. Knitting is relaxing and mind stimulating at the same time. I am both a process and product knitter. I love figuring out a new pattern including ones from other countries with different ways of providing instructions or using different symbols. I explore used bookstores online or in person to find patterns from the 20s to the 40s.
Amy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
I knit because it helps me relax and I can be creative and show off what I’ve made. It makes me feel like I’m doing something not a lot of people around me aren’t doing (and that I’m set if the economy crashes, hopefully by then, I’d have a huge stash
). I think this is a thing for life because I keep going back to it. I’ve been trying to get into embroidery, but it’s not sticking like knitting. The fact that I can create anything I can find makes me happy.
d2 said,
February 20, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
The challenge of new patterns and new yarns is exciting. I enjoy both the process and the product.
Peggy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 1:00 pm
Why do I knit? Relaxation and meditation. Since I work on a computer all day, it’s also a way to feel productive by actually making something useful with my hands. My fingers also feel more limber and I like to think that I’m doing some preventive arthritis therapy (I knit Continental style). My puppies also like to drape under the knitting and across my lap when I’m knitting because they know I won’t be going anywhere.
Will I do it for the rest of my life? Of course! it makes me stop running around and multi-tasking. That’s hard to do after the kids are grown and your life was ruled by their activities. I’m using my computer to draw patterns and colors – I love Ubuntu and GIMP! But it will never replace the feel of soft alpaca and merino as it swooshes through your fingers
Julie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
Knitting is my therapy. It has helped hold me together when the world seemed bent on tearing me to pieces. Knitting is my creative expression. I was not given the gift of drawing or painting, so I knit instead. I knit when I am angry or frustrated, to calm down. When I can’t sleep, I don’t count sheep, I count my stash in my head
I have been knitting for over 45 years – so I guess that qualifies me as a lifetime knitter. It has been a joy to see the yarn possibilities expand over the years.
Rachael said,
February 20, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
I knit because it fulfills my need to create. I used to be a cross-stitcher like a lot of the other commenters, but knitting works better for me because the finished product is useful. I don’t buy nearly as many sweaters as I used to! Plus, if I finish a project and hate it, I can rip it out and make something new. You just can’t do that with cross-stitch. Sometimes, I am a seamstress too. Knitting wins out over that because I can do it while I watch TV with my husband or play cards with my friends, and it is portable. When I sew, I really feel like I am shut off from everyone, tied to the room with the sewing machine.
I am most definitely a knitter for life! Crafts and creating something have always been a huge part of my life. I’ve tried just about everything, and I don’t think there is any craft out there that suits me better than knitting.
DrPJ said,
February 20, 2009 @ 1:27 pm
I started knitting because I was looking for a new craft that was easy to pick up and put down and not as isolated as quilting (which was my craft of choice at the time). I had a young daughter and I needed to be able to keep tabs on her! So it was either knitting or crochet and it’s just a fluke I picked knitting. I’ve been knitting for about 8 years now and I’ve never been this “loyal” to anything else, but who knows what will get my interest next? Right now I think I’m a lifer.
PJ
Helene said,
February 20, 2009 @ 1:52 pm
I knit because I love the process. I’ve been known to take out things I spent months knitting because I am not totally thrilled. One scarf took 5 incarnations before I finally stopped ripping and liked the results. I’ve been knitting for over 45 years and only stopped when carpel tunnel felled me. I switched to quilting with only a minor interest in knititng, but now carpel tunnel has subsided and I am back to knititng in full force. The colors, the textures, how easily you can create a beautiful fabric – it all thrills me. And I love th calming repetition (hence the carpel tunnel). I’ve tried weaving and hated the repetition but knitting is different.
meg said,
February 20, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
I knit because it relaxes me. I knit because it s nice to have something to do while I watch TV, or wait or as I watch my kids outside.
I hope I am a knitter for life, I sure wouldn’t want to waste my stash:) This season of life I am in, with two small kids, does make me feel like having any stash at all is crazy, but I am hopeful for more knitting time in my future.
Nikki said,
February 20, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
I knit both to relax and to keep my hands busy. As A kid I was a life long doodler. I look back at all the notes I took at school and the pages are covered with doodles. I am very much a process knitter.
I learned to knit at 8 or 9 years and with the exception of my university years I have always knit. I will knit until my eyesight goes, my fingers won’t work or until I died — which ever comes last.
Katie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
One reason that I knit is that I’ve never been able to sit still; I just have to be doing SOMETHING. Of course, there are LOTS of things that I could choose to occupy my time but there are so many reasons I choose to make my primary leisure hobby knitting. It’s portable. It’s productive. One year we drove to Yellowstone and I knit everyone socks for Christmas on the drive. My grandmother knit, and I still have some of her needles, so I feel a connection that way. My husband and kids love my hand knits, when my daughter was smaller she begged for a handmade alpaca blanket and talked me into the expensive yarn by telling me that when she was sad or sick or lonely she’d lay under it and feel covered by my love. I like the process, I love the fibers and Indie dyers, I love the clever patterns even if I won’t make a knit bacon scarf or a heart, I love stalking the next project and yarn.
I am definitely a knitter for life.
Dottie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
I started knitting because I wanted to replicate a beloved and threadbare sweater. Also, some of my acquaintances (I’m looking at you, Cookie and Kristi) have designed beautiful garments, so I couldn’t resist picking up needles. I love wool, and have quite a collection of store-bought gray wool sweaters.
I’m in it for life because I love to work with my hands, and it’s a soothing, portable hobby. My 5 year old daughter wants to learn, too, and I would love to share it with her. And you can never have too many sweaters!
Melanie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 2:50 pm
I knit because it keeps me sane. No joke. I am one of those people that have a lot of anxiety and get stressed out very easily. With knitting, I can find something very time-consuming and complicated that makes me stop thinking about everything, or I can knit on something rather simple and allow myself to think through things rationally and find perspective.
Although I enjoy other crafts, nothing else gives me the same feeling as knitting. I am definately a knitter for life.
Kristina said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
Like many people I’m sure, I knit to keep my life sane. I have never found anything else, except for reading maybe, that relaxes me so much. It gives me an amazing sense of acomplishment too, which helps. Even if I feel like I can’t do anything about my job or my personal life, I can make stitch after stitch, row after row, and can see the progress I’ve made. I love to make things for myself, and then wear them and rememeber the hard work that went into it. I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I’ve done it now for 5 years, and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.
Lisa said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:20 pm
I knit because it calms me down after a hard day at work, or a bad day of life in general. When I went through a nasty divorce, it was the only thing that cured my raging insomnia; now that I’m (MUCH) happily remarried, it gives me all sorts of nice presents to give to my wonderful husband.
I sure hope I’m a knitter for life – because I’ve got enough stash to last me until 2064!
Sarah said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
I knit because unlike the research part of my job, there’s some instant gratification involved. At the end of a row, or an hour, I can see what’s been accomplished, and I like that.
I think I’ll always knit – I “learned” twice before, but it didn’t grab me the way it has now. Maybe I just had to be ready for it. I love the way I can pick each new project so that I am forced to learn something with every one. I know I’ll always be able to improve. And it’s fun to make things that are pretty! I just hope my eyesight holds out…
Lori said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:27 pm
I knit to relax with the rhythmic repetitive motion of the yarn and needles. I also knit so I can be doing something in the same room with my family while they watch tv or sports on tv – it keeps me from feeling restless. I will be a life-long knitter – I’d better, because I have a huge stash to knit and the inspirations keep coming!
Alyssa McCain said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I knit because I love the whole shebang. I like picking out patterns, gathering yarn, the process, and ending up with something in the end.
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
I learned to knit when I was a little kid…about 25 years ago. I don’t see a reason to stop now!
Melanie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
I knit because yarn offers such depth of colours and textures it’s a treat every time that yarn slips through your fingers. I knit to create a unique and beautifull something from a single (thought sometimes plied!) length of spun fiber. I will always be a knitter, though my knitting will change, as I get older, and better. It is something that can grow with me and evolve according to my mood. It is always with me. Its a marvelous love.
Linda said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
I used to do other creative things but they bore me now, compared to knitting. I agree with the crossstitch comment. My house is full of crossstitch, and no need for more. But socks wear out and children grow out of jumpers so there is always a new need for knitting. I knit to relax and feel calm, but some things are so exciting to knit.! Nonknitters can’t grasp that fact, I find.
Paige said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:10 pm
I knit to have an excuse to collect sock yarn! No, really, it’s my therapy and a creative outlet in an otherwise hectic life.
I hope to be a knitter for life. Why? Because I’ve already amassed enough sock yarn, of course! I do get sad when I see my elderly clients whose hands are too arthritic to knit or do needlework, and I hope that that day never comes for me.
Robin said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
I learned to knit and crochet when I was 10 or so. My mom taught me both, but she was more interested in crochet. Neither one of them stuck at that point. Several years ago, one of my brothers was having his first child and I wanted to make something special for the baby and decided to give knitting another try. I have been hooked ever since. I like the whole process (picking out yarn, selecting the pattern, the calming effect of knitting, completing the project). I’ve done a number of crafts over the years (sewing, painting, cross stitch, beading, basket weaving, glass etching, polymer clay…), but knitting has been the first craft that has been a constant companion that I can’t see being without. In the last year, I’ve even re-taught myself crochet to see if I can do better with it this time. I think I’m a knitter/crocheter for life.
Deb said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
Why do I knit? I primarily work with people and computer system-based problems. Once something is resolved we’re onto the next one. You aren’t able to see a visual representation of your work unless you consistantly graph progress. Knitting allows me to play with texture, color, and fiber. After knitting for a short while I can see progress! It’s lovely to see your work grow in your hands. The meditative quality doesn’t hurt, either.
From the looks of things around my house, this hobby is here to stay. It’s a rare day when I don’t knit for at least 15 minute in the evening. Knitting is also a great “excuse” to get together with friends each week!
Sheri at The Loopy Ewe » Knitters - Got Photos? said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
[...] – I’ve so enjoyed reading your comments on Wednesday’s post. (I still have more to read – not through them all yet.) Whether it’s continuing a heritage [...]
Ana said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
I knit for a lot of different reasons. I like the idea of making something out of yarn, there is just something about a scarf, sweater, or socks just coming a live in your hands. I love watching the colors play while I am knitting. It’s relaxation when I need time to unwind before bed. It’s fun especially on knit night when I can get together with others. It’s a way for me to express myself. I also love watching people’s faces when I told them that I made that.
Knitting is here to stay. I have accumulated quite a stash and needles. Take a look at my queue on Raverly I have quite a bit to keep me going for a long long time (well as long as I’m physically able to.)
Beth said,
February 20, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
I started knitting a few years ago because I was attracted to all of the cool novelty yarns. Then I discovered all the indie dyers and their beautiful colors and soon the novelty yarn attraction faded. I am attracted to the colors and texture of the yarns and even the texture of the needles. My favorite needles are from Lantern Moon. With socks, though, I tend to break a lot of the double points so I’m trying 2 circulars, but so far I don’t like it very much. Knitting is usually relaxing to me unless I can’t figure out how to do something new or I messed up and can’t figure out where. I do like the portability of it and expect that I’ll be knitting for a long time. I still haven’t make a sock that I think fits well, so I guess it’s a good thing I have so many beautiful yarns from the Loopy Ewe to keep practicing on!
Allison said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:22 pm
I knit because
1) I hate to be idle
2) I love to make things (I also cook and sew)
3) It calms me down
4) I love the colors and textures
5) It’s a great way to connect with other women
I hope it will be a life-long habit! I keep over-knitting and giving myself cramps in my hands, so I have to be better at pacing myself.
Janet B said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
I am a knitter for life-as the yarn harlot put it-I’ve become a Knitter with a capital K.
My mother taught me to knit one summer as a method of keeping me occupied. I put it aside in favor of crocheting because it was easier to handle one needle vs 2 at that age. I returned to it to make the obligatory baby clothes with the first child. It was in my 40’s that knitting became less of something to do and more of a way to express me. I too love the feel of the yarn gliding thru my fingers and seeing the stiches magically create an object of beauty and practicality-a perfect blend for an artform. I like the connection to history and love to see the historical patterns. My daughter knits also and I love the connection between us-the passing down of knowledge and the sharing of the craft. It has been exciting to see the growth of the artform and the emergence of new and beautiful yarns. Knitting is my homegrown
therapy.
Melissa said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:24 pm
I knit because….
I get fidgety. Whether it’s while watching TV, while standing in line, while sitting around and talking with friends, or in any other non-physical setting, my hands want to move.
I love color, texture, and pattern. Thinking about them, creating them, and watching them emerge thrills me.
I love finished objects. They don’t have to be particularly useful–just satisfying for some reason (pretty, soft, warm, wearable, whatever).
I love giving things to people I love, and my parents love my handmade goodies. Moms-to-be have been very gracious giftees, too.
I love the community aspect of knitters and knitting groups. I’ve had bonding moments in the Washington, DC, Metro system (several times!), in line at the post office, and in the National Gallery of Art. All thanks to my knitting.
I love the old fashioned “production chain” of knitting–spinning, dyeing, knitting, finishing.
I love my stash. Everything but the most utilitarian stuff was bought for a reason, whether that was color, feel, or intended project.
I don’t see myself stopping knitting until they pry the needles from my cold, dead fingers! It’s become a part of who I am….Writer, editor, analyst, dreamer, knitter, all-around crafter, reader….
Cathy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
I knit for many reasons some of which are… it’s cheaper than a psychiatrist, it gives me something to do while my husband is browsing endlessly in Home Depot, it keeps my hands occupied so that I’m not putting food into my mouth, and perhaps most importantly it’s relaxing and a wonderful stress-buster.
I already consider myself to be a lifelong knitter. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was 8 years old and stuck at home with the chicken pox. I’ve been knitting ever since.
Andrea L. said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
I’m definitely a knitter for life. Other crafts and hobbies have come, gone, or stayed on the back burner, but knitting is always present . I love yarn and the versatility…texture, color, small and large projects. I enjoy knitting and it is relaxing and helps when waiting (in line, for kids at school, at the dr. office), making it a more pleasant experience instead of me being impatient and feeling my blood pressure rise! I love that knitting can produce a lasting demonstration of love to my friends and family. I love challenging knits as well as simple knits. I love the knitting community and how it brings people of all ages and from all walks of life together, a common ground. Cheers to knitters!
Hannah B said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
I knit because I love a new challenge, and I need something that requires thinking and allows me to use my hands, but isn’t related to school. I started with cross-stitch, but I got tired of making things for people that only went on their walls, and I wanted to do something that could actually be used. I think I am a knitter for life. I’m really glad I started hanging out with people who’ve been knitting for 20 or more years; they remind me that I have many more years to finish all the projects I want to do! Socks really got me back into knitting, and I love making socks so much that I’m certain I’ll be knitting them for as long as I can imagine. I am so passionate about sock knitting.
kim sheehan said,
February 20, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
I knit because I love to see what two hands can do. I love color and finding ways to bring and share color in the world. I love the challenge of crossing a cable or turning a heel and getting that feeling of a job well done.
I’m pretty sure I’m a knitter for life.
Patricia said,
February 20, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
I knit to give and that lets me relax. Now that I’ve come back to knitting I think it will be for my lifetime.
AJ said,
February 20, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
I knit because it keeps me sane. I can’t just sit and not have my hands busy so I do a lot of knitting while reading, watching tv/movies, hanging out with friends and so on. It really helps keep me from being a fidgety mess. I also love the items I make and being able to give handmade gifts. (I am blessed with people in my life who appreciate them) Knitting is something I will do for life. I may at some point take a break or two from it but it is something I will always come back to.
Jennifer said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
I knit because I like creating something. I also do it to stay busy while waiting, watching tv, etc. I think I will be a knitter for life (I sure have accumulated enough knitting stuff to do so). I love the fiber the challenge and most of all the finished creation. Helps that I have had some very appreciative receipients too!!
Bev said,
February 20, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
I knit to center myself and to calm the world around me. To be honest with you I can’t see myself not knitting. I knit every spare minute that I have. I love the feel of the fiber between my fingers, the way you can create an item that people go you made that? I knit for the pure joy of it. I don’t know know what I would be doing if I couldn’t knit. I always have something with me just for that two minutes when I feel the needles and the yarn in my hands. People think that I’m crazy but it is my love and my passion. Sp let someone try to take it away from me.
Joy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
I knit because I love the process of knitting: watching something beautiful appear row by row. Knitting has become a passion and I wish that I had more time to sit and knit. That’s why I always have a small project with me so that I can take advantage of any opportunity to knit. I’m definitely a knitter for life (which is good since my stash is threatening to overtake my house!)
Jen T. said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
I knit to relax and so that I don’t go insane watching childrens cartoons with my two year old. I tend to move between crafts – knitting takes front and center for a while, and then something else like cross stitch or quilting will become my focus. It’s a good thing our new house has enough space that I can have a craft room – now I have plenty of space for all my craft interests and won’t be having to pack everything up and make space each time I want to work on a different type of craft for a while.
Cherie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
I’m a knitter for life. During different life situations, it may have been on hold, but I always come back to it. I’ve given up all my other craft hobbies, because none of them satisfy my soul like knitting. To feel the fiber in my hands, with its different textures from different weights of yarn or stitch patterns, is to feel content. The endless possibilities from a skein of yarn and needles keeps me intrigued and creating. To have something I created, whether from a pattern or my own imaginings keeps me growing. Nothing other than gardening or mothering has ever been so satisfying.
Marie Wilson said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
My mother tried to teach me to knit as a child when she taught me all of the other “gentle arts” but somehow I just could never get it. I mastered crochet and all sorts of needle work quickly, but knitting eluded me. A couple of years ago, I was reading a book called “A Good Yarn” about a lady who opened a yarn shop and the knitters who came into her shop. That piqued my interest and I decided to try again. I got several how to knit books and taught myself to knit. I now enjoy knitting more than any of the other needle arts. I will knit as long as I can see the stitches and my hands can hold the needles.
Amanda Cathleen said,
February 20, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
I love to knit, and why I love to is something that I’ve been thinking about for a couple of weeks not that I’ve been knitting for 6 (!) years now. I knit for me, its my thing. With 4 kids I wanted something that was just for me. For me to do that I would possibly keep on doing into the future. I knit for the texture of the yarns and the finished fabric. For the process of making something. Because I love to take something that isn’t entirely useful on its own and transforming it into something useful and lovely. I think I knit so much because knitting is so transportable. You can knit a few rows just about anywhere. I think about knitting all the time, its become almost an obsession. Where I’m thinking about what to make with what yarn. Crazy? I’m not sure yet, but my kids seem to be enjoying all the handknits they’ve been getting! I love how there are patterns that make you think, and ones that are simple and soothing. I think I’m a lifer. After 6 years of knitting, I don’t think there is any way I could stop!
Queue said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:13 pm
I think it’s safe to say I’m a knitter for life. I learned to knit as a child, but my limitations both in attention span and skills made me give up knitting for the time being. How many garter stitch washcloths will a 12 year old knit before they become bored – about two. I never forgot how, just lost interest for the time being. In college I picked it up again, but this time my limitations in technique and available patterns left me frustrated. Finally, after college I needed something to do during long dinner breaks at work, so I knit myself my first pair of socks. I was hooked. Now I can’t stop; I almost always have a project with me and if I so much as stand still for a minute, out it comes. I have been known to knit in traffic (stopped traffic mind you, not even stop-and-go that’s craziness!). I have a natural fascination with making useful things, so I think my knitting is here to stay. I am not however monogamous, I spin, bake, make soap, sew a little and I really want to weave. But knitting was my first love, and by far the most pervasive in my day to day life.
Cindy said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
I enjoy the process of knitting … its relaxing, keeps me occupied during otherwise boring times. I also like what I knit, so the product too. I think that I am in it for life.
Sarah said,
February 20, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
I knit because it is relaxing, because I can make beautiful and useful things, because it can be mindless or challenging, because it gives me a chance to think about the person who will receive the knitted item, because knitting for people is a way to tell them I care about them. I can’t imagine ever getting tired of knitting, because the possibilities are endless and endlessly varied.
Gina said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
Part of what makes me what I am is that I knit. I am definately a knitter for life.
E. Engman said,
February 20, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
1. I knit because I like to knit. I like trying new things and techniques. I like to keep my hands busy. I like fiber and fiber arts in general. I also crochet, embroider, quilt (well, piece anyhow), sew, weave, and do other crafts as well. I like to take a design and make it my own through color or “instead of…”. It’s my art.
2. Of course I’ll be a knitter (or, at least, a crafter of some sort) for life. So many patterns, yarn, projects, techniques…so little time. Maybe heaven will have a yarn shop and I can knit forever; that would be heaven.
Ellen said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:23 pm
I am a sewer at heart (and have been for about 50 years), but have done crochet, needlepoint, rug hooking, counted cross stitch, scrapbooking, and jewelry making over the years…………..and I never intended to add one more thing to my life. I’m not sure why, but about 6 years ago I decided that I really did want to learn to knit after all. So I took one lesson and haven’t stopped since! I started with mindless scarves and tried to learn something new with each project. I’ve made hats and mittens and socks, and used many types of yarns and tried some felting. I am not giving up my sewing but I have put aside all the other crafts to focus on knitting – and think I will continue to knit for close to forever! And mittens are my favorites.
Katie said,
February 20, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
I knit because it grounds me. I have a stressful job, and a busy home, and yet when I sit down in my chair and take out my knitting, I am calm, and I am home. I am once again connected to the part of myself that knows me, and knows what I need. I do some of my best thinking and planning during sock cuffs.
I think I am a “life knitter”. I no longer know how to watch tv without something in my hands. I used to cross-stitch…I still do every once in awhile, but it’s not thrilling. I tried scrapbooking…failed. Outright failed. I thought knitting was going to be something I did because it was neat, and I got some stuff out of it, and then it would end. Now it is part of what defines me. I knit during Grey’s Anatomy, I knit at work, I knit standing in the line at Wal-Mart FPS. Plus…the socks are really a nice side-effect.
Lisa aka Mochaknits said,
February 21, 2009 @ 12:28 am
I knit because it helps bring out my crafty side. I learned to crochet at a young age but didn’t continue because I could never make those round toilet tissue holders like my great aunts or make a decent granny square (they never taught me the concept of decrease crochet stitches).
I have only been knitting 2 1/2 years and I’m definitely a knitter for life. Heck people have me lined up to make them knitted gifts for at least 2 years worth of projects (please believe I have 2+ years worth of yarn in my stash). Knitting is a great way to pass the time while watching my favorite show on tv, waiting in the super long lines at the post office, sitting around at my kids’ chess tournaments and basketball games.
The only thing I need to do now is figure out how to carve more time out for knitting or learn to knit even faster.
Heather said,
February 21, 2009 @ 12:46 am
I started knitting because I wanted something to keep my fingers busy. I had no idea that it was the begining of an obsession. I now knit because I love the colors and the feel of the yarn as it flows through my fingers and the rhythm of the needles. I knit for the happiness that my knitting brings to the people that I knit for. My knitting introduces me to other knitters who quickly become friends. My knitting keeps me company in the middle of the night when worries overtake sleep and it holds my hands while I wait in doctor’s offices. It can be complicated enough to occupy my mind or simple enough for the times that my brain just can’t take anymore. When I crave something new & exciting, there is always a new pattern, a new technique, or a new yarn that I haven’t tried yet.
I have tried many different crafts throughout my life, but knitting is the one that calls to my soul and brings me peace. I plan on knitting as long as my fingers can hold onto the needles and teaching anyone who crosses my path and wants to learn.
Debby said,
February 21, 2009 @ 1:01 am
I have been knitting most of my life. I started when I was 5. I will be 60 this year. I think I can safely say knitting has been and will be a life long event for me. I have always liked to make things with my hands. Needles and threads of some variety are generally involved. Knitting is both soothing and practical. It relaxes me and I also am making something beautiful as well as useful when I knit.
I am knitting things for my granddaughters now, and also teaching my 6 year old granddaughter how to knit. I is giving me great pleasure to pass knitting on to a new generation.
Debbie said,
February 21, 2009 @ 5:00 am
I have been knitting off and on for over 35 years, I crochet too. I do both for as many reasons as one can think of. I do it when I’m bored, I do it when I’m excited or upset! I knit when I’m waiting and I like the challenge of some of the projects. For the last 10 years I have had to deal with some serious health issues and I have found it a major source of comfort. I can watch TV, talk to God, talk on the phone, wait for the docs, receive my treatments, all while still knitting. I can not see me ever giving it up, not a day goes by when something knit or crochet related doesn’t happen in my life and I like it like that. I have found even going to a store, I always look for a craft section…lol! I like that most the time I can go in and meet total strangers and we start talking and get that “connection”! be they younger or older, we talk about designs, yarns, current projects, etc. and if I ever have a problem or question and the staff are not around or don’t know, I will generally find someone who can help! I can honestly say that my life is enriched in many ways because of my hobby…why would I give it up? Have a nice weekend!
L Barton said,
February 21, 2009 @ 8:49 am
I am an avid knitter and probably complete about 2 to 3 items a week. I adore the Thorpe hat in my handspun and Little Turtleknits pilot cap is another fave! I knit because I need to keep my hands busy when I sit and rest throughout the day. I do not like to be idle! And I do think I will be a lifetime knitter. Since I knit my first sweater at a class I took at my LYS 6 years ago…..I am still going strong. As a mom to 13 and someone who has spent a lifetime keeping my family going it seems that most everything I do has to be done over…. again and again and again. Knitting is creating something beautiful that lasts. I love that!
robin said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:02 am
I am a lifelong knitter. My mother taught me to knit when I was a teenager on one of those days when all I could talk about was how bored I was! Knitting is calming, soothing, kind of yoga for your hands as well as your mind. A recent BBC report says that knitting may help to reduce memory loss!
I’ve found solutions to problems while knitting. (Maybe learning to knit should be a requirement for our world leaders–distribute needles and yarn at the United Nations meetings!) I’ve recently learned to spin, and there is nothing like knitting with “home made” yarn.
Benny said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:13 am
I knit because it is relaxing, and meditative-stitch after stitch slipping through my fingers onto the needles. I love the feel of the yarn, and the colors. I love that there are endless possibilities. I knit because I need to make things, need to have a creative outlet. In my busy life I no longer really have the time to paint, or collage, or even pursue photography as an art instead of just snapshots and FO pics, so knitting allows me to continue in the creative process- even if it is only in picking out the color and yarn and following a pattern. I knit for the community-from friends at the LYS, to knitting nights with friends, blogs, Ravelry, and various festivals; knitting is a huge community of wonderful people who care, share, inspire, cheer up, laugh with, sympathize…all with this common thread. Interestingly, I find the more you learn about other knitters, the more you realize you share so much in common in addition to the love of knitting/fiber arts. Needless to say, I am a knitter for life. It is part of who I am, I would not feel like “me” without my knitting.
Anne said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:57 am
I definately hope to be knitting for the rest of my life. I love it for the process,there is so much joy in feeling the yarn move through my fingers. And I love stopping to admire the product after a few rows, or after a pattern repeat! And of course, who doesn’t love wearing socks or a scarf you have knit for yourself. Knitting relaxes me– it is such a change from the work I do all day. It keeps me calm while waiting, and it makes for great conversations when you knit in public.
suzzcq70 said,
February 21, 2009 @ 11:30 am
I knit to keep my hands busy and my mind calm. I’m an anxious person, so its ver therapeutic.
I’m a knitter for life, but I also crochet, sew, and other things. I just keep coming back and learning new knitting techniques, and challenging myself!
Susan said,
February 21, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
I will definitely knit for the rest of my life. It relaxes me and I love the colors and textures of the yarn so much.
Debbie said,
February 21, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
Knitting really sparked my creative side that I didn’t know was in me. There are endless possibilities out there to keep me entertained and challenged. I love seeing how the colors or patterns emerge to bring forth a garment or item which makes me happy and proud. See I made this!
Knitting will always be part of life. I am more calm, relaxed and happy. I love that comraderie of fellow knitters. I’ve been more adventurous in learning and experimenting new techniques so it give me a great sense of accomplishment. The only downside to knitting is that I knit slow…boo.
Tabby said,
February 21, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
I knit to unwind at the end of the day. With a houseful of kids, it improves my mental health to have something for ‘me’. I love wearing my hand-knit socks and scarf, makes me feel a bit pampered. I think I’ll be a life-long knitter–most of my hobbies have fizzled out after a bit, but knitting has it all. It can be a small, portable project, or a big stay-at-home masterpiece. Basic and mindless or intricate. Thick and quick yarn, or fingering. So many variable to keep it fresh!
KSee said,
February 21, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
Knitting was the first thing I learned to do at the age of 7 from Nana. It will now be what I do till the end. I now have been knitting for 4 years no stop. In between those years I was sewing, when to school in Manhatten NYC for dressmaking & design. Then marrage and kids. I would sew some for the kids but just like my Nana stopped knitting for me, it was cheaper and with no time to go to Sears and buy their clothes.
I am a process knitter and never go anywhere without my kntting. I also do crochet afgans that I sold in a country store and of course my friends and family all own one. Cross Stitch, needlepoint and crewel went on for years until my nearsighted eyes got better & I could not see close up. At the end, I was a stained glass artist for about 8 years designing, showing and selling 3D glass art –Music boxes & Judaica custom orders too many to mention here. Then I had routine gall bladder removal that went terribly wrong and after a year of recovery I no longer had the stamina to stand & cut glass. That is my real love because of all the arts & crafts I have done in 50 years, working with glass I was a true artist, my own designs. Coming back full circle to knitting it just perfect. Thank you for giveing me a place to buy when I want as you are doing what you love to do.
Merike said,
February 21, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I knit because, O.M.G., I get paid to do so. (thankyouthankyouthankyou) My childhood knitting and crocheting led me to other fibery goodness activites like weaving in college, spinning over 20 years ago, dyeing, having a sheep farm for 15years, owning Carolina Homespun for 10years, etc etc etc. Sharing my passion for fibers led to paid teaching jobs (the “do what you love” thing, even tho I was also a Director of Student Financial Aid at a college, an Avon stand-in temporary district manager (really), an information specialist (as in computers) at the regional level for a major bank, etc). Then when showing examples for classes, was asked to write out patterns for publication. Snowballed. Now I simply have to pinch myself every now and again when I see my name included on teacher lists for Stitches events, Sock Summit, cruises, fiber camps in Italy, John C Campbell Folk School, etc. thankyouthankyouthankyou. Yes, it is for life. When I retire, I will do much more knitting for family. (and spinning. and weaving.) Thank you for showcasing (and therefore supporting) so many indie dyers. I was one of those (see Handpaint Country) way-back-when before etsy, before great website opportunities, before so many knitters had the Good Taste and Creative Juices to actually consider using handpainted yarns instead of what the pattern originally called for.
ikkinlala said,
February 21, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
I knit because it can be relaxing or challenging depending on what I choose to make, because I can knit while I do other things I enjoy (like listen to music), because I love the textures and colours of beautiful yarn, because yarn shopping is much more fun than clothes shopping, and because when I’m done a project I usually have something useful rather than something that will just collect dust. I’m a bit young yet to know for sure, but I suspect I’ll be a knitter for life.
Sue said,
February 21, 2009 @ 1:57 pm
I knit because it calms me. I knit because it challenges me. I knit because it empowers me. I knit because it’s a gift my mother shared with me and I can share with others. If my stash and my queue are any indication, I’m going to be knitting for a long, long time in this life and beyond, in heaven. Surely there will be knitting in heaven ‘or what’s a heaven for?’
Emily said,
February 21, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
I knit because I like the feeling of progress that each stitch brings. My day work is academic, with much delayed gratifcation. Knitting is more in the moment. I envision that I will continue to be a knitter, but that the types of projects I do might change over time (e.g., currently into socks and shawls, but might venture into sweaters later).
Melodie said,
February 21, 2009 @ 4:16 pm
I knit because I love the yarns and the finished projects but also love the process of knitting and need to keep my hands busy. I’m also a quilter but knitting is much more portable so easier to do while spending time with hubby or riding in the car. Knitting is also a great stress reliever and something I look forward to doing when I get home from work in the evenings. I hope that I am a knitter for life.
Marcela said,
February 21, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
I initially taught myself to crochet because I needed something to do that didn’t involve reading after I sat for the bar exam. I moved to knitting because it just looked so darned cool, and there were more reasources available for knitters where I live. I knit because I like to see whatever I’m knitting grow – I feel like I’m accomplishing something. I will probably knit as long as I can (I certainly have enough yarn to do it
). I love knitting because it can be picked up and put down. Yes, I’ll be a knitter for life!
Kelli said,
February 21, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
I knit because it helps me to let go of anger. I knit because I’ve discovered the joy of handknit socks. I knit because it calms me, and makes me feel productive. I am fairly sure that, after seven years, I will still be knitting for a long time into the future.
Marcia said,
February 21, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
I will knit until my last breath!!! I was one of those women who knit twenty years ago when my girls were little and then went on to cross stitch and quilting. In 2001 I walked into a cross stitch shop in Washington D.C. and she had a little, tiny section of yarn – Noro and I fell in love again!!!! Knit a scarf for our oldest daughter (who promptly lost it at college), but now knits herself – hooray!!!! The yarns today are astounding. I could never live long enough to knit every project with every yarn I love!! And thank you to people like you who bring it all to us!!
Penny Mosher said,
February 21, 2009 @ 7:04 pm
I knit to do something comforting for me. I love to do for others, but knitting helps me pamper myself and keeps my hands busy so I’m not eating – although there is always a cup of tea by my side. I’ve been knitting for about 4 years, but I consider myself at the beginning of a lifelong journey. I want to keep challenging myself each year and trying new things – knitting is for life. Thanks to Loopy Ewe for keeping me in a huge stash of sock yarn.
Christel said,
February 21, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
I knit to relax at the end of a very stressful day at the hospital. It’s so wonderful just to sit and feel the yarn slide through my fingers and make something nice for myself or someone else. I did the cross stitch thing like many others, but now my eyes will not let me do that anymore. I was an on and off knitter for many years, but now it is just about my only creative outlet. I plan to be a for-life knitter. My stash is sure big enough for that!! And I have enough patterns for 3 or for lifetimes.
Meridith said,
February 21, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
I started knitting to save money… I began cloth diapering when my daughter was born, and liked using wool soakers, shorts, and pants as diaper covers. But they were so expensive to buy from other knitters, that I could only get a few. So I decided to learn to knit my own. I didn’t expect knitting to “click” like it did. I took to it immediately – the second soaker I made, I sent in as a sample for licensing… and was told it was excellent and that there was no way I could have just started knitting. Knitting then became a business. The more I knit for others, the less I had time to knit for my own kids. But I was knitting, and I was enjoying it. Then – I started to spin, and knitting became a secondary love. Yes, I loved to knit, but spinning was becoming my passion… until the first time I knit with my own handspun yarn… Two loves joined together. Nothing is better than knitting with my own handspun yarn. Business knitting has slowed tremendously (though business spinning is keeping me busy), so now, I have time to knit for my family – except, my kids aren’t in cloth diapers anymore… so now, I knit for me. And I love it. I wore a sweater to a party tonight – a sweater than I knit for myself. I love being able to answer the question “Where did you get your sweater?” with the words, “I made it.” A quality garment, made stitch by stitch with my own hands.
Knitting started as something I was doing to save money. It unexpectedly became a deeply engrained part of my life – part of who I am. I do not just knit. I am a Knitter. This isn’t just for today – this is who I am… part of my life – and a part that I highly doubt will ever fade away.
Lucia said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
I’ve known how to knit since I was about six, and I picked it up and put it down a bunch of times, but took it up seriously during my son’s 5-month hospital stay. I knit to keep from going mad, mostly small things for the other kids on the unit. It became at the same time my retreat and my way of staying connected to the world, in a small way. I kept on knitting and took up spinning mainly as a sensual experience, glorying in color and texture, and as a creative outlet. The rush when an idea comes full-blown and the slow, meditative execution, one stitch at a time — I love them both, I need them both.
I think I’ll always be a knitter, although the intensity will wax and wane, like everything else in nature.
MaryJo said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:11 pm
I knit because it relaxes me. And I have to knit when I’m watching TV so I don’t feel that I’m wasting time. It soothes my soul and makes me want to pat myself on the back and say “Good job!” as the heel on a sock gets turned or that cabled sweater takes shape. It makes me feel good when I’m knitting during my daughter’s soccer game and her teammates tell her it’s cool that her mom knits and then she’s proud of me, too. I knit because it makes me happy to know that even though I cannot sing (even dogs cringe when I try) or program a computer or be a great athlete, I can create beauty.
I’ve been knitting off and on for the past 35 years, but more on for the last five. I am a knitter and that is what I’ll always be. I may put it to the side for a short duration at times and maybe try my hand at something new, but I know I’ll always come back to knitting.
Maria said,
February 21, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
I knit so I don’t kill people. Seriously!!! It just calms me.
And I’ve been knitting since I was in 8th grade. I’m 45 now, and I don’t see myself ever not knitting. When I get all these kids out of the house, I’m going to sit on my rear and knit!!!
Michele said,
February 21, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
I knit because it is so relaxing, and soothing.
Yes, I will be a knitter for life. I realized this this month while I have not knit at all for the first time in three years. I had a knitting injury to my elbow. Evne though I have not KNIT, I have lived in knitting: going to my knitting group, reading blogs, reading magazines and books, figuring out patterns in my head, dreaming of sock summit, etc. Without touching yarn or needles, you can still be a life knitter!
kim thorsen said,
February 22, 2009 @ 12:10 am
I knit because at this point I just couldn’t imagine NOT knitting! I LOVE the process. There are so many great yarns I want to play with and patterns I am inspired by… As well as things I want to figure out. Ideas for designs. Things like hats and mittens and socks that we need, and I want to knit them all. I LOVE to be challenged, and find “easy knitting” very theraputic. I have more yarn and more patterns than I could ever knit in my lifetime, yet I still want more. It is an addiction- but as addictions go I think a good one for the most part. I love it and I always will!
Anji said,
February 22, 2009 @ 7:11 am
I’m a pretty new knitter – I started half a year ago, and already my projects and my yarn stash have grown significantly. I started because I wanted to make a present for my niece/nephew to be – and then I rediscovered how wonderful it is to craft something. We’ve always been big on giving handmade presents in our family, and all my family members really enjoy getting something that you’ve put so much love, time and effort into. And there’s something really satisfying about knitting – it is relaxing, almost meditative, and it’s just amazing what you can make with a ball of yarn and “two pointy sticks” and a little time. And yes, I will be a knitter for life – I’m having so much fun knitting, I can’t imagine ever stopping. Now I drag my workbag with me almost anywhere!
Marion said,
February 22, 2009 @ 7:27 am
I have been and will continue to be a knitter for life…..I was taught by my grandmother when I was eight and almost 40 years later I am still at it with a passion. I knit for lots of different reasons – I love the process, I love the yarns that I get to knit with, I love the colors and combinations that arise from the knitting and I love the suprised looks that I get when I tell someone that the garment that I am wearing was made by me. I work in a high tech industry in a profession that knitting doesn’t seem to follow and a lot of times i get the “you couldn’t have created that because of what you do look’ and that is way too much fun for me.
I knit because if I don’t I don’t feel complete – a day without knitting is incomplete and sad for me. i look forward to those moments that I can knit – stolen moments sometimes…..just a row or two here and there – maybe at one of the kids games or on the train or during a very long conference call – it helps me focus on the topic at hand (if I brought the right project with me to knit) – ask me why I have so many WIP (this one for the plane trip, this one because it is small enough to fit in my purse, this one because it stretches my ability, this one because I had a crappy day and want to play with a special yarn, this one because I can’t wait to see how the colours turn out, this one because I need t knit with this yarn that everyne has been talking about…….you get the picture……).
Finally, it is my relaxation – I knit for a bit in the evening – most every evening. I was taught long ago that I wasn’t allow to watch TV without having something practical in my hands (knitting, crochet, embroidery, sewing, etc.). That has extended itself to if I am knitting I am awake, if no knitting then I am asleep in 10 minutes or less .
i will continue to knit for life…..I can’t imagine my world without it. For my second career I would liike to work in and eventually own a yarn shop like The Loopy Ewe. It will happen – in the mean time, I knit, I share my passion with others that knit and I try to hook new ones to this life long art ……having some succes…..
Marion K.
MissyT (on Ravelry) said,
February 22, 2009 @ 10:45 am
I knit because I need something to occupy my hands while I’m sitting in the evening. I also love the unique items I’m able to make for my family and myself. I definitely know I will be a knitter for life – I have too much yarn in my stash to stop knitting!!!
catherine s said,
February 22, 2009 @ 12:32 pm
As a child, I was fortunate enough to have been able to spend every summer at the home of family friends (the E’s) in the idyllic town of Sebastopol, California. Mrs. E would spend every evening knitting, either by hand or on her machine, and I was intrigued. When I was 6 she deemed me old enough to learn to knit and taught me throw one night and, two days later, taught me the continental style. I was hooked (so to speak) and made a lovely scarf for her as a parting gift for the summer. At 9 I made my first Aran sweater, which I immediately gave to my mother because I was sick of it by the time I had finished it. I put down knitting for a while because, well, because sometimes other aspects of one’s life takes over, but it was always there in the echoes of my mind, waiting for me. Finally, two years ago, I had a financial setback and my life turned upside down; everything I thought I had in my world disappeared and I had to recreate life to look like I wanted it to look. I eventually brought back knitting and joined the local SnB, where I have made many wonderful friends. The peace that I get through the zen of knitting is beyond compare has cleared the way for me to attain a life that I want, including moving to Paris in September to study Art History. Knitting helped give me the clarity to see beyond the difficulties we sometimes have in life in order to create and attain my dreams.
I will always knit for (at least) the following two reasons: the peaceful, meditative aspect of it, and the connection to Mrs. E, as well as to my mother. You see, my parents were in their 60’s when the adopted me at birth, as was Mrs. E, and all have died. As I knit, I feel that Mrs. E is helping me with any stitch I may find difficult or cheering me on when I tackle a new challenge, and my mother is, as she did when I was a child, staring at me in amazement.
Rebecca said,
February 22, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
1) I knit because I love to engineer things. I love the process of creating something from just a string and 2 sticks. I am a selfish knitter and mostly knit for myself because I am a sweater person and am always cold. I think it keeps me calm in times that everything is going to hell in a handbasket.
2) I will be a knitter for life, I just wish I would have started sooner. (I have only been knitting for about 5 years)
Vicki said,
February 22, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
I knit because I love it. I knit while I watch tv, listen to podcasts, when my husband is driving, while I am waiting for something…..it is so portable. It makes me use my brain and at the same time can be very relaxing and fun. I enjoy following what everyone else is making on the web, dreaming up more projects and all the wonderful new yarns that are available. Oh, and I love the results of my knitting, too! I can make socks, stunning scarves and cute baby things…………..
I started knitting at a young age, then took a break after my children were born and picked it back up when my children were in their late teens. With all the knitting possibilities now and the internet, I can’t possibly see me not knitting. There may be periods where I will slow down (really should finish up some quilting projects) but I am looking forward to knitting everything in my queue and lot of things for future grandchildren!
Kate said,
February 22, 2009 @ 4:15 pm
I knit for the process, and to use up all the yarn in my stash so I don’t feel so overwhelmed by its presence. I didn’t start knitting until I was in college and while I love it (and buying yarn!), I’m not positive I’ll be a knitter forever. At least not to the extent I once was – shoulder and wrist problems have forced me to cut back on my knitting time and after awhile I’ve found I’m ok with that. I think it’ll always be something I turn to, especially when baby bootees are needed
Jacquie said,
February 22, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
I knit because it is an expression of my creativity. I need colour and texture moving through my hands. The smell of yarn gives me a naturel high and I love that I have a finished product that surrounds a part of someones body with warmth, love and comfort.
I love that knitting takes me on journeys, through patterns, yarn fibre, needles or accessories. I can become enchanted with a “new” find for me. I am inspired by others. I feel supported and capable and willing to risk and then I discover, find and learn.
Yes, I am a knitter for life. I can’t imagine not knitting.
penny said,
February 22, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
i knit because i’ve always made stuff and something about the needles and the fibre between my fingers… i knit because i am a computer scientist and sometimes it’s nice to make something i can touch instead of a bunch of code in a computer (hardcopies are just not the same)… i knit because i am a knitter and will always be a knitter… sure, i’ll dabble in other things (spinning, weaving, embroidery) but knitting … that’s for me.
Maria said,
February 22, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
How interesting this all is!
My answers:
1. I knit for a lot of reasons. I like the process of making something. I like starting with some raw material and transforming it to something else. (The fleece to finished product is an amazing process!)
I knit because it is a way I feel drawn to creating.
I knit because it calms me and helps me feel less anxious.
I knit because I feel connected to the past and all the knitters before me who knitted as a way to help them survive, and yet also created beauty and art. It constantly makes me appreciate human ingenuity. Who figured out how to knit, anyway?
I knit because I can make what I want exactly the way I want it.
2. I’ve knit for over 25 years now. I was fascinated with knitting when I was first exposed to it, very young, but no one around me knew how and so I had to wait until I was a bit older then I finally taught myself. (The spinner who came to my grade school class was also a source of great fascination. Too bad I had to wait another 20 years to try spinning!)
I will be a knitter. I did interchange with beadwork for many years, but with a toddler in the house knitting is safer and feels more calming and practical, as well as relaxing. I”m sure I’ll go back to the beads one day, but knitting is my foundation. I can’t imagine not knitting.
DPUTiger said,
February 22, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
I’ve been knitting (this time) for almost nine years. I knit and quilt. I don’t think I’ll ever give either one up entirely, but lately I’ve been doing more knitting and I really miss my sewing machines.
Since I moved from Los Angeles back to my hometown, I made knitting friends first. I really miss sewing, but I think I’ll continue with both hobbies for a very long time. Doesn’t hurt that I’m “SABLE” in both crafts!
BadMommy said,
February 22, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
I’m a knitter for life – I can’t imagine ever not knitting. And you can pick a reason and that’s why I knit: I love the feel of it; I love the colors; I love the feel of the yarn and the fabric it makes; I love the creativity; I love the community aspects (my regular group, Ravelry, etc.); I love the solitariness of it (during my long commute); I love the rush of starting something; I love the rush of completing something; I love making things for my family and friends and babies and even people I don’t even know (charity knitting). Apart from weaving in lots of ends, there’s not much I don’t love about it
Margaret said,
February 22, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
Knitting….
* Gives me a creative outlet.
* Satisfies my physical craving to touch something beautiful.
* Carries on a family tradition. My mother just gave me baby mittens my great-grandmother knit for me.
I’m a knitter for life, unless crocheted lace grabs a hold of me…
Dianna said,
February 22, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
I knit to keep my sanity. It relaxes me, and keeps me sane. It has gotten me through a lot. My duaghter learning to drive, the husband driving me crazy, family events, etc. I am definitely a knitter for life. I can’t imagine not having something on the needles; especially socks. I will always knit socks, I’m way to facinated with sock yarn and patterns. Life without knitting-I DON’T THINK SO!!!
Monnie said,
February 22, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
Knitting… -laugh- I knit to keep me from being bored; to keep me relaxed; to make something beautiful out of something beautiful. So I can watch TV without feeling guilty; so I can sit through hours and hours of lecture without feeling like I want to fall asleep. And most of all, because when I look down and watch my hands doing what they do, making sheets of Vs out of a bit of string, it never stops being something wonderful, and just, well… magical, you know?
And as to the knitting… I’m hoping that the tendonitis doesn’t wipe me out, because I would like to be a knitter for life!
lauragayle said,
February 22, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
1-I knit to relax and let my brain process things “in the back.” It’s hard for me to “turn it off’ and knitting helps me do that in a purposeful way.
2-knitter for life or until my hands, wrists, and fingers can’t cooperate any more!
Gayle said,
February 22, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
I knit because it clears my mind, it relaxes me and I can go to another place with just my yarn and my needles. I knit because I like knowing that I can make an item that is one of a kind–unique to me. I knit so that someday I will leave behind the many various projects that have come off of my needles and the recipients will think of me. I knit because I love it!! I am absolutely a knitter for life.
Rasa Chambers said,
February 22, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
I knit because I totally love the process. My younger sister inspired me to start on what has been a wonderful journey. Knitting is a skill that my mother taught me and I continue to develop with every project that I tackle. I keep learning and I think as long as I keep learning and tackling new elements, I’ll keep knitting. The other part of knitting that I love is the giving of handknit gifts. I can think about that person throughout the whole project and give them a piece of myself in the end.
Heather said,
February 22, 2009 @ 11:16 pm
I taught myself to knit because I’ve always admired the beauty and versatility of knitting. I also thing that wool is one of the most amazing substances in the world – it is light and warm, absorbs water and still feels dry, and can be completely transformed by felting.
I gave up on knitting not long after I started because I thought it was too slow – I picked it up again several years ago and haven’t put the needles down since. I am definitely a knitter for life.
Judy in WA said,
February 22, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
I knit because it’s cheaper than a shrink! Hahahaha. I knit for the pure enjoyment of watching the magic of what 2 sticks(or a few more) and string can create. I have been knitting for years, and every project is still magical to me. I will knit forever. It’s so comforting and calming.
Mary Mac said,
February 23, 2009 @ 7:25 am
There are so many reasons why I knit! I get to make wonderful treats for myself and others with absolutely gorgeous yarns. I can do something that keeps my hands busy while sitting on the couch with my hubby. I can feel connected with my grandmothers who did needlework of various types, including knitting. And for the most part, it is a soothing process that calms my mind and my soul and (usually!) produces wonderful items in the end. I’ve been knitting for about 7 years and fully intend to be knitting for at least 70 more!
Doreen S. said,
February 23, 2009 @ 8:10 am
I knit because it relaxes me. I’m a multi-tasker by nature and knitting suits that. I’m sure I’m a knitter for life but probably not to the extent I am now. I learned to knit in Girl Scouts 40+ years ago. I get on tear and knit for years, then I go to crochet, then I go to cross stitch, then cycle back. It’s funny how it just stops and then it just starts again. In 2005, I picked up a sweater I had stopped knitting mid sleeve back in 1996. I finished it and kept knitting. Right now I’m enjoying it and don’t see it stopping anytime soon. And when it does, it will cycle back around again eventually.
LeslieD said,
February 23, 2009 @ 8:36 am
My mom taught me to knit when I was about 9. It didn’t “stick”. I used to watch her knit all the time when I was growing up; she was an armpit knitter and fast like lightening. Her mom taught her to knit that way. My wonderful mom passed away in 1999. I re-taught myself to knit in about 2002 and found it to be a sort of connection to her, and It became almost a source of comfort to which it still is. Knitting is fun as well! So many beautiful colors and beautiful yarns. Show a non knitter a lace or cable pattern. How could one be bored? The same two stitches? Nah.
Deedee Winters said,
February 23, 2009 @ 9:05 am
Why do I knit? For fun, for relaxation, for special people in my life, for charity, for the beautiful colors, for texture, for something to do with my hands while quitting smoking (over a year ago), for standing in line and waiting activity, for love of the craft and for so many more reasons that I can’t list them all. How long will I knit? I learned to crochet when I was a child and I taught myself to knit when I was 30…I am now 55 and there’s no end in sight. As long as the good Lord sees fit to allow me to hold the needles and think.
Tricia Rawnsley said,
February 23, 2009 @ 9:38 am
Oh boy. The fluorescent lights in the weaving studio at Harrisville Designs in Harrisville, NH (where I’ve been hiding for the last week) buzzed non-stop. Next time I go I’ll bring a floor lamp! I love those mice!
Maija said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:41 am
I knit because I’m compelled to create things, and knitting is portable and fun. I love wearing the socks I’ve made, and I love giving things I’ve made as gifts. I can’t imagine that I’ll ever stop. There’s always a new pattern or yarn that is calling!
diane said,
February 23, 2009 @ 12:01 pm
I knit because it is relaxing. I’m a knitter for life this time (knitting just didn’t ‘take’ with me when I first tried back in the 70s). While it may go on a short hiatus every now and then I’ve got plenty of yarn and books to last a long time…..
Ellen said,
February 23, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I knit for so many reasons!
I love yarn. I love the process. I love having FO’s. I love having nifty little gadgets – needles, row counters, etc. And, everything is relatively small and portable. I love the people interaction.
I am going to say knitter for life. I learned to knit in high school and dropped it in college. I picked it back up again 3 years ago and haven’t looked back.
Kathryn in Minnesota said,
February 23, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
Although I didn’t learn to knit until I was in my thirties, I am now a knitter for life. I knit because I touch. I knit because of how the yarn feels, because of how wooden knitting needles feel, because of how the finished objects feel. I knit because of the way cables feel relative to their surroundings. I knit because my touch on the yarn binds me to the touch of the yarn on the person who wears the finished object. I knit because as I am touching yarn and working a pattern, someone else across the world is touching a different skein of the same yarn, and working a pattern, maybe even the same one.
Color comes in a close second — I am a sucker for handpainted yarn and natural dyes and the way different fibers take on different colors. I can sit and hold a skein of undyed wool and marvel at how it looks in the light.
I knit for peace of mind. I knit for magic. I’ve made dozens of pairs of socks, and I still get that little shiver of delight when I turn the heel. I knit because if I keep going I’ll eventually get to cast off.* Yes, knitter for life.
*Do I need to explain that? I’m a classical pianist, and nothing in classical piano is ever done. The piece of music I’m working on can always be better. But that sweater I finished? It’s done, Baby! Ain’t no goin’ back.
Karen M said,
February 23, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I’m a lifer. Knitting is very relaxing to me and in the end I have something wonderful to wear or to give to someone who will enjoy it.
sarah said,
February 23, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
For me… knitting can be all consuming and intricate…. or mindless and very comforting. My Grandma was a wonderful knitter… and I guess I just figured it must be in my ‘genes’ so I learned and loved it. I will do this for as long as I can. The fiber, the colors, the feel of it. I also see myself expanding out to spinning, weaving, dyeing… (maybe even shearing!!)
Doris said,
February 23, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
Knitting is my form of relaxation. It takes me to a place of relaxation (ok, there are a few projects that don’t quite do that…but they are not theones I sit down with in the evening or during particularly stressful times). The repetitive motion seems to help me think. I love the fibers and the colors and I love when I have a finished object that I (or someone else) is happy about. I am pretty darned sure that I will be a knitter for life. I have knitted since I was a little girl, and have done other things like needlepoint, crewl, cross-stitch, crochet, etc. in between, but I always return to the knitting. Someday I do hope to also take up spinning, but consider it a side trip, as I can then knit with the finished product!
Kim said,
February 23, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
Knitting for me is a way to relax when I have the time, a way for me to make unique gifts for friends and family, and a way for me to join and meet people with a similar interest. I see myself as a knitter for life, my mother and grandmother taught me to knit at a young age. Although I’ve knit off and on since that time, I’ve always come back to it. There are so many new products, fibers, patterns constantly coming out that it makes the hobby fresh and interesting all of the time.
Jan said,
February 23, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
I’m a knitter for life. I know that because when I stop for any length of time, I go nuts with NOT knitting! (Life gets in the way, etc., being why I might stop.)
I love to knit because I can make cool stuff that is warm and can help others. I knit because I love the beautiful colors and beautiful fibers. I like to knit with others, but I also like to knit alone. I like to try new patterns and new yarns, but I also like my old favorites. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things to knit, only time to knit.
katrina grace craig said,
February 23, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
i started knitting again because i wanted someting tangible to show for my efforts. at my paying job, all my results are virtual — very nice and all, but nothing beats having something in hand to show myself and others: i made this. i may slow some, and always seem to in february for some reason, but i can’t imagine i won’t keep at it, for the tangibles and for the peace it offers my brain; nothing sorts out my confusion regarding just about anything like knitting.
Laura said,
February 23, 2009 @ 9:41 pm
I knit because it helps me destress. It also allows me to make things for loved ones that are handmade and relatively quick to make while I weave in positive thoughts for the one I am knitting for. I am a knitter for life even though I may take breaks from it from time to time (they are short-lived). I recently have learned the value of knitting for myself-which I think is a very important lesson to have learned this time around.
Andi said,
February 23, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
I knit because I love being able to carry my beautiful projects with me beyond the studio. . I love the textures and getting to feel the colors in a way I can’t do with paint. I love the way the sofa looks when I’ve been on a knitting binge and it is piled high with new fabrics. I love the motions made when knitting and the ability to make something flat or three dimensional. I am in it for life, even when I take breaks and think I am done, something lures me back in and I am in love with it all over again.
megi said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:05 pm
1. I knit because I have a very hard time just doing one thing at a time. I’m very good at doing absolutely nothing but I’m not too good at just doing one thing. I really do want to watch tv and go for road trips but without something to do you’d be better off stuffing my ears with spagetti than trying to tell me to pay attention. Knitting helps me pay attention….which is ironic since my attention is diverted. I’m also a very visual person…….but I can’t draw. Period. I love clothes, and I love being unique…and it is hard to find unique clothing in rural ohio let me tell yah
2. I am probably a knitter for the long haul because I’ve already been knitting 15 yrs. My mom taught me when I was 11 and the only time I really put it down was ages 16-18 when I went through a sewing phase. When I was 19 a buddy said let’s go to walmart and I will teach you guys to knit. That night I’d had a dream I was knitting a scarf so it was kismet! We went and bought some boye needles and lion brand homespun and that was it! I’ve been knitting again ever since. I’ve only upgraded to “nice” yarn in the past 3 or so years (couldn’t afford anything better than patons before then….coincidently I still love patons merino!) but I’m just so gung ho about it. When people ask what I do I say “knit”…and then give them the sap about being a homemaker
I prefer to say knit 
Tori said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
I started knitting because I needed something to do with my hands after I quit smoking. I kept knitting because it’s been a way to allow myself to relax and focus on something, instead of constantly swirling in every direction. It keeps me centered. Of course, I thought I’d recoup some money when I quit smoking, but sock yarn isn’t free either… Thanks goodness it isn’t carcinogenic, though.
Anniebananie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:10 pm
I’m sure others have said this, but I knit so I don’t kill people.
And yes, I will be a knitter for life. Otherwise, my husband and kills might just kill me for taking up so much space in the house with yarn!
Kerry said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
I knit because it’s something I love to do. It gives me a little escape each day, some me time. It also really helps to calm my nerves when I’m stressed out. I find it really cool to know I can create my own fabric.
I’ve been knitting for about 20 years and I’m definitely in it for the long haul.
Debbie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
I love to knit because it is relaxing and gives me something to do when I need to slow down.
I taught myself to knit about four years ago and my favorite thing to knit is baby blankets. I also knit scarfs and hats.
I would like to knit socks and that is this years goal.
jamieheller said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:19 pm
I am just learning to knit, but I can already tell I will be knitting for life! I love it and can’t learn fast enough. It is very relaxing and exciting to see your project evolve a little bit at a time. I am so happy to be able to call myself a “knitter!”
jessica said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
I knit to keep from smoking, but really I knit for the joy of creating gifts that my family and friends will use, and love. My family called this activity “loving that shows”. Anything one does to warm the heart of a loved one, that they can look at and use. More practical than the words, but just as heartwarming.
Laura said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I am a lifer…now. I cannot remember my life before knitting. I knit because I have a need to create…I am an Art teacher. And the yarn…there are so many awesome colorways and types and I will never run out of projects. Plus TV is just a little boring without my needles! Thanks!
Melissa said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I knit because it is relaxing
I knit because it makes beautiful things
I knit because it allows me time to think…particularly if I am knitting a gift, then I think about the recipient
I knit because I love it.
And yes, I will always be a knitter. It brings me too much joy to ever let go of.
Jennifer said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
I knit because it helps me relax and forget about the rest of my day. If it’s something simple I tend to drift off and think about so many different things, it’s very meditative. Simple is also good for me because it’s familiar and routine in a sometimes crazy world.
I’ve been knitting for the better part of my (admittedly short) life already, I expect I’ll be knitting for many more years to come.
jessica said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
Oh, and I’m a knitter for life. The family just keeps on growing, what a happy thing!
RubyTandMe said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
I knit for the beautiful colours of the wool, for the feel of (from soft and cloudy to scratchy and woolly). I knit for the lovely functional garments I can make, and for the joy of doing something from start to finish and the sense of achievement I get from that. I knit because I enjoy a challenge and having something to do with my hands. I knit for the sheer thrill of creation.
Oh, and I knit so I don’t kill people.
I will be a knitter for life. I have always dabbled in it, and even if my current obsession with it dies down, I will still always have something on the needles. I don’t see this obsession leaving anytime soon though!
Kim D. said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
I started knitting when I was five. My Nan taught me and I was hooked from that moment onwards. I can never recall a time that I haven’t had a knitting project on the needles or on the radar to start. Now, almost 32 years later, I’m still knitting.
I knit because quite frankly I have to, but I don’t want it to sound like I don’t have a choice. I love to knit. It’s just what I do. It’s hard to imagine a day without either my knitting, thinking about knitting or blogging about knitting, or planning a next knitting project. Some of the first sentences out of my kids mouth were “When you finish that row can you get me (e.g. some milk, take me to school, read me a book, kiss my ouchie). If I haven’t knit for a day or so due to life getting way to much in the way (which rarely happens, there’s always an opportunity to knit – thank heavens for long red lights at traffic stops and bank lines at the atm) my husband will gently suggest that I go and sit down and knit, as I’m getting a little testy.
When I knit I feel connected to my Nan (grandmother) who has passed away. She meant the world to me and I feel close to her; feel as though I’m continuing in her footsteps, okay knit and purl stitches maybe. It is comforting to know that I am doing the same simple steps that she did, that I am knitting love into each stitch for my children as she did for me. The cycle continues.
Knitting relaxes me, excites me, helps me learn by keeping my hands busy so that my mind can engage. Let’s me create things for the four beautiful beings that I was able to create and give birth to.
Knitting connects me to women all over the world. I feel part of something bigger.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to think about this and pause and be grateful for the gift that knitting has given me.
Carol M said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
Our knitting group’s motto: I knit so I don’t kill people. (Especially the ones that I love!). Credit goes to my friend Kristen who came up with the motto.
I’m a knitter for life. I love yarn and I’m quite addicted.
Deb said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
I knit…..so I don’t kill people! Just like my ravatar says! ;0)
Really, i began knitting because my grandmother knit and I always wanted to learn. One day I finally decided it was time so I began teaching myself. Now that I am designing socks, I am more obsessed than ever. Knitting relaxes me and excites me at the same time. The simple answer is that it just plain makes me happy (and it is the only hobby I have had that I can do on the couch while watching my favorite shows….it always had to be one or the other and now it can be both!)
bella said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
I knit for the process. I knit for the product. I knit because it gives me an excuse to sit on my butt and watch tv and still feel like I’m being productive.
But mostly? I knit because it gives my hands something to do and my mind somewhere to be when the nervous energy of a full-blown anxiety-ridden panic attack ensues. All those jitters used to just race back and forth in my body, and add to the ‘crazies’ inside, but with some knitting needles and pretty fiber moving in my hands, and the zen motion, some of that energy is redirected for good. Its like for a moment I’m an anti-panic superhero! (Or something)
And that’s why I knit.
Ann said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:31 pm
I started knitting 25 years ago when we lived in England because, hey, everybody there knits, right? Turns out not to be completely true. I’m really sorry that I stopped then, because I had an expert knitter living right next door! Think of what I could have learned…. Some twenty years later, I started again in an effort to keep my hands busy (ok, to keep my hands out of the cookies), but I’ve found so much more! I love new challenges, new techniques, patterns, and yarns, so I think I’m a knitter for life. Besides, I now have a stash and believe I may have reached s.a.b.l.e.
Ronnie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:32 pm
I knit because I love taking a ball of sting and turning it into something beautiful and useful.
Cassy said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
I knit because I love the feel or yarn in my hands, I like making things that I love and love to wear and I love knowing that I can make something beautiful. I have been knitting since I was a little girl. My mom taught me and I feel like knitting connects me to her, to my grandmother who knit to cloth her family when she was too poor to buy new clothes, to my great-grandmother and too all the women who came before who all knit. I know that I will ever stop!
Shelley said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
I knit because I enjoy it – it’s relaxing and I enjoy being able to create things for other. Most of my knitting, well probably 99% is for other – charity actually. I think I’m a knitter for life, even though I may run through dry spells where I don’t knit (usually because I’m busy with school work), I always enjoy it that much more when I am able to pick it up again.
Sam said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
I knit to live, and live to knit.
I’ve always needed a creative outlet and have tried just about every craft known to man. About 13 years ago I picked up a pair of needles, a “learn to knit” booklet, and a cart full of yarn for a cross country RV trip. My first project was a fisherman’s afghan. That didn’t stop me from loving it, so I figure nothing will.
Bonnie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
I originally started knitting l little over two years ago after my, then 8 year old, learned to knit in her 2nd grade class. I was so embarrassed that my 8yo could knit a scarf when her mom could not even cast on. I stopped by a knit store on our way home from school and asked if they had classes. The store owner assured me there wasn’t a student she hadn’t been able to teach how to knit. The first 90 minute class lasted 3 hours and within 3 days I had completed my first scarf. I haven’t been able to stop since. I quickly found that the clicking of the needles, the alternating between K and P, the occasional PSSO and Sl1, KTOG, M1 and all other various forms of increasing and decreasing, reigned in my ADHD. I suddenly was able to focus during lectures, long meetings, school presentations, waiting to pick up the girls and more….
During stretches that I do not get to knit I become irritable, restless and difficult to focus. A mere thirty minutes with the needle – is better than any drug, therapy or venting session.
Knit on!
Ruth in NJ said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
I knit so I don’t mind waiting in the doctor’s office. I don’t mind waiting anywhere as long as I have my knitting. And, I always have it. I have been knitting for about 70 years and don’t intend to stop any time soon. Besides, I have to make a decent dent in my stash!
Carrie L. said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:41 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I knit because my Mom knits
I like knitting and creating things with my hand that I can wear and use.
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
I really do believe I will continue to knit long term.
Kristi said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
I came back to knitting after a 20 years hiatus to pass the time when I had to take a family member for medical appointments. I found that it really helped me to relax in a difficult place. I turned to knitting for other life stresses and now I am completely obsessed. I will always knit. I love colour and I love the feel of certain fibers passing over my fingers. I watched my mother knit her whole life. She knit because she had to, but kept knitting when there was no more need for mittens and warm wool socks because she loved it. I didn;t understand this years ago, but now I love that we have this in common.
Marjorie A said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:54 pm
I am a knitter for life. I do not remember not knowing how to knit. I was taught to knit by my Mother. I think she would be very pleased that I still knit for the joy it brings into my life. I knit for so many reasons. I enjoy the creative process, mastering new techiques, and working with the many different yarns we have available today. I find knitting to be very expressive through color, texture, and pattern. I love to make gifts for loved ones and those I don’t know…and of course, I like to knit for myself.
Knitting brightens every day.
Paulan said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
I knit for my health. Improved blood pressure and blood sugars are a result of the relaxing hobby of creating a beautiful project. I get pure joy as I watch the project grow with each row as the wonderful colors slide through my fingers and around the needles. I love answering the questions of young women who are fascinated by the craft.
I will be a knitter for life since there seems to be no end to new yarns, textures and colors. I gather new patterns that intrigue me and have at least another 25 years of projects planned.
Arlin said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
The first time I knit, I did it for my boyfriend (now fiance)’s bday. I didn’t pick up the sticks again until 3 years later (2008). Now I knit because it’s relaxing. I knit because it’s nice being able to CREATE something, to MAKE something useful with my own two hands. I knit because I love the adventure of trying out new techniques, new patterns, new yarn.
I knit because I fell in love with it.
I wish I can be a lifelong knitter, but I realize that I’m still young and life might hold other attractions for me. However, the stash I’ve accumulated should be a deciding factor that will motivate me to keep knitting, because otherwise I would’ve spent a LOT of money for a temporary fling.
You can tell I’m a realist.
AnaMarie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
I knit because I like to control all aspects of the process. Honestly, I started to knit because I wanted to be able to spin and knit my own clothes. Now, I knit because there are just so many different and wonderful patterns out there that I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things I want to knit. I’ll be cross stitching for a very long time (a goal of mine is to complete all of the Stoneybrook Art of Disney kits) and I sew too, but I don’t think I could imagine myself to be a non-knitter. I keep a sock in my purse for waiting in lines and for walking around, I love lace and while my stash is small compared to some, it would last for awhile if I needed it to! Knitting has been such a fundamental part of my life for the past few years and I don’t think I’ll ever willingly give it up. There’s just too many new techniques, gorgeous patterns, and things to make. My husband and I were just talking about how fast store-bought socks wear through, and how the knit ones worn more often are still great. A hobby that is also productive and useful? Of course I’ll be knitting forever!
Gina said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
I knit because it always gives me something to do. I knit because some yarns are the most beautiful yarns I have ever seen. I knit because pattern designers are amazing and if I can follow their patterns and make what they design I must be near amazing. I’m a knitter for life….I’ve already done crochet, tatting, needle lace, embroidery, even basketweaving….but knitting is perfect.
Stephania / Moirae said,
February 23, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
1) I knit because I never learned how to stop.
2) Uh see 1. I think 25 years of knitting counts as knitter-for-life. One of my deep fears is that something will happen to keep me from knitting when I get older.
Dana L said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:00 pm
I started knitting because I wanted a portable hobby. I can knit anywhere as long as I have it with me. I’ve been knitting for about six years and will be knitter for life. I might take a break, but I always come back to it and I never stop looking and drooling over yarn.
betshsu said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
I knit because I’m cold… seriously, that’s sort of why I taught myself to knit to begin with. I think I just like making (and destroying) things with my hands, and it’s also nice to be able to be lazy (ie, watching TV) and productive at the same time. And now it’s brought me lots of new friends! I was on a knitting hiatus for a year or two after I taught myself, but since I’ve picked it up again, I haven’t stopped so I guess I’m a knitter for life.
Yvonne Short said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
I knit for relaxation, personal gratification and the creativity. I love the feel of fine fibers.
I am a knitter for life. I can’t imagine any reason, other than the loss of the use of my hands, that I will ever quit. I enjoy it that much!
Anne Kaelber said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
I knit because it gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I knit because hubby loves my socks better than any other—he calls them a “walking shiatsu massage”! I knit because I love to watch tv but hate having nothing to do with my hands.
Is this a forever thing? I’ve learned to never predict this type of change. I always swore I’d never be a knitter and now I’m designing my first lace pattern. It *has* survived all the changes life has thrown at me since I first picked up the needles again. My toenails look really good now, too (now that my hands are too busy to pick at my toenails!). Despite the dreams and goals I’ve had to give up because of fibromyalgia, knitting has continued to be a source of peace and enjoyment, challenge and satisfaction. Let’s hope it’s a forever thing!
Anne.
Cathy-Cate said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
I knit because I have to. It’s my creative outlet. Not just creating a beautiful handknit, though that’s important, or matching yarn to project to person; but now designing with yarn as my medium.
I am definitely a knitter for life. I got serious about knitting not long after I reached adulthood, in college. Its place in my life has only grown year by year (along with my stash), and now I can’t imagine life without knitting.
Gretchen (brownbear on rav) said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
I knit because I’m obsessed now. I love finding new challenges in knitting and there are so many I haven’t tried yet. I love that it gives me something to do with my hands while I’m waiting or stressed out (and also when I’m happy and relaxed.) I think I’ll be a knitter for life. I will have to be to finish everything in my queue.
Claire said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
I knit for the sense of accomplishment… for the feeling that each day I have done something worthwhile. To create something beautiful or useful from gorgeous yarn and the challenge of following a difficult pattern or the simplicity of the repetitive motions on a simple project is really relaxing and rewarding. Knowing that the items I’ve made with love and endless hours can be given to someone or just enjoyed here around the house is gratifying. Surrounding myself with the colours of the yarn and all of the books, curled up with some tea and a warm blanket I’ve made, wearing a sweater in the winter to walk my dog and colourful socks, wrapped in my Noro scarf and hat with handmade mittens – it’s just the most amazing feeling. And I knit to keep my sanity while I’m alone every night with hubby snoring on the couch. Lotsa reasons! I will never ever ever stop knitting. It is now an obsession and a way of life for me and I am very grateful to you Sheri, and for Ravelry and all the knitting community for the connection and feeling of belonging that I’ve found through knitting.
Aggie Hansen said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
I just started knitting at age 60. My daughters discovered knitting and now they have drawn me in. It is a great way for us to be connected. My grand-mother was a knitter and I always thought that it was to hard to learn, but my girls (God-bless them) have shown me the light and I am working on my first,scarf, signed up for a knitting class and looking foward to soon starting my first pair of socks.
Collette said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
I knit for relaxation. It’s calming and, since I’m kind of a slow knitter, it forces me out of myself. I have to think about setting one stitch in front of another.
I think that I’ll be a knitter for life since there’s always something I can learn about knitting and frankly, part of the appeal is that it’s portable. I’m not going to be quilting on a long car ride. (That hand sewing stuff is not for me!)
Shirley said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
I believe that I’ll be a knitter for life. There’s so many wonderful yarns – and so many patterns – that I’m hooked. I did cross-stitch for many years too – but now save that for special complex patterns. I’ve ALWAYS got multiple projects on the needles – the great purple mohair afghan that’s almost done – two sweaters in various stages, multiple scarfs, etc… But, the yarns are it for me… wonderful fibers, hand dyed colors – so much yarn that I’ll never be able to knit all that I want to knit in my lifetime – but I’m going to try!!!
Didi B said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:16 pm
I knit because I love to create art, keep my hands and mind busy and to occupy my soul with something positive. I already know I’ll knit until my hands just can’t do it anymore, I don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t knit. Crochet, maybe?
Valerie D said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:21 pm
I jsut started knitting a little over two years ago. I needed something to do in the car on our annual Thanksgiving drive to spouse’s family in Alabama. I thought I was going to make a chemo cap for my aunt. Ended up doing a scarf. After returning to MO after trip, discovered knit ins and the wonderful women who have shared their many tips and enthusiasm with me. I’m definitely a newly converted, life long knitter. Love the feel and colors of yarn, the portability of the projects, the mental challenges and the simple mindedness, depending on the project. Most of my projects end up either with a charity as a gift to a friend. Many would say I’m now addicted to knitting. As I have way more stash than I could possibly knit during the remainder of my life, I know I have to stay busy knitting to justify buying the latest gorgeous yarn that calls to me like a siren from the rocky shore. Afterall, as someone said, petting your yarn counts as using it.
Kelly N said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:25 pm
I knit because I wanted to try all the crafty things. Between sewing and knitting, knitting has stuck hard. I love it because it’s portable. It’s meditative. It’s complex and easy all at once. It’s nice to sit and knit and let my mind wander, or watch tv, or ride in the car, and have something to do with my hands. And at the end of a long journey, or tv show series, I have something to wear. And I can look at my knitting and go, I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Great Grandmas’ when I turned that heel.
I’m a knitter for life. There will always be little dogs that need sweaters, babies that need hats and feet that need socks.
Rachelle said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:25 pm
I knit because I find it fascinating watching a garment appear out of a series of loops, because I have a fibre addiction that needs to have a reason so DH doesn’t throw a wobbly when new fibre appears and because it gives me something to do no matter where I am.
I got back into knitting after my second son was born and like sewing and spinning I think it’ll be with me for life, especially as I have so many things on my to-do list that I don’t know when I’ll ever get them all done!
Kim L. said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
I knit because it gives my brain something to do. I enjoy multitasking but somehow, knitting keeps me relaxed – whether I am waiting for an appointment or watching television. If I am feeling particularly crazy, knitting allows me to zone out from the stress and focus on creating something lovely.
I knit because there are so many amazing colourways out there, I feel like I may never see the end of them!
Knitter for life!
Charlene Gee said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:32 pm
I knit because my kindergarten teacher took an interest in me as she sat next door to my home waiting for her ride home. My mother was a single parent, we didn’t have many material possessions. My friend, Mattiel, had everything a child could want. Mattiel’s mother saw that her child was not interested in the Barbie knitting kit that she bought her so she gave it to me. Being a person of short stature, and being 5 years old and not knowing that I was different, my kindergarten teacher taught me how to knit after school because I was unable to run and play like my sister. Ms. Stella Williams opened up a new world for me…. the world of knitting. No one in my class or on my block knew how to knit. This made me feel special. It didn’t matter that I was laughed at for being so small….. I COULD KNIT and the others couldn’t. I love the way yarn feels on my fingers. I love the beautiful colors. I knit because my family loves the beautiful items that I create for them year after year.
Trish said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
1~ I knit because I must. It is my meditation at the end of a harried day, my solace when mourning a loved one, and my joy while reflecting on life and its wonderful variations. It is my passion when I am burning to create something with my hands. It is my self-expression in color, texture and dimension. It is how I protect my loved ones with warm wooly things. It is how I welcome new souls into this world. It my gift to new mothers whom I teach to ease their stress. It is my “pay it forward” to Kenny Partlow’s mother, who taught my 5th grade class at Marilyn Avenue School oh-so-many years ago, and gave me a lifetime gift. It is who I am. I knit.
2~ I am a knitter for life. I have been knitting for 34 years. I am also a graphic designer by profession; I crochet, needle felt, sew, and many other hands-on crafts. But I will always knit. I plan to be buried with my needles and my first blanket (just kidding–well, maybe).
Gina said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
I hadn’t knit since I was a 7 year old but picked up the needles again 4 years ago when my counselor advised I needed an outlet in my life. She gave me a week. Not only did I find knitting a wonderfully relaxing outlet but I have met some of the most wonderful people during my knitting travels. I find it extremely rewarding to turn fiber into beautiful garments. I love to get totally absorbed in a pattern and everything else in my life drifts away.
I have an absolute passion for knitting and it is now a huge part of who I am. If someone would have told me 5 years ago that I would take more time to plan my knitting for a vacation than I do planning clothes for the same trip, I would have told them they need a reality check. However, it’s true — wherever I go, so goes a project (or two or three …..).
Karen VR said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:57 pm
I knit because it has become my therapy. I can choose to knit something soothing to my soul, or I can choose to knit something challenging for my brain. It is something I can do alone, but it is also very enjoyable to do with others. It is a joy to share the passion with someone who is also a knitter. I knit because it is rewarding to find that I can make beautiful things out of sticks and some string. I am pretty sure I’m in it for life, as long as my eyes and my hands hold out.
Bobbie said,
February 23, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
I am a knitter for life. I knit because my grandmother knit, my aunt knit, and people throughout history have knit. I love both the process and the product.
Helen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:06 am
Why do I knit? I often joke that I knit to stay sane, but in a way that’s true.
I knit to provide an outlet for my creative drive. I design for knitting for the same reasons. I knit to keep my hands busy, which in turn keeps my mind in the room with me, and not wandering off chasing a thousand thoughts in their myriad directions. I knit to calm myself (it’s kept my kids alive, I’m sure). I knit when I need patience.
I also knit so that I can wrap my family in my love when I send them out of the house.
I knit because of all the fiber arts I’ve tried, this one gives me the most pleasure… it resonates in a way that crochet, needlepoint, cross-stitch, even sewing (and tatting, which I tried for a brief time) do not. I knit because even though it’s ever simple — ever the same — ever two simple stitches, it’s always new, always providing a learning opportunity, and always yielding truly useful products (I mean c’mon, how many doilies does a gal need?).
This one will stick. I’m sure I’ll be knitting until my hands are too gnarled with age to hold the needles anymore. And even then, I hope I’ll be teaching, guiding younger hands to form interlocking loops and lovely knitted objects. Part of why I think I’ll be at it til I can’t hold a needle is that I just enjoy it that much. But I also anticipate its longevity is that knitting has opened to meeting more new and delightful people that I’m blessed to have in my life in ways that none of my prior fiber arts adventures ever did. That… and the fact that my knitting queue is so long I’ll never finish all the projects.
Joan Callaway said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:30 am
I knit as much for the process as the result, as I don’t actually wear the socks I knit. I started knitting again after many years of owning and operating two women’s clothing boutiques, where I sold handknits and handwoven garments by the truckload, because I could feel arthritis setting in in my hands. I hoped to stall that process, while enjoying something to keep my hands busy, as well. I am mostly immobile because of severe arthritis, sit in an electric chair most of the day when I’m not at my computer in my study. I find it exciting to watch how the new self-patterning yarns and fun patterns develop…and especially like to knit toe-up socks with my own patterns now that I’m more experienced.
At 78, I expect that I’ll knit as long as my hands continue to function. I use an arthritis cream that works wonders!
Sparke said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:04 am
Knitter for life! It is very satisfying to take string and pointy sticks, and make socks. AND, knitting is a very good diet aid – hands are busy, and must stay clean.
And since I have achieved SABLE (Stash Aquisition Beyond Life Expectancy, according to the Harlot), I must keep knitting! And buying yarn!
It’s just too much fun!
Brenda said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:05 am
I’ve been knitting on and off for 30 years, but this time I’m really obsessed. The endless resources on the web, info on various techniques, free patterns, and multiple yarn purchase options, mean that there is an infinite number of knitting projects to try. So I don’t see myself getting bored or tired.
I now take my knitting everywhere.
What other activity is so creative, challenging, and also practical and productive? Beats any other hobby I can think of.
Best wishes,
Brenda
MaryAnn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:20 am
I knit to keep myself sane, my world is so upside down, and my son is autistic and he takes a tv and my folks whom are elderly take the other tv, so I am left with the computer. So I knit to keep the stress away, I knit to keep my hands busy. And sometimes I knit to keep people away so I can have a few minutes to think. I knit also because I like to do it, I like the feel of the yarn and looking at all the different types out there and wonder if I could just buy it and make something. I knit to see how it will turn out in the end. Each project is such a surprise. I knit because it makes me happy.
So you ask if I will be a knitter forever? My answer is yes, mostly because I want to see the magic unfold with each new project.
Jess said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:23 am
Why do I knit… because it allows me to use my creative juices whenever and where ever I want. Right now… my daughter is undergoing treatment for Leukemia and knitting is here. I knit because it soothes me. It gives my hands something to do while we spend endless hours and days in the hospital… I can put something together even when life is out of control. I can make order from chaos. Me, I’m a knitter for life!
Angela said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:35 am
I knit for many reasons. . . My hands need to stay busy, no matter what the rest of my body is doing. I would rather do something constructive with them, than just bite my fingernails until they bleed. I love being able to do something that gets a reaction out of people. . . I have yet to find someone unimpressed when I kick a shoe off to show them my socks (the handknit ones, I mean) Knitting connects me to my grandmother (the one who taught me to knit), I just wish it hadn’t taken her passing to remind me of that. I love learning new things, and every new pattern brings something at least a little different. I love having something to show for my time. Am I knitter for life? You bet. Will I always be as obsessed as I currently am? Probably not. I am already starting with the spinning, which takes away from knitting time, though it does give me more yarn to knit
I think knitting will always have a place in my life, as long as I can still knit.
AJ said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:50 am
I knit for many reasons. One because it’s a great therapy, when you’re up or down you are still in that moment of twisting and turning yarns. Second is because I love to make homemade things. I love that I can make something that will keep my family warm.
Will I knit forever?? Absolutely. Before I started to knit I was a hard core scrapbooker, it’s all I did. But then I began to knit and it took over every other hobby I had ever enjoyed. My house is filled with yarn, patterns, needles, tape measures…They are all here to stay.
Linda in Anchorage said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:53 am
Question 1) Why do I knit? Because I like to create things (I hardly ever follow a pattern “exactly” and often make up my own), and watch something useful or cool emerge from that ball of yarn. I love to knit with my husband and daughter, and knitting friends. I like to challenge myself with new techniques, and I love to experiment with fibers and colors. I also find it a stress reducer, in my busy world.
2) Yes, I’m a knitter-for-life. I’ve knit for over 45 years, and still find that I have lots of new techniques and stitch designs to try, patterns to create, and friends and family (including family dogs!) to knit for who appreciate my offerings. I also like to teach others to knit, and pass along the skills that I’ve learned.
Debi said,
February 24, 2009 @ 2:10 am
I knit for the repetition of doing something with my hands. I knit for the creative process I love to see something take shape under my hands. I knit for the satisfaction of the finished project to say to my self that yes, I did it and I love it. I knit for the calming and peacefulness of the whole process. There is nothing like sitting down with my needles after a stressful day and feeling the stress and tension wash away with each stitch. I knit for the joy of creation and seeing the look on others faces when I gift them a knitted object. It makes me happy. I knit for the beautiful fibers and colors, I love knitted socks, scarves, etc they make me so happy. I am a knitter for life. I love the portability of the knitting and that I can take it just about anywhere, and have. I plan to create for as long as possible.
Pat said,
February 24, 2009 @ 2:22 am
I knit because I love to knit. It’s who I am. If I’m sitting, I’m knitting.
I am a knitter for life. I have been knitting for 55 years. That is a lifetime.
yohopaulie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 2:26 am
i knit for so many reasons; it’s soothing; and relaxing; and i love creating one of a kind items , especially now that ive also added on yarn dyeing.
spinning is next and i cant wait to see where this path I’ve taken will lead me to
Daria Schulte said,
February 24, 2009 @ 2:41 am
Yes, I am a knitter for life – I only have to work on my abilities
And I do knit because I like the challenge, because I love the outcomes, because the things I knit I could never buy in shops and – my son is allergic to every fabric except for wool and cotton…
nestra said,
February 24, 2009 @ 2:58 am
I knit becuase I love yarn. I love spectacular indie dyed, plain old 220 solids, un-dyed, doesn’t matter I just love yarn.
I think knitting is forever with me. I flirt with crochet, and am having a long term affair with spinning but I will never leave knitting behind!
amy lane said,
February 24, 2009 @ 3:07 am
Well, I originally DIDN’T knit–I originally crocheted. I used to watch my grandma crochet, and I could never figure it out. One year, about four years after her death, I had a dream where it made sense, and then I wandered into a craft store, bought a do-it-yourself book, and went to town–learning to read a pattern was a must, because I HAD to know how to make stuff–don’t know why, it was a compulsion. And then, I realized that many of the magazines/books I were buying were bi-craftual, and I hated to be left out of anything, so I taught myself to knit.
And I knit for so many reasons… I knit to create, I knit to gift, I knit to lower my blood pressure. I knit to feel accomplished, I knit to meditate, I knit to excuse the copious amount of television I watch, and I knit to pretend I may actually outlive my stash ( *chortle*) I’ve been ‘yarning’ (because I still crochet) for nearly 12 years now… and it’s so much a part of me that explaining WHY I do it is like explaining WHY I breathe… I knit because there is yarn there and my fingers have time to be still…
Julia Rabbitts said,
February 24, 2009 @ 3:08 am
I knit becasue I love it; I love doing something creative that occupies my hands and my brain and relaxes me. It’s the same reason I do rembroidery, needle point and make quilts. I love colour and yarn and design and having something that no one else has.
Will I keep going – I learnt to knit when I was 10, 32 years ago and I’m still going. I can’t go long without having somehting on the go and will keep knitting till it is not possible for me to continue. I knit (and embroiider and sew!) anywhere and anytime.
amy lane said,
February 24, 2009 @ 3:10 am
Well, I originally DIDN’T knit–I originally crocheted. I used to watch my grandma crochet, and I could never figure it out. One year, about four years after her death, I had a dream where it made sense, and then I wandered into a craft store, bought a do-it-yourself book, and went to town–learning to read a pattern was a must, because I HAD to know how to make stuff–don’t know why, it was a compulsion. And then, I realized that many of the magazines/books I were buying were bi-craftual, and I hated to be left out of anything, so I taught myself to knit.
And I knit for so many reasons… I knit to create, I knit to gift, I knit to lower my blood pressure. I knit to feel accomplished, I knit to meditate, I knit to excuse the copious amount of television I watch, and I knit to pretend I may actually outlive my stash ( *chortle*) I’ve been ‘yarning’ (because I still crochet) for nearly 12 years now… and it’s so much a part of me that explaining WHY I do it is like explaining WHY I breathe… I knit because there is yarn there and my fingers have time to be still… (And yes… I’ll be knitting until my fingers cramp up and I can no longer move from my chair.)
Cristina said,
February 24, 2009 @ 3:29 am
I started knitting for 2 reasons:
1. I moved to a foreign country, and joined a knitting group as a beginning knitter to make friends (it worked!);
2. I love being able to customise my clothes since I am 2 sizes different on the top and bottom;
and I keep knitting because it makes it easier to sit through my husband’s choice of movies
Federica said,
February 24, 2009 @ 4:25 am
I knit because I have always been amazed about the idea of making a jumper or anything you can wear or use for home decorations out of a simple yarn. The entire process, since you cast on your stitches to when the object you had in your mind comes out from your needles, is full of joy and expectations. I will surely be a knitter for the rest of my life, I need my portion of knitting per day…. they say ‘A apple a day keeps the doctor away’, for me it is ‘Some knitting a day keeps the doctor away’
Sharon said,
February 24, 2009 @ 4:57 am
I think that the main reason why I knit is to keep my otherwise busy brain occupied. Of course, it really helps that there are so many amazing patterns and yarns around!
Knitting for me is a hobby that comes and goes. I first started to knit when I was about 5 years old or so, knitted through most of school and then left it for nearly 10 years. Started up again before the turn of the century, and then left it again for another 4 years or so. dropped it again for another 8 months, and am now currently knitting up a storm with the approach of winter.
It really depends for me, but I have noticed that I desert my craft less often now than what I used to in the past (although I think that has something to do with me owning a credit card now and being able to get hold of the really yummy yarns that I see online that isn’t available here). Oh yes, and learning to spin and dye has also helped to keep the passion alive, lol.
Sandi said,
February 24, 2009 @ 5:21 am
I started knitting when I was sixteen. It has been one of the constants in my life. Yes, it was something that I would put down for awhile at times but it is something I always have come back to later. Now that I have discovered knitting with good yarn (before Ravelry I never had knitter friends and thus never knew there was more than just cheap yarn out there) the knitting experience has taken on new meaning. Before it was enjoyable to knit but something was missing. Now I know the pleasure of a good knit with an amazing yarn and a wonderful pattern. I imagine knitting will stay in my life. Heck, its been with me for over 23 years. Now I get to knit for my son and its so cool to hear him ask for something special and then make it for him. Its hard to pinpoint the “why” other than it is amazing to take a string and end up with a garment and know you made the transformation happen. Now that I spin I take it further by starting with a fleece. Its magic.
Susan Dietrich said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:09 am
1) Why do I knit? First, because I thought I could do anything my three year older brother could do. He was a very sickly child with severe allergies and asthma. After a hospital bout, he was bored and needed something to do. Mother started teaching him to knit. She just happened to have to scarf kits. He got the beautiful heather gray with the bright red and blue yarns. I got stuck with the ugly shade of baby poop yellow/gold with dirty brown yarn. Nevertheless, I soon learned that we knitted in the same way as our personalities. He was laid back and knitted (and purled) very evenly. I, on the other hand, knitted tensely and purled a tad less tensely. When I would get my stitches so tight that I needed help, I hated to ask for help. I hated that “look” from Mother and the lecture that my stitches were so tight that she didn’t know if she could get the needle through them or not in order to get a row for me to be able to knit again. In the beginning, I knit due to my competitive nature.
Later, I knit because I am a survivor. Four years ago, I was laid off from a job. The next month I was diagnosed with stage 2+ breast cancer. Six weeks later I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The cancer is in remission. The fibromyalgia, I strive to manage. I knit to fill some of the few waking hours I have. Amazingly, a project may eventually reach maturity if one persists. I knit to express love to family members. It is a legacy I can leave to them – someday.
Is it something I do now and move onto something else eventually? I have been involved in several crafts from time to time and usually come back to most of them time and time again. I have a hand pieced quilt in the attic that is completely hand pieced. It is to be lap quilted. It is partially lap quilted. When will I get back to that project? I don’t know. I received a very, very hurtful comment about it when I was first making it. It may never be finished now.
Right now knitting is a part of my life. If it again becomes insignificant, it will again be significant again and again.
Knitting is a way for me to relax.
nyxs said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:19 am
I knit because i love colour. I knit because it is meditation to me. I knit because it brings me peace. I knit because i have teenagers .. need i say more ?
WIll i always be a knitter ? of course ..aren’t all knitters forever knitters?
Cindy K said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:23 am
I knit to help me focus. It’s very meditative for me & helps to center me – helps me focus on the tasks at hands or think through something that might be bothering me. (Of course, I must be knitting a “mindless” pattern in order to accomplish this, so I always have a simple project stashed in a bag somewhere.) It’s a process: focus-clarity-relaxation-renewed energy. That sounds pretty ‘zen’, but it works for me. :~)
Petunia said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:42 am
I knit for several reasons. It’s relaxing and rolls back stressful days at work; I’m still a bit hyperactive and just sitting, empty-handed, on the sofa in the evenings with hubby staring at the tube would drive me insane; a great feeling of satisfaction when I complete an item; the on-going learning process – and I still am!!
I’m a life-long knitter. I learned at age 6 from Mom when I was down with the chicken-pox. In those days, they kept kids out of school for 2 full weeks; I was terribly bored, probably a real pain in the butt, and she thought to keep me resting but busy. That was in 1955. I’m still knitting.
Johanna said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:52 am
I knit for a number of reasons, I think. I like to createa product to please others or myself, a knitted item tells much about your love for the receiver, I think. Knitting helps me to relax and forget about my busy everyday life for a while. I knit to stay away from boredom in situations I otherwise would have been bored to death (for example when husband watches sports on TV or when at boring meetings). I knit for the excitement of experiencing new yarns, new patterns and new techniques. And, I knit because it’s a lot of fun!
At the moment I think of myself as a life long knitter. I have loads of projects I want to try, and way too much yarn… But you never know how life turns out, so time will show whether I eventually turn out to actually be a knitter for life or not.
Janine said,
February 24, 2009 @ 6:56 am
I took my first sock class this past fall even though I was buying yarn before I knew how to knit socks. I knit because it is relaxing but also because it is so portable. I can knit almost everywhere as opposed to needlepoint which needs better light, more tools, etc. I also knit because for some reason, I am not as worried about a challenge or difficulty – I can rip back and try again. That knowledge is very freeing.
I think that I will be a life-long knitter. I certainly am on my way to having enough stash!
colleen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:01 am
I knit for the process: coming up with an idea, fleshing out the design, and then translating it to wool. I find it a very creative and satisfying process (OK, sometimes very frustrating, too – the perils of not using patters). And I am absolutely a life-long knitter. Other crafts may come and go, but even when I’m in the thoes of a new interest, I know it’s not a permanenet as knitting.
Jill said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:03 am
I started knitting (again) several years ago as a way to keep my hands busy while watching TV. I’m kinda hooked on socks because they’re small, portable, and only take me about two weeks to complete. It never ceases to amaze me that I can take one continuous (usually) piece of “string” and by working row after row of loops end up with a wearable object. I doubt that I will ever completely give up knitting unless my arthritis forces me to do just that.
Megan S. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:03 am
I knit because I can.
Knitting soothes my soul on a bad day, and keeps my mind and my hands busy on a good one. I love the possibilities that knitting provides – size, shape, texture, color.. They can all be modified and adapted to suit my style, my whims, or my needs. My mother was a knitter, and I remember being excited about wearing the hats and mittens she would knit us. It’s a wonderful feeling to see my daughter get excited about the things that I make for her as well.
I am a knitter for life.. Between all of my stash, and fiber there’s no way I could stop! I’ve started teaching at my LYS as well, and I find it so rewarding. I’m in it for life and I love it!
Donna said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:09 am
I knit because I can crawl inside my current project and hide from the world! I knit because it’s my form of yoga. I knit because as a child I twirled my hair..now Iam an old lady and i use yarn instead!! I love the feel of it, I live the soothing look of it, and of course the finished project warms me all over. I’ll knit all my days and sometimes when I can’t sleep, my nights too.
Shelia Carrasco said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I knit because it is a productive and restful opportunity to sit down! Yarn and needles in hand immediately produces a calmness and centering. I can plan the next hour, week, month or even decade ahead! Knitting transports me through my devotional time and prayer. With a multitude of stitches, I am able to center my prayers around those for whom I ask protection and blessings. Finished projects brings me great joy! Giving the gift of my hands fills me with immense blessing. It is truly more beneficial to the human spirit to give rather than receive!
Joyce Carrasco
Elgin IL
Corey said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:35 am
I knit to keep SANE! I teacher and by the end of the day, when I get home, I just want to kick up my feet and relax. I feel guitly sitting on the couch watching tv all night. But, if I have my knitting needles in hand, I can watch television and be productive simultaneously. In the past, I had the tendency to pick up a hobby for a few months and then move on to something new. My parents laughed that this would happen w/ knitting as well. They were wrong! I’ve been happily knitting for years now and really don’t see my love disapating any time soon
)
Nancy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:38 am
I knit because I love making beautiful, unique, soft knitted things for people I love, and myself. Yes, I am a knitter for life, and beyond, I hope!
Nancy
Iowa
Jenn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:41 am
I’ve been knitting since I was small – sometimes with years in between spurts – and up til a few years ago – I only made scarves out of acrylic – that’s what my grandmother showed me, I didn’t have any way to learn anything new (Mimi lives in FL, I live in PA, it’s not easy to pop in for a lesson). I was back in a scarf knitting kick when I found a pattern for an illusion scarf that I thought would be perfect for my brother. I found an LYS that had Malabrigo Worsted in the the perfect colors – and knitting lessons – and I took a couple of classes (cables, socks) and then I realized how knitting was both calming and intellectually stimulating depending on what I needed at the time. I was always fidgety when I was watching TV or a movie, knitting calmed that down. I was always struggling to stay awake during conferences or lectures for my night classes, knitting keeps me focused on what the speaker is saying. Then I found a knitting group that I had a lot in common with, and our knitting nights are a great way to keep decompressed. If I’m having a rough week, a night with the crowd relaxes me, lets me vent, and get back to what I need to do the next day.
And then there’s the yarn! After I made that Malabrigo scarf, I started to destash my acyrlic, who knew that wool was soft? Who knew that alpaca was so amazing? There’s bamboo? I love yarn. I’m sure I’ve reached SABLE at this point – but I’m going to try!
I love being able to knit things for myself, for my family and friends, and just for knitting it in itself! I don’t know if I’ll reach the same knitter’s block spot that I have in the past, but I do know that even if I do, I’ll be back.
Deb said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:46 am
I knit because it’s relaxing. At least it was until I started doing lace and more complicated things and started thinking about doing my own designing. It was supposed to be something where I wouldn’t be compelled to do that. But what can I say, it’s so much fun! I used to knit a long time ago, but stopped because I really couldn’t find yarn and patterns I liked, but now the options are wonderful and endless. I also knit because I’ve just learned how to spin and I can’t wait to knit something from my own yarn and then there will be yarn and ideas and, well, yes, I think I probably will knit forever. Oh, and I have made some wonderful friends through Ravelry that I would not have met and gotten to know if it wasn’t for knitting. That’s probably the best reason
Jan said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:52 am
I knit because I am part of a long thread of women who use their hands to make things. I learned at my grandmother’s knee when I was six, on long cold mornings before the school bus came. I knit because my hands crave something to do when I sit down. I knit because I can knit out the wotties and knit in the calm. Will I knit for life? Yes, because I am part of a long thread and because it is what my hands and my heart know best.
Anne said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:55 am
I knit to create. I’ve always been an artist / creator / experimentor. . . . . and also have always been a tad impatient. I taught myself when I was 5 or 6 because my Mom had too much on her plate with the other 5 children. I never got her to teach me so I snuck her magazines, some needles, and some wound yarn and just started following the diagrams.
My passion for the process has made knitting a very satisfying expression and extension of my excitement about making creative and utilitarian objects. I am definitely a knitter for LIFE. My studies, career, and family filled up my time but I always did just a little knitting. Now, I feel like I’ve exploded! I belong to the SABLE club (smirk) and Ravelry.com has fanned this knitter’s flame for more. . . . more. . .. . more. . . . . and right now! TLE has happily obliged my passion! The impatience is something I’m working on . . K1 P1 K1 P1 . . .. . .
Laurie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 7:56 am
I knit for the flow activity that it is. And yes,knitter for life!
Angela said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:00 am
Knitting is something I’ve done since I was 16. I have trouble staying in one place without doing more than one thing at a time. When I was 16 it was a cross-country car trip with my family…and when the sweet older woman taught me to knit it was immediately peaceful–I learned on dpns–metal size 3, 4, 5, and 6’s : still have the needles though now I don’t have the leg warmers. During meetings when I’d be uncomfortable, knitting has kept me quiet. It has definitely eliminated stress–especially when I’m knitting in the evening. It has been a buffer zone when I’ve not been feeling safe.
And as long as I have been knitting, I think I am a knitter for life. It is part of me. Until Ravelry I wasn’t so much a product person…but now I have both types of projects and I’m really happy with that.
Jody said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:09 am
I.) I knit because it’s a way to keep a connection to the person who taught me – my grandmother (who has been gone for several years). Also, I just love color, and every time I knit something, I am mesmerized by how colors change the appearance of any project as I’m working on it.
2) Knitting is my first love, although I do take breaks to do other types of needle arts. I can’t imagine not knitting.
Becky said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:13 am
I knit, and spin, because I can’t stand being idle and both hobbies are portable and easy to pick up and put down. I love making things for the people I love – for Christmas my mom got mittens made from my handspun and my niece got a lace scarf that I designed myself… with the help of Barbara Walker. Hobbies come and go with me but I think knitting will stick with me a good long time.
Jo Ann (shamrockknits) said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:15 am
I knit because it clears my mind of the responsibilities of the “real world”. Concentrating on a pattern shifts the company layoffs, needs for 401k hardship withdrawals, cash concerns from my real life job in HR. Also, the results are pleasing to me, and the compliments are nice as well.
I go through cycles. Have been knitting since I was 7 in Blue Birds. I have also folk art painted and quilted, but knitting is more portable and relaxing to me. It must be a Zen thing. As long as there’s a Ravelry and Vogue Knitting, I’ll be inclined to knit even if it’s just a dish rag out of cotton yarn as well as whatever else become popular in the craft world.
Holly said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:17 am
I took up knitting after my son was born and do it now to keep my mind active. It’s a nice reprieve from school, work, house and kid duty. Intricate lace or simple garter, knitting gets my mind moving. And I sure hope I’m a knitter for life. If not I’m in serious trouble with all the yarn that’s been stashed here. (Not including the tub of acrylic red heart and caron that I just gave away.)
Sandy H. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:19 am
I knit for many reasons. First I love the excitement of taking yarn and making something beautiful out of it. The colors and textures excite me! Knitting and the rhythm of the needles relax me and allow me to think about many things including who I am making the scarf, shawl, socks, sweater, blanket for. Knitting is relaxing and frees me from the pressures of the day and oh so calming when my mind is racing. Knitting makes me think of my mother who was a marvelous knitter but she jealously guarded her secrets and never would teach me how to knit so I am self-taught until I found the world’s best knitting instructor three years ago.
I will be a knitter for the rest of my life!
Teri said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:22 am
I knit for the process and the joy of creation. I started with needlepoint and crewel, then progressed (regressed?) to cross-stitch (and still have a partially finished project from before my 18-year old son was born to prove it!) I’ve done the crochet thing and I still play in that backyard occasionally. I’ve made jewelry which is totally out of the needle-art box, but it was a crazy period in my life, so what can I say?
I come from a short line of crafters (Grandma and Mom) and this is my way of carrying on tradition, I guess. My mom used to sew my clothes and knit sweaters to match and I had no clue at the time what a gift that was.
Am I a knitter for life? You bet! I have made great friends in the five years that I’ve been knitting and I wouldn’t give THEM up for anything! We laugh till we cry and they’re all pretty amazing people – multi-faceted and smart, too. Maybe it’s the herd instinct, but I’d rather hang out with knitters than just about anyone. The world would be a better place if we could just teach everyone to knit. But then we’d have to fight over stash…
Jen C said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:25 am
I enjoy knitting, both the process, which I find helps me focus better and the end product, socks usually,lol, with an occasional hat, mitt and Sweater. I am a knitter for life! I may slow down a bit now and then or not pick up for a week or two, but I always come back to it and there is always a WIP somewhere.
Natalie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:31 am
I knit because it makes me happy. It enables me to create beautiful things that fit just the person they were made for; it is a link to my Slavic ancestors and a connection to countless women now and in the past who also created garments out of nothing more than some yarn and a pair of needles.
.
I knit because there is nothing better than amazing yarn and because there is no better way of showing someone that you care for him than a knitted gift.
But mostly, I knit because I am hopelessly addicted. And that is why I will be a knitter for life, or at least until my stash eats me
Laura Y. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:33 am
I knt because it’s one of the two hobbies I have that I almost always find relaxing (unless things are going horribly, horribly wrong, which thankfully doesn’t really happen that often to me). The other one is cooking, which is not so much portable and I can’t do it while sitting onthe couch watching TV. I actually hadn’t knit for years and picked it up again because I get fidgety when I sit too long and it drives my husband nuts when I do stuff that involves moving around the room while we’re watching TV (which we probably watch too much of, but as long as I’m getting knitting done I can justify it
).
I think I’m a knitter for life: no matter what other hobbies I try–and I’ve tried more tahn my fair share–it’s the one I always come back to, and the one I turn to when I need a break from one of thoe Other Hobbies.
April said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:34 am
I started knitting because i wanted to create clothing for my daughter not just buy something. After the first trial scarf i was hooked. I am a knitter for life because i can’t think of anything else that is as rewarding (non-family wise). Knitters create not just read/follow a pattern. Every stitch is there for a reason and is part of the overall structure. as a pagan that resonates with my spiritual and world view.
Sue S said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:35 am
I discovered knitting late in life- I’ve only been knitting for 5 years. I knit because it keeps my mind active, my fingers involved and expresses the love that goes into each item I knit for others. I will knit until they pry the needles from my cold hands .
gertieanne said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Why do I knit? A few things I really love about knitting are the texture, the colors of the yarn and the creating. The beauty of lace and the challenge of the patterns. The comradely of people I have met and friends I have made.
nancy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:40 am
i knit because my mom taught me. i grew up with mittens, made by grandma, to play in the snow, and sweaters knit by mom to keep me warm. i knit to keep my hands moving and busy, and to calm my mind. i keep knitting because there are so many wonderful yarns and patterns to try. there are techniqes to learn, designers to follow, local businesses (moms) to support , friendships with other women “like” me. and you get something unique, warm and beautiful in the end (or ufo’s).
Ivy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:41 am
I knit because I am. I knit because it is an expression. My senses bask in the color, feel, even the smell of fibers and yarns, each difference a subtle nuance in feeling and comfort. I cannot imagine not being a knitter, fiberphile so it seems I am a knitter for life, although if you had asked this same question 5 years ago I would have simply stared in amusement. Thank the forces of the universe that knitting and I discovered each other (I know my family does)!!
Tamie L said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:41 am
You have a ton of responses and this might not be unique BUT…
I grew up with a very crafty older sister- she was the most brilliant creator I have known. I never pursued this expression, I chose sports. Through the years she continued to make such neat things that one day I asked for her to teach me something- well cross stitch it was, she held off on her #1 hobby-knitting. The 1st project she gave me back in the late 80’s maybe early 90’s got started but was left undone. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and fought it- put that into remission. When her battle started again I picked up the cross stitch. I finally finished it and she helped me a week before she passed with the last stitch. Fast forward about 6 months- her daughter sent me knitted washcloths and a few other items. I also got some of my sisters needles. I so badly wanted to learn this knitting thing to be closer to her. It also gave me a tie to my Niece…
So thankfully what started as a desire to have some of my sisters skill/creativity has ended up being more for me. I love the opportunity to focus, slow down and every part of the process lets me make choices. I have found it perfect for every hard day and love that there is something to show for my time & patience. My sisters metal needles are in a container above my computer along with every knitting magazine already stashed. I understand why she had freezers of yarn! I love how it can connect me to so many amazing women and allowed me to discover new parts of myself. Knitting has been and is a life raft. I know it doesn’t bring back a loved one but in a special way I have met many new sisters thru knitting…it’s like she knew a secret and finally told me once she was gone.
Jackie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:44 am
I am, have always been, and will always be a knitter. It is an addiction, but as I always tell my husband, it could be worse – it could be drugs! Nothing compares to finding that “just gotta have it” yarn (happens way too often), and then searching and finding that perfect pattern to bring out all those perfect attributes of the yarn – even if it means frogging more than once until that “feeling” happens and you know you’ve found the perfect match. I’ve been through all the ups and downs in the knitting history, and I am thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful innovations that new technology brings to both the yarn and knitting techniques -but I am also constantly working on my stash just in case another “yarn recession” is in the offing!
Emily said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:47 am
Really, I blame Eunny Jang’s Anemoi Mittens. Before I saw that pattern, I never had the urge to knit anything more than simple garter stitch scarves. I love the challenge of knitting. It still surprises the heck out of me when I am able to create these socks and mitts and have them actually look like socks and mitts. A year and half later, I have finally cast on my Anemoi Mittens, confidant that I will actually be able to finish them–despite the size 0 needles.
I will continue knitting for the rest of my life. The sense of accomplishment after I finish a project will always uplift me. The feeling I get when my little nieces crawl into my lap and ask me if they can watch me knit will not be one I ever could give up. I never really thought of myself as a creative person before learning to knit, and now I am thinking about designing my own patterns. And my next step will be learning to spin and dye yarn. And with all of that, if I ever stopped knitting, I wouldn’t have a reason to collect all the pretty sock yarn anymore. And that would just be so uncool.
Cathy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:51 am
I’m going to answer the second question first — I’m absolutely a knitter for life! This leads directly into why I knit, though this answer has many layers. I knit because I love the feel of yarn and all the different textures and fibers it comes in. I am constantly caught off guard by the beautiful color combinations and colorways some artist has used in their palette as they create their yarn. I am calmed by the meditative rhythm of my hands creating stitches and challenged by the complexity of making a garment. I enjoy the sense of community I have with my friends that share my love of knitting — knitting acts as a catalyst for friendships and relationships, fostering conversation, ideas and a reasons to slow down, sit, talk, drink some coffee, eat some chocolate and make something. Knitting gives me an avenue to fulfill my need to make things — I knit because I find the entire process satisfying beyond words.
Joanne said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:51 am
I am addicted. I love looking at and touching fiber and yarn. I love spinning fiber into yarn. I love watching the colors and pattern emerge while knitting. I love wearing my handknit socks. I love giving people handknit gifts.
I feel I am ’stimulating the economy’ with my purchases. Receiving the items in the mail is like a birthday present arriving (without getting older!).
There is a wonderful community in knitting, online and IRL.
Knitting keeps me grounded and restores my sanity when life feels too crazy.
Rebecca Rehbein said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:54 am
I knit for clothes – especially soon for socks for myself. Boston is cold.
I’m afraid if I stopped I might take up smoking again, and I will always need socks, so I don’t expect I’ll ever stop.
Nichole said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:55 am
I knit as a stress releaser. It helps me to not concentrate on work when I get home. It’s also interesting to see the process of the finish piece. And I’m addicted to yarn and bright colors. If I see a hot pink yarn you better believe I’ll pick it up. I love knitting my niece who is almost 2 bright and colorful things. I’ll be a knitter for life for sure!
Dunrie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 8:59 am
I knit because it is portable (can be taken in the car or on a plane) and a loom is not.
I also agree that there is only so much cross-stitch and embroidery a woman can stomach.
Knitter for life. Because yarn is so beautiful and diverse. Because it is fun to plan projects, shop for yarn, knit it up. Because I have the stomach to frog something when it needs it. Because I like making useful and beautiful things. Because I like learning and thinking spatially. Because other knitters are so amazing and creative. I love making a gift, investing the gift with my love and care.
Cathleen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:02 am
I knit for a very selfish reason – I knit for me! It is one of the only things that I do that is truly just mine, even if the knitted item is intended for someone else. The time spent knitting is MY time, to concentrate, to relax, to enjoy, to play with yarn.
I did have a 4 to 5 year period, ending about 2 years ago, where I put down my needles and I didn’t think that I wanted to knit anymore. I’m not sure why that happened, but knitting needles suddenly were calling me on a trip to Maine. I came home with yarn and a strong desire to knit again. I hope that I won’t have another “dry” period like that again, but if I do, I will wait because those needles will keep calling!
I found it interesting to read that Cat Bordhi experienced a “dry” period with her knitting too – if I remember right hers lasted about 8 years. So if you’re having a dry period with knitting, it happens and it passes!!
Topaz said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:03 am
I knit because I am impatient. I can’t stand long waiting times, slow nights at work, or any long and empty stretch of time. Knitting gives me a focus and unlike reading (which I still enjoy), I have something to show for the time I spend on a project. The very best thing about knitting is that if I totally goof something up (weeelllll, except mohair), I can frog it and get a do over. How many activities in life offer do overs?
Elizabeth said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:04 am
The best reason why I knit is because I enjoy it. And even with my mistakes (there are a ton of those), I still feel like I have created something wonderful even with its imperfections. I have tried so many other arts, crafts, and hobbies in the past. I was never happy with my results. I always felt like I could do better. But knitting makes no demands. All its asks of me is the best yarn, a comfy spot on the couch, a good tv show on, and the cat to keep its paws off it! For all these reasons, I know I am a knitter for life.
Jewel said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:05 am
My sweet Mother taught me to crochet when I was just six year old. From the time I can remember I saw my Grandmother and my mother always doing something from crochet to embroidering. I asked once why they didn’t knit and they both said that it was really hard to learn. I had tried to learn several times and never could pick it up. But then about four years ago a friend of mine said “I can teach you to knit”. After trying several times she decided that I was a left hand knitter so once I changed hands it was so easy I just picked it right up. I have knitted every day for four years now. I don’t think I could stop and I hope that as I get older and yes I’m getting older that my hands and mind stay in good shape. My mother and grandmother never got to see my knitting but I think that they would be very proud of the things that I have made.
Marilyn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:06 am
I knit to relax, and I am in it for life. How do I know…it calls me all hours of the day and night.
Sharon Talarowski said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:06 am
I just plain love it! But that’s not all. I knit to relieve stress, and I enjoy the process of watching a project come to life. I also like to give hand-made gifts, and the people I give these to seem to enjoy the work I do. I’m sure I’ll continue to knit until my fingers or eyes give out. However, I can knit without looking at my work, so maybe . . .
Sarah said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:08 am
I knit because I need something to do with my hands while I’m made to sit still. I can’t handle doing nothing and knitting is a great way to move without others being upset with you.
I love what I knit and for me that usually tends to be socks for myself and my family. They love their hand knit socks and I enjoy making things they like. But I’m willing to admit I love the feel of the yarn as it slides through my hands on it’s way to becoming a newly created piece of art.
I will probably continue knitting for life. It’s been over 20 years so far. It’s not my only artistic outlet, but it’s a very portable one that works well for all my travel time for work.
Marilyn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:08 am
I knit as a reaction to all the technology I work with all day, every day in my professional life. It’s also sooo relaxing and gives hours of entertainment to my cat who plays with the yarn balls. My fave knitting are shawls and scarves because there’s no sewing involved.
I’m a For Life Knitter because I learned nearly 50 years ago at school, gave up for a while in my 30s/40s, and then came back to it about 3 years ago when I saw all the wonderful yarns which are now available. In fact, I became so inspired I now dye and spin my own yarn. It’s grrrrrrrreat but doesn’t leave a lot of time for the day job
Amy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:11 am
I love to knit. I knit because it seems to be endlessly interesting. I believe I am a knitter for life, but it is hard to say… if I am my mother’s daughter, I will find something new.
Batty said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:14 am
I knit because I can’t stop knitting. The first time I picked up the needles, I was 3 years old and had watched my grandmother. She could pick up needles, yarn, and start knitting… no need to measure, no need to read a pattern, just pick up your needles and knit a sweater. It always fit perfectly. I watched her knit, and I wanted to do anything she did. So she gave me some red yarn and some aluminum circular needles. She told me to slip the first stitch of every row for a neater edge… except I misunderstood and thought I was supposed to slip a stitch every time I put down my knitting and picked it up again. Needless to say, my first piece of knitting looked… funky.
Then, other things got in the way of knitting, and I stopped for a while. Then, a friend of my grandmother’s agreed to watch me while my parents went on vacation. She was knitting socks for her son. I asked her to show me, and over the next week or so, I knit my first pair of socks, in green acrylic. I still have those socks. They are indestructible.
Then, there was another hiatus. I wanted to knit but was living far away from my family, in college across the Atlantic from everyone I knew. And I didn’t really know how to pick the right yarn, or how to read a pattern. But times had changed and I found a whole community of knitters on the internet. Suddenly, there were people who answered my questions, people who were knitting pretty designs I really, really wanted to knit, people who were patient enough to help me learn to read a pattern.
So, I guess the answer is that I knit because I just can’t stop, and I can’t stop because it’s such a fun activity… and, in my mind, closely connected to a whole community of knitters, starting with my own grandmother and her friend and extending all the way to strangers I have never met in person, but who always had encouraging words for a struggling newbie whose knitting didn’t yet speak pattern or English.
Mindy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:15 am
I first started knitting as a way to reconnect with my grandmothers. Both were very crafty, and I wanted to connect with them on that level. I was instantly enthralled with knitting. Now knitting is a creative outlet for me, and it also helps me work through the tough times. When I’m very stressed, I pick up a project that requires me to sit down and focus only on the knitting. I think I am a knitter for life. I can’t imagine anything else coming along to distract me away from the sticks & string.
Mrs. H. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:17 am
Knittting is a stabilizing factor in my life. I began knitting right after we had several back to back crises in our family in one year. It was beginning to feel like we were all going to lose it, and I needed something that I could do with my hands to soothe my nerves, but wouldn’t occupy my mind too much. I also needed something that would occupy my mind when I needed to escape from our family’s situations at the moment. Reading, sewing, embroidery, and cross-stitching didn’t cut it, and one day I saw a special on PBS about knitting, both the how-to and the history. I recorded it and watched it over and over, marveling at how women throughout history have knit through wars, famine, floods, the loss of their homes, etc. I knew that knitting was for me, so I went out and bought some yarn and needles and got started. That was almost two years ago, and our family situations have passed, and things are much better now, however, it got darker before the light, and knitting gave me something that I could pick up in my hands and work on when I needed a distraction, or just something to do while I sat and thought, or cried, or prayed. It was also something that I could do just for me, when everyone seemed to need my time and attention at once, and I just needed a moment for myself.
Yes, I will be a knitter for life. It has helped me in so many ways so far, that I know I will never let it go, and now knitting is not just for stress relief, it’s for the joy of creating something that my family will love and use for years to come. I have also taught my daughter, my mother, and a few friends to knit along the way, so even though I may set it aside for a month or two to sew or quilt, I’ll always have that itch to pick it back up again soon.
Melody Bryan said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Knitting is a big part of my life and has been for many years. I learned as a child and it came and went during my teens and 20’s but for the last 20 + years it has been a constant in my life. I am in knitting groups, I enjoy knitting on line such as Ravelry and I have several good friends who are knitters that I commune and connect with.
I have stash beyond life expectancy like most avid knitters so I enjoy plundering stash just as much as pondering new purchases. I love visiting yarn shops when I travel and I keep a mental list of my “top 5 shops” .
I knit because I love the rhythmic motion and feeling and seeing the yarn take shape. Like Sheri – I love the fact that you can challenge yourself or just do mindless to relax and unwind – I have to admit these days I am more mindless than challenged! THanks Melody
Jen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:19 am
I don’t really know WHY I knit – sometimes I don’t think I ever had a choice! I was really close to my grandmother who was a quilter. So when she passed away I tried to take up quilting as a way to reconnect to her. But I just couldn’t do it! I’ve never been good with cutting straight lines and the geometry required in piecing material together was just too daunting. It wasn’t long after I gave up on quilting that I was on my way home from work (it was especially cold outside!) something in me decided to try knitting. I still remember stopping by Wal-Mart to buy some needles (I picked a pair in a pretty color – I had no idea about gauge!) and some awful acrylic yarn. When I finished that first project I HAD to have more! I was so amazed at my own ability to make something with some string and two sticks!
I’ve only been knitting for two years but I know I’ll always be a knitter. I’ll always love the calming repitition of a stitch, the challenge of a new pattern, the rows and rows of yarn at the LYS, the feeling you get when you show off a completed project and people ooo and ahhh at your handiwork. In fact, I can’t believe I’ve made it this far through life without it!
Anita Fitzwater said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:29 am
I started knitting because I needed to believe I could (despite being fairly uncoordinated). It stuck, at least at first, because I was going through a difficult divorce and I needed something that I could gain a sense of accomplishment from and feel positive about doing. My reasons, however, have changed to keep pace with me and, these days, it’s more about the artistry of it. I will be a lifelong knitter because it’s simply irresistible. The colors, the feel of the different yarns-it’s not only an aesthetic but a kinesthetic experience. I rarely keep what I’ve made as it’s more about the process, the experience of seeing something formless take shape and being able to look at something I created both during and after the knitting process. I could go on for days about all that I have gained from knitting.
BreannaS said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:32 am
I knit because it is productive and it relaxes me. I tried yoga and I just could never get my mind to relax. With knitting I can take a deep breath and get totally absorbed in the stitches and relax. In the beginning I saw myself as a periodical knitter, only knitting when I was stressed. Now I knit almost everyday. I see myself being a knitter for life even if their are times that I don’t knit for a while, there will always be a yarn or a pattern that draws me back. I am a knitter for life. Breanna age 28 knitter for 4 years spinner for 1.
KarenR said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:33 am
1) I knit because I’m in grad school finishing up my dissertation, and there are many days where I feel that I’ve gotten nothing accomplished. Knitting gives me a physical accomplishment that I can see, which helps to keep me sane. I knit because I love the feeling of yarn running through my fingers. I knit because I am always amazed how one long strand of yarn can become a hat or a sweater or a shawl.
2) I do hope that I will be a life-long knitter. I definitely am developing a stash that will take me a lifetime to knit! Because of the variety of items that can be made, I think that I’ll always find something else to excite me, something else that I want to try out. So I definitely plan to keep up with knitting for the rest of my life.
Pat McKenzie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:33 am
I knit because I can!! I love the feel of the yarn running through my fingers. It makes me calm and de-stresses my week. I love the fact that I can actually make something to keep my family warm and comforted.
Bernadette said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:33 am
I always wanted to learn to knit I had no idea why I felt like it was something that I knew how to do but really didnt so when I started I was told my my great grandmother was a crocheter (which i can not do) I love to knit to see the lace Ive made or sock which I am just learning to do to me knitting just feels right like apart of me
Will I always knit Ive been doing a few years (Im still new at it
my mother is surprised I lasted this long and have invested so much in it I never thought knitting was like it is or that thier are great people out there who you can talk to about knitting I thought I would be there only one my age to do this but Im not and to answer your question yes i will always knit (i know i ramble alot sorry 
Thanks B
Jan said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:40 am
I had to think about why I knit. It has become so much a part of me and who I am that nobody would recognize me with out yarn and needles in my hands. The wonderful comforting feel of fibers, the relaxing repeat of needles going in and out to make stitches, sitting with my little dog and the cats teasing the yarn; what could be better for a fiberaholic. Then there is the reward of presenting family, friends, rescues, charities, and church with all sorts of hand made knits. This is why I knit.
Fern said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:40 am
Considering the fact that I will be 67 in April and I started knitting when I was 5 I guess I am a life long commited knitter.
I knit because it feeds my soul.
Marilyn R. Juhlin said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:44 am
I am in my seventies and have been knitting since I was in fourth grade. My math teacher had a little knitting club after school and I was hooked FOR LIFE! Knitting is a great stress reliever for me. I love to see the stitches come together to make a new pattern. I love color, so the thousands of shades of colors bring patterns alive right before my eyes. I knit for my 4 children and 12 grandchildren, and once in a while for me. I love to try new yarns, (and there are so many right now!) so I purchase several different kinds and make scarves and hats of various patterns. If I am pleased with the outcome, I take them to a homeless shelter here in town. Sometimes I ask my family to take one if they see one they would like to wear, but most go to the shelter. With nine grand daughters I am able to try many different patterns and beautiful colors for them and they love the things I make. I usually have three or four different projects going at the same time. I just finished making 12 baby afghans (for my grandchildren when they are parents!). Now I am beginning a large afghan for each of them for their rooms at home or to take to college when they go. Some of my friends give me left over yarns and I love to see what I can do with them. I have made many lap blankets for one of the nursing homes here in town. It is fun to be creative with all the colors and weights of yarn! Some of the joy of knitting comes from showing others how to knit (or crochet). I am helping/working with several ladies from my church right now and it is rewarding to see the smiles on their faces when they have learned something new or figured something our on their own. I LOVE TO KNIT and I pray I have many years yet to knit!!!
Ellie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:49 am
I knit because it makes me a more patient person. My husband says I’m calmer and happier when I take the time to knit a little each day or so. I knit because it makes my lunch hour pass more pleasantly, and I knit because it helps me tune out the noise and chatter in the cafeteria that can sometimes be unpleasant. I knit because I like a challenge sometimes, and I knit because it’s nice to do something mindless sometimes. I knit because I’ve discovered the joy of that rewarding smile you get from a new mom, when you give her a delicate baby set for her little one. I knit because I know that my baby will be warm in the sweater I made for him. I knit because it’s something I can share with my Mom, even though she’s been knitting for 40 years and I’ve only been knitting for 4. I knit because I love color. And, I knit because it’s fun
(And, yes, I’m now a lifelong knitter. It’s the only craft that has stuck with me consistently for more than three months; everything else I just dabble in periodically, maybe once every year or so.)
Helena said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:51 am
I knit because it gives me something to do, because it can be as soothing or as intense and I want it to be, because I love creating things with my own two hands. I will most certainly be a knitter for life. Knitting is always on my mind.
MsFeasance said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:56 am
I started knitting in my second year of law school, originally to keep myself “doing something with my hands” so I wouldn’t stress-eat. I kept at it because law school is something you have to work really hard to be good at; and I picked up knitting so easily that it made me feel really great about myself. I was cabling on my first project, and now, shortly after buying my first pair of needles, I’m hooked: I’m dyeing, spinning, and upcycling found yarns, and I’m in the process of opening an Etsy shop.
I am SO in this for life. I went to see my psychiatrist the other day and he mentioned that people who work “with their brains” need a hobby where they have a tangible finished product at the end. Like knitting.
Dianne said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:56 am
I learned to knit when I had breast cancer. I needed something to do that would soothe me and help fill the time at doctors offices and such. Needless to say EVERYBODY got scarves for Christmas that year and I don’t think anybody was safe form the curse of the “fun fur”. I still knit because it is soothing to me but it is also fascinating to me what I can create. Who knew two sticks and some string could have such endless possibilities?!??!!?
I’m sure that I will be a knitter for life. It is part of who I am, not just something that I do.
Judy Salmans said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:57 am
I started knitting because I wanted to create things. I wanted to quilt but I didn’t have room to leave everything out and by the time I got everything out it was time to put it up. I had knitted as a child and also crocheted but just a little. I thought crochet would be easier because I remembered that I dropped stitches a lot as a child. My mom didn’t do either so I was on my own. Then I watched Knitty Gritty and they were making baby booties and I wondered if I could figure it out. Well 20 pairs later plus socks, hats and I am hooked for life. I have taken up spinning but that it just part of process. I haven’t made anything for myself, given everything away so my new thing is to make something for me.
Emiko said,
February 24, 2009 @ 9:59 am
I started to knit a little over 2 years ago and have been having a blast ever since. I felt a gap in my life and felt that I needed to find a new hobby and so I asked my friend to teach me how to knit. It’s strange that I never got into it in my younger years, as my mother knit all the time. Now that I’m in my mid-30’s I’m wanting to learn how to knit and sew and do all the things my mother had been doing this whole time – whodda thunk?
I love seeing the FOs and giving them as gifts and to have people ask if I really made it. I’m amazed myself sometimes 
I hope I’ll be a lifetime knitter because I’ve met wonderful people through this hobby and who could give up feeling all of this yummy, soft yarn??? Not I!
lisa said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:05 am
I started to knit because a woman, where I used to work, and I wanted to stay in during lunch in the winter and she knit so she taught me the basics. She stopped knitting but I haven’t. I enjoy the process and the fact that I’ll have made something at the end of it. I’ve given away alot, if not most, of what I knit and it always makes me happy when someone is in “awe”. I’ve even given away the hat that was on my head! I am pretty sure I’ll be a knitter for life because it has been a few years and I’m still loving it and there are still challenges out there for me to work on and master.
Heather Shelton said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:07 am
I knit because I love everything about it…the process, the beauty, the feel, the calm. I began knitting when I was deep in a depression and I feel that knitting has saved my life. I now spin as well and enjoy that just as much but for me they go hand in hand.
I will knit for the rest of my life!! ( I already think about who to will my yarn to when I pass on!!!)
Ro said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:14 am
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t knit but I keep knitting because for me it’s hypnotic. I can get into a rhythm and forget about the what’s going on around me. I will be knitting until I can’t use my hands anymore or my mind is unable to comprehend what is going on.
Lily Lemon said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:14 am
I’m a teacher so I need a quiet stress-reliever at the end of the day. I knot so I won’t strangle myself some days! I’m definitely a knitter for life though sometimes I’ll put it away for a few months.
Kati said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:15 am
I knit because I love it, it’s relaxing most of the time, and I don’t like just sitting and doing nothing. If we watch a movie I’ll knit, at least I’m accomplishing something! I’ll knit for life, since I have enough yarn in my stash to last me the rest of my life!
Mary said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:17 am
I knit because… it calms my mind. I have a problem sometimes with too many words in my head, to much I want to do. But when I knit.. everything stops and I can only think of knit or purl. It’s a welcome relief. I go to my closest yarn shop which is very small, when I need to sooth my soul. The colors are a welcome renewal to me and I come out of there refreshed. I lost my job, so I have to be very selective in my purchases, but it doesn’t cost anything to look and breath in all the colors. I have taught quilting in past years, but just don’t enjoy that “process” like knitting. I will always knit. My DH calls it my “mind full time”.
Andrea said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:23 am
I knit for several reasons, my mom taught me and now it is the main source of conversations we have, one of the few things we can agree on. I knit to calm and relax myself. With other projects I knit to challenge my self, reverytine I leran and apply a new technique I feel so smart.
I also knit because I love the act of creating something, being able to give someone a thing I have made for them is like giving them a part of me.
sheila kay said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:27 am
I knit for many reasons, I knit because I want to! It gives me pleasure to see what I come up with I love the yarns today and their colors. I have knitted for over 30 years and the yarn these days are 150% better. I love to see the reactions of others when they see what I make! I love to make items for people who love to receive things that I make and appreciate it.
As far as how long I will knit, I will go to my grave with some yarn, needles, markers, fabric, thread and needles!
Jessica said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:29 am
I knit because I love to create. In the past I’ve painted, embroidered, stamped, stenciled, scrapbooked and sewn. I still get the urge to do those things but because I don’t have a craft room the set up is a bit much. I want to make sure I can get a bunch done in the time I have so the set up & clean up time will be justified. I love the ease of just picking up yarn and needles and being able to create instantly!
I will knit for the rest of my life. I enjoy being able to pass my yarn and my creations on to my friends & family. I feel that I am investing bits of me into each project. My love is covering their toes or ears or fingers. I can’t stop giving that love away!
jamie said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:31 am
I knit because I am happy when I am knitting, my brain seems to be satisfied both creatively and analytically. I had some amazing dreams last night, that I knitted up some beautiful creations of my own, having used lovely hand dyed yarns, big circular wooden buttons: scarves, hats, capelets. I’d been flipping through the ‘capelets’ search I’d done on Ravelry moments before sleeping. It makes me happy. I’m in for life (at 37:)
Andrea said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:33 am
I knit because when my fingers are doing their work, my mind is free to wander and burrow into its happy place. It’s wonderfully relaxing and a great way to ease tension. Which leads me to the second part of the question – am I a knitter for life? How could I say anything but yes to that? Knitting makes me happy. We need all the happiness we can get in the world, and this is how I spread it.
dachsgirlknits said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:38 am
For me, knitting is magical. I love the process of knitting; creating beautiful fabric with yarn and two needles. I love how the fabric flows from my needles, looking so different than the plain yarn put up in the skein. I love the texture; the way the light plays in the nooks and crannies of the knitted fabric.
I love how knitting helps me think. I am finishing writing my PhD dissertation; it’s hard and stressful to create new knowledge! Sometimes I get stuck–seemingly unable to figure out how to accomplish what I want to do next–that’s when knitting becomes my greatest ally. By picking up the needles I relax, and the soothing rhythm of the needles helps me to think rather than fret about what I need to do. Magically, the answer appears. Maybe not immediately, but a few hours later or after I wake after a good night’s sleep. The sweater that I’m knitting now will always be a favorite because I know without a doubt that the magic of knitting helped me finish a very difficult task!
For me, the process of knitting is magical and dually creative!
dachsgirlknits said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:44 am
PS I’m a knitter for life. The more I knit the more I learn and the more I want to learn!
Krista M said,
February 24, 2009 @ 10:57 am
I have always loved color and once I wanted to be a painter, but a rude comment from an 8th grade teacher made me so self-conscious about my artistic ability that I didn’t pursue it, so I knit because I can be near colors all the time. I have this orange sock yarn that makes me weak when I see it. I can’t wait to get it on my needles, just so I can see this yarn everyday until my socks are done! I have been knitting for so long I could never stop now. It is part of my daily routine, and when I can’t get to it I feel like something’s out of place.
Carin said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:01 am
I knit for the pure joy it brings me! Knitting is for me (even when I am knitting an item to gift)! I choose what I want to knit and what yarn I want to knit with. I knit because it is a part of who I am. It is a part of what defines me. Knitting excites me and it can calm me, too. It is all-encompassing for me.
I don’t just knit–I am a Knitter, for life.
Jen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:01 am
I knit because I am a tactile person that loves color and knitting requires little to no set up. So if I need a “fix” I can knit a row on a project I have going with a moment’s notice and put it back down again 2 minutes later. I love the feel of the yarn, the colors, the excitement of seeing how different the yarn will look in the finished project vs the cake vs the skein and I love the challenge of a new pattern.
I will knit and crochet for the rest of my life. Neither me nor mine will ever wear a hat from Target or Walmart. We will not buy our scarves at Old Navy. Our socks will never come in a 6 pack. We will always have something unique, beautiful, and made with love that fits exactly right.
Barb said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:06 am
I’ve been knitting since I was a little kid – mom taught me and my older sisters when I was five. But I really started knitting when I was pregnant with my son and stopped smoking. Then, it was something to do with my hands, and a way to make beautiful baby things. But over the years, it’s become something more – a kind of meditation. I knit to relax, I knit to produce something useful, I knit to create. But I also knit to put problems on the back burner for a while, and often when I’m knitting the solution to the problem gets worked out. I don’t think I would have finished my dissertation without knitting! Some people “sleep on it” but I “knit on it.” I’ve been knitting for more than forty years, and I know I will knit for the rest of my life. I occasionally will do needlepoint, but it doesn’t provide the mental health benefits that knitting does. Besides, with all the nieces and nephews, and someday (I hope) grandkids, I’ll never run out of people who need handmade sweaters, socks, mittens, etc.!
Ruth said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:08 am
I knit because it relaxes me and because I really enjoy the thrill of seeing something I made coming off my needles. It’s such an amazing feeling. Besides, I love handknitted socks and can hardly put the “other” kind on my feet so I’ve GOT to keep knitting.
I am a lifer. I started over 20 years ago, took a break and am now back more enthusiastic than ever. In fact, I’m taking Lutein to prevent Macular Degeneration just in case.
And my gosh, how can someone tie their personality to their fingernails. That is, in my opinion, for what it’s worth, totally weird.
Agnes said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:13 am
I knit for so many reasons….I knit to soothe my soul during troubling times, I knit because I love to be able to create somehting with my own hands, I knit because I love the look on my daughters face when I make her something especially for her, I knit because it makes me feel connected to all the previous generations of knitters in my family.
Nancy said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:15 am
I learned to knit and crochet as a teen. I didn’t do much with it then, but picked up some crocheting in my early 20’s. Then, 20 years later, I was involved in a serious auto accident that gave me mobility challenges. The hobbies I used to do with ease were no longer pleasurable or do-able, so I had to find something else. I rediscovered knitting in January of 2006 and haven’t looked back. The needles just felt right in my hands.
I love knitting, and I know it will be with me in the rest of my life, not just a passing interest.
Melissa N said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:17 am
Why do I knit and am I a knitter for life? That is the most philosophical question I have pondered lately. I took my first crochet lessons from my grandmother who was a renassiance crafter and did most every type of handicraft possible while watching the novelas (mexican soap operas). I never learned to crochet while she was alive but her memory inspired me to learn. I learned to crochet in a continuing education class after my grandmother passed away and then later learned to knit. I realize in thinking about why I knit is because it is my creative outlet and as a way to express my love for the receipient (because I almost never make anything for me!) – I am thinking of the recipient with every stitch – it is a way to be with my children or my husband or mother or sister or friend during the lunch hour while they are elsewhere (be it day care, work or in another city) and I am at work. It is usually totally silent in the lunch area and while I may be sitting in the lunch area alone trying to hurry up eating so I can knit, I am don’t really feel alone because in my mind, I have the recipient with me , patiently waiting and watching the progress. Inevitably, someone will walk by and see me knitting. Without fail, the person will have a knitting story of how they remember their grandmother, or aunt or mom or sister and yesterday someone mentioned his daughter. The knitting brings back memories and creates memories – both remembering those who have knit for us for us that have knit for them. I have things that my grandmother crocheted and knitted and when I hold them in my hands I am reminded me of spending time with her – having her make a glass of chocolate milk for me, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and I am with her again. We have things my husband’s grandmother made, and whenever he sees these little toys, he always tells me a beautiful story of a woman I never knew. Will I be a knitter for life? As long as there is life to knit for, I will knit. Hopefully, someday, my children will hold something I made and remember me too – and even if I am gone or far away neither one of us just for that moment will be feel alone.
Colleen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:19 am
I knit for two reasons.
1. I have to have something to do while watching TV. I absolutely hate sitting still. I need to be accomplishing something!
2. I can create beautiful, one of a kind pieces that are made for me (or whoever I am knitting for), and I know that because I made them, they’ll FIT. I have such a hard time finding clothing that is well-made, reasonably priced, and flattering. (This is also the reason I sew!)
I am a knitter for life. How else will I finish all of the projects in my queue on Ravelry?!
Robbin said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:20 am
Why do I knit? Because there is nothing else I would rather be doing. I am addicted. I knit everyday, mostly at night as I work during the day. I do knit on my lunch break though. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a project. I love all the wonderful fibers and colors of the yarn. I don’t think there is a yarn I don’t like with the exception of Acrylic. Knitting also makes me feel better physically as I have a few chronic health challenges and knitting takes my mind off of the pain and I actually feel better.
Will I be knitting for life? Absolutely, what else would I be doing. ;0)
Christine said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:22 am
I knit because it helps me get through times of stress, relaxes my mind, and makes me feel good about myself as a person. I like the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a project (I am predominately a sock knitter). I wear my end result with pride, even though it may not be perfect! I recently was out of work due to some minor surgery and I knitted six pairs of socks in a little less than three weeks. It’s so hard to be back to work and having to put my knitting “on the shelf” while I am working. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t knit. I will be eternally grateful to my mother for her initial knitting lessons many years ago, and to my sister for her patience, guidande and encouragement as I picked up the craft again last year!
Laura said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:32 am
I knit to relieve stress. Having tired many different crafts, knitting is the one I keep coming back to even at my busiest times. I’d say that makes me a knitter for life. Goodness know I have enough yarn to know for the rest of my life : )
Erynn said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:36 am
I knit because I love making things and I love doing things with my hands. Its also a connection I have with my Grandma who doesn’t knit and only knit dishcloths, but I’m the only one in my family that knits now so its something that only we have. I mainly started knitting to do costume things, but now its what I do most of the time, and I have to force myself to put it down so I can work on other hobbies.
I do think I’ll be a knitter for life, though it might not always be at the current level I knit at now. I have about 6-7 other hobbies and I try to rotate through them, but for that last 2 years or so knitting has been at the front.
So long as I am able to knit, I will.
Lette said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:36 am
I knit for many reasons… To relax, to relieve stress, to create, to share, to play with yarn, to have and enjoying wearing handknit socks, scarves, hats, shawls, and on and on.
I LOVE knitting. I LOVE yarn. I knit EVERYWHERE. And I will knit for as long as I can. I don’t see myself giving up knitting, not for a very long time.
PICK ME! PICK ME!
Sharon said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:45 am
Knitting can be calming, challenging, delightful, frustrating. But overall knitting is not just a craft, but an artform — especially with beautiful yarns like Wollmeise. When I knit with my 13 year old daughter, it is the best part of my day.
Whistlepea said,
February 24, 2009 @ 11:46 am
I know I started to knit to stave off boredom. Now it’s just automatic! And I’m definitely a knitter for life.
Stardust B. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
I knit because I have have the need to create and am an anxious person. Knitting satisfies my creative urges and keeps me calm. I am definitely a knitter for life. I have been at it for 3 years and know that I won’t be able to put it aside.
KM said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:07 pm
I knit for my sanity. I started knitting, because it was something my Gram did. As her cancer began to overtake her…I knitted more furiously. It was as if all my stitches could keep me from unraveling with loosing her. Knitting is what’s kept me together the last few years with all the loss our family has survived.
I’m totally a knitter for life!
Fiona said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
I can’t not knit! I’ve been knitting since I was 7 and derive a lot of pleasure from the process. Knitting can be very calming and lends itself to reflection; it’s the perfect accompaniment to a good film, a creative outlet and just plain good fun:)
Emma said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
I knit because I love it. It is fun and I can make something that is perfect for whoever is getting it. I also find it very relaxing. I love playing with different yarns and different colours. I have been knitting constantly for a couple of years and I think I probably will keep doing it until I can’t any more.
Linda said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
My mom taught me to knit and crochet when I was so small that I don’t even remember learning per se; I simply always remember playing with yarn and needles or hooks as my mom guided me towards doing one thing or another, or as I simply had fun with them all on my own. Now as an adult, I love knitting for so many reasons. I love being able to clothe the people I love — including myself — with the labor of my own hands; I love being able to thrill others with a special gift hand-made by me; I love that knitting keeps me busy, keeps me company and keeps me calm when I might not otherwise be; I love the process and the finished product equally. How could I not be a knitter for life?
Marin said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:36 pm
I knit for several reasons:
1. I knit because it’s in my blood. My great-grandmother tatted. My mother crochets. My grandmother knits, and after I knit her a scarf (the Liesel scarf, the first lace-pattern project I ever knit), she gave me her box of needles, chibis, stitch markers, and crochet hooks. She’ll pick up whatever size needles she needs for her latest project whenever she visits me, and I now have her amazing collection of vintage knitting tools.
2. I knit because it relaxes me. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 10, and have never really been capable of sitting still in peace. The constant motion of knitting is a calming, productive form of fidgeting for me.
3. I knit because it’s a way to show my love for other people. I love knitting gifts for my loved ones.
4. I knit because it allows me to custom-fit my clothes. I’ve always had trouble finding clothes that fit my proportions, and originally learned to sew by altering store-bought clothes. Knitting my own garments gives me the freedom to make exactly what I want to wear, exactly how I want it to fit.
I will always knit. I love it!
Wanda said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:37 pm
I knit to keep my hands busy while watching TV with DH and because I love having a useful product to show for it!!
I’m a knitter for life–been knitting since I was 12.
Cynthia A said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
I knit because it is challenging, relaxing, creative, orderly, adventuresome, and comforting all mixed up together. There is an incredible sense of satisfaction from the creation of an item out of yarn and diligence, and it is infinitely customizable, or perfectly reproducible, depending on what I want it to be.
I started knitting about 10 years ago, gradually building my skills (very gradually!), and cannot now imagine that it will not always be part of my life. Knitting has been a gateway, taking me further into the fibre world, and I am now spinning and weaving as well. I think that it takes a certain depth of character to persevere in these kind of creative hobbies; I have met many wonderful people through these interests, and my life is richer for it.
Thank you Sheri, for starting this insightful conversation about the hobby that we all love
Lorraine C. said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
I knit to feel productive while I am watching TV. I knit as a creative outlet. Working on a computer all day, sometimes I need something where I can make progress. I knit because I can look at the finished product and know that I made it.
I will be a knitter for life because between the fiber for spinning and the yarn, I have to keep knitting to at least make a dent in it.
Phyllis said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
I knit because I love all the beautiful colors and textures in the yarn and it is so much fun to create something beautiful out of it. It is also relaxing. And what a nice way to show someone you love them
I am definitely a knitter for life.
Kassia said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:43 pm
I knit for several reasons….it’s relaxing, my hands need something to do while I watch TV, I enjoy the process itself and watching myself *making* something, I love the challenge of trying new things, I love the yarn and all its gorgeous colors.
I’m definitely a knitter for life, if for no other reason than the stash of yarn that is constantly calling my name! I taught myself to knit about 4 yrs ago and haven’t looked back.
Mieke said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:56 pm
I knit because I love to see the knitting grow in my hands, the combination of yarn and pattern. I really enjoy to start new objects, the only reason why I finish them is because I want to start new ones. I am definitely a knitter for life, but I suppose it will be some years more intense than others.
vismajor said,
February 24, 2009 @ 12:58 pm
1) Why do you knit?
I knit for many reasons: the transformation process of taking a linear string & making dimensional fabric; the joy of working with my hands; the creative possibilities; the opposite-ness from a job that requires me to work with computers all day; the connection to centuries of past handcrafters; the fact that you always have something new you can learn/try; and the satisfaction that comes from clothing or cloaking loved ones in something I made myself.
2) Do you think you’re a knitter-for-life or do you think that this is what you do “now” and you’ll move on to the next thing eventually?
I’m a knitter-for-life. Completely & utterly bonkers for knitting. I love it & don’t plan to give it up unless I become physically incapable of knitting. When I first learned to knit about 5 years ago, it was like I had come home to something I’d loved for years.
nidaros said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:00 pm
I knit because I cannot imagine not doing it. I have been knitting since I was 6 years old (37 years now) and have no plans to stop – so I guess I am a lifer.
Knitting and fiber keep me sane – not to copy what others have said, but knitting keeps me from getting angry at the little things, it centers me, and allows me time to process and work things out in my head. I love the colors, the textures, the process, the fact that I am always learning some new technique… and the smell of wool.
Gretchen said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
I knit when I am stressed, to relax. I knit when I’m happy, to celebrate. And all of the times in between because it brings me joy to see the wonderful colors and squishiness of beautiful yarn come to life on my needles. I’m a knitter for life, for sure.
Aini said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
Oh, I’ve fallen half-off the knitting wagon a few time, as I have been know to jump-ship and do different crafts once in a while. I might have been a grasshopper in a last life!
However, I know that while I might be learning to weave/rug-make/bead, in the back of my head I am thinking about which shawl to knit with that gorgeous skein of Handmaiden Sea Silk or which sweater to start for that dreamy Malabrigo. So yeah, knitting for me is for live. It might have been left for another craft but NEVER forgotten.
Well, I knit because it’s something that keeps me connected with my sister who lives overseas and unable to visit home even on holidays because airfare costs too much either way. Thank heavens for Skype! She taught me to knit on the one time that she was able to make it home. Every single craft that I learnt, I learnt it from her! When I knit it reminds me of how patient she was when she was teaching me to knit&purl when my brain just couldn’t work out how to even hold the needles.
I (continue to) knit because it’s something that relaxes me, something to do to unwind after a hard day. I (continue to) knit because it’s something that keeps me sane when I feel that my life is falling apart. I (continue to) knit because it is something exciting for me to do and always new thing to learn. I taught myself how to do cables the other day (when I have always had the mindset that it is too difficult and my brain is too stupid to do so). I (continue to) knit because I know it’s a constant and anything else could leave or drop off the face of the earth but knitting will always be there for me.
I knit… because of the wonderful knitting network of people on the other side of the pc whom I have never met in real life (and might never get to meet) but are so fantastic and selfless about helping other people with their craft-freeze & so very devoted to the craft. I knit… because my sister or someone somewhere out there is knitting together with me… and it makes me happy and thankful to be a part of this warm & fabulous community.
It makes me feel like home.
ingrid said,
February 24, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
i knit to relax. i like that i can knit anywhere at anytime. it makes the train ride to work enjoyable or waiting in line tolerable. it starts conversations. it is solitary and social. easy and difficult. whatever you want or need it to be. and then