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
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 🙂
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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. 😉
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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…
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.)
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!
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.
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.
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….
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!!
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.
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!)
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Part of what makes me what I am is that I knit. I am definately a knitter for life.
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.
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.
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. 😀
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.
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.
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.
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!