Knitting is something I've been doing since I was about 10 years old. This does not mean in anyway that I know how or have ever really made anything other than scarves, and one hat with bear ears on it. But, I thoroughly enjoy it. It's such a simple thing, and yet it's oddly satisfying. People make fun of me, calling me a grandma or old because of it, but I don't care. If I'm 75 with grandkids and I still have the fine motor skills and dexterity to knit for hours on end, I'll be pretty proud of myself.
I've found that when I knit something for someone, or they knit it for me, they appreciate it so much more than if I bought one for them. Their love for you is so clear in every stitch because you know they were thinking of you every step of the way. One of my close friends from high school knitted me a a full sized blanket that I still have on my bed at college as I start my senior year. On the other side of it, it's super gratifying to see your piece in use. My cousin, the founder and writer of a fashion blog, frequently features the scarf I knitted for her on her blog's Instagram, and I can't help but smile every time I see it.
Currently, I am working on what I call my therapy scarf. It was one ball of yarn that I finished and did not have another to complete the scarf, so I started with a totally different ball of yarn. (I know, I know how to get cray-zay). But for this project, it's not about the end result, it's about the process.
When I'm feeling anxious or sad or stressed, I sit down with my therapy scarf for 10 or 15 minutes and just focus on what I'm doing. The steady, simple repetitive motion reminds me that no matter what else is going on in my world, these stitches will continue to be the same. It's kind of like the idea of drawing a mandala; it's slow, methodical, meticulous, but altogether, very calming.
One of my favorite memories from freshman and sophomore year of college is just sitting in the library, chatting and knitting with one of my best friends. That's what draws me to knitting; how much brain power it takes, but how easy it is to talk and be normal while I am doing it. In a world where I frequently see people having conversations and texting someone or on Instagram or whatever, it's nice to keep my hands busy and still be able to pay attention to what's going on in the world around me.
Knitting is a little thing that keeps me busy, but doesn't take up so much brain space that it ultimately stresses me out more. Some of my best friends knit, and it's such a simple thing to bond over. Overall, knitting rocks and anyone who says otherwise probably needs a hobby.
