Why I Knit

We were talking about the Farmer’s Market yesterday at work. (I still haven’t knit my market bag, what a slacker!) I mentioned that, in the past, some of the vendors had offered vegetable-dyed, hand spun yarn and that I might get some next time I went.

And that prompted the question, “Why do you knit?”

My first impulse (and the answer I gave) was “Why do you watch Dancing With The Stars? Why does he golf? Why does she bike? We just do what we enjoy, don’t we?”

And I do enjoy it. (Most of the time. Not when I’m ripping back several rows because I made a front crossed cable instead of a back crossed cable, or when I’ve somehow added/reduced the number of stitches in a round.)

And it produces a finished product, so it’s more like time spent doing something, rather than, say, golf, which is time you don’t get back. (Don't even get me started on golf.) And the finished product is useful, because it’s custom-made—whether it is for your own use or as a gift.

But what else? I’ve heard people say it relieves stress, or that the needle rhythm is therapeutic, or that the tactile sensation is calming. I’ve heard people say it hones math skills (but you know, if I didn’t knit, would I even need math skills?). I’ve heard a lot about art, etc.

I actually started to help me quit smoking. That was what? 27 years ago? I have knit at my parents’ hospital bedsides, while waiting up for children to get home, while in the car (Not driving, riding. I’m not that bad of a driver.), while watching TV, listening to books on tape, reading cookbooks and magazines, while on vacation…

Given the times that I knit, I guess you could extrapolate that at least part of the reason that I knit is that I’m just not good at sitting still.

Why do you knit?