I must admit, I learned to knit when I was very young. While I can’t remember the grade, my mom taught me to knit a scarf when I was in elementary school. She taught me the basic knit stitch and, while I ended up finishing the scarf with help from my mom, I ended up not knitting again for a long time. In fact, I didn’t pick it up again until September 2020. Honestly, I just woke up one day and said “I think I’m going to knit myself a sweater.” It was still 100 degrees in Phoenix at the time, but I set my plans in motion. Speak it into existence, people.
I found a few easy patterns off Etsy (here is knitting pattern for the cardigan in this blog post) that were knit with big chunky yarn and ordered a bundle of yarn from Wool and the Gang. (Get 15% off when you use my link!) Admittedly, I definitely messed up my first sweater and will soon be frogging it to use the yarn for something else. But the one I’m wearing in this post has garnered me many compliments. So what makes this hobby so great?
The feeling of accomplishment.
The feeling of wearing something you actually made is a feeling of such accomplishment, especially as a lover and supporter of the slow fashion industry. Whenever someone tells you “oh I like your top/cardigan/sweater” you get the opportunity to say “thank you, I made it!” Plus, all the times you’re sitting around watching tv, you can actively be making something.
It might help kick your shopping habits.
When I am focused on knitting something, I’m often so excited about the piece of my hands that it keeps me from my urge to online shop. If you find that an idle mind leads to you taking out your credit card, knitting might help you take a step back. You will get the opportunity to make and wear a new piece of clothing but the time and process might keep you away from the invitable online window shopping.
Your new piece of clothing will be completely unique.
Picking out the yarn and pattern for your new piece is so fun because it’s highly unlikely someone else will have the same combination as you. Whatever you put together will be completely unique, so you never have to have that awkward moment where you show up to a party wearing the same top as someone else.
It may help with stress or anxiety.
If you find your mind racing at night, knitting might be a great way to put anxious energy away. When I’m knitting, I find that my focus is completely on the piece of knitting or the audiobook I have on in the background. A lot of other people report similar experiences, saying that knitting helped with their own stress or anxiety.
It’s (mostly) relaxing.
While a complicated pattern can get frustrating, simple knit patterns are a great activity at the end of the day. I generally put on an audiobook on in the background, which has an added bonus. Since I spend this time knitting and listening to a book, I end up not looking at blue light at the end of the day and usually end up sleeping a lot better too!
Since I started actually wearing my knit pieces out of the house, I’ve gotten tons of compliments on my new knitwear. And it only took me a few months to really start on some patterns I thought I could never manage. Here are just some of the things I knit last year. I’ve turned a few of my friends on to knitting as well and now they are just as hooked as I am! So, what do you think? Think you may give this hobby a try?
