On knitting.

"One row here 

And one row there

I like to knit everywhere. 

So if you think You'd like it too

Just start with a couple of knots

And soon you'll be knitting lots and lots."

(A poem I wrote about knitting, inspired by Dr. Seuss).

____________

I'm pretty sure I have written about knitting before but it doesn't matter, I'll write about it again.

Knitting has become somewhat of an obsession in the last couple of years, from pretty modest beginnings to being able to tackle more ambitious projects nowadays.

As long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed slow crafts. Something I have most likely inherited from my father's side of the family. I remember learning to cross-stitch in the summers with my paternal grandmother, my first project being a little house stitched with chunky colorful thread, before moving on to a classic 'Abecedaire'.

I also enjoy sewing despite not being particularly skilled. An aversion to following patterns without modifying them means that the results of my sewing tend to be a little unpredictable and the process slightly stressful. For a while, when Chris and I both worked as young gun architects, I made Thursday night my dedicated sewing night while he learned French at the Alliance Francaise. Over the course of a few months, I sewed quite a few clothes, mostly with fleece (a fairly forgiving fabric!). Now that I think of it, my sewing skills and Chris' French are probably at an equivalent level which is best described as 'very beginner'.

Knitting came into my life a few years ago in Albury. I suspect Chris' mother was busy knitting something for the latest grandchild to be born and I asked her to teach me. She promptly set me up with a ball of dark green wool and a pair of needles. Watching attentively, I learned to cast on, followed by the two basic stitches: Plain and Purl, one is knit towards the front and the other towards the back.

In many ways, this is all one needs to know to get started on a project. Everything else is merely a variation on these two stitches. The results often look far more complicated than the actual process. I love the fact that with every new project I choose, I can decide how challenged I want to feel. Sometimes, I'll pick something large but simple, other times, I go for a small but fiddly little thing. Every time, I try to learn something new.

To me, learning to knit feels similar to learning a language or music. Once mastered, the possibilities are endless but break it down and it all comes down a handful of bite-sized pieces which can simply be tackled one at a time.

Following a knitting pattern is very similar to following a recipe. Each step is carefully and precisely described so you just have to go with it even when you're not quite sure of where it's taking you. I usually try and get a sense of the pattern as a whole but once I am doing it, I never read ahead, I just faithfully follow the instructions, step by step and magically (when the pattern is well written), it leads me to a completed garment. Youtube tutorials help as well!!

These days, I use knitting as a form of meditation. Quiet, repetitive, and more importantly, it gives me a lovely sense of satisfaction. I love learning new techniques, like tiny dance steps, each movement carefully rehearsed to form part of a whole. I love watching my fingers move the wool around from one needle to the other, moving the needles this way and that so precisely and after a while, almost mechanically. Sometimes, I feel like I can just watch it happening without needing to think about it.

For me, it's all about the journey and once I have reached the destination, I'm already thinking about my next project. I love that I have found this new hobby. I'm sure I'll cross-stitch and sew again, but I'll always go back to knitting. It just seems to work for me in a way I didn't expect.