Why I Knit

Most everyone who knows me knows that I knit. Constantly or almost constantly. I've been knitting since I was 18. Mom taught me the summer before college. I knit a lot in college for relaxation and to create things. I knit several "boyfriend sweaters" for the same boyfriend and of course we didn't marry. (The only thing I've knit for my hubby is a pair of cashmere socks that shrunk in the wash). Mostly I followed patterns. After graduation I kept on knitting. About that time I discovered Barbara Walker's treasuries and started making sampler afgahns out of acrylic yarn. In retrospect, most are pretty hideous. But, that's the yarn I could afford.

Went to grad school and knit some. I was too busy in life and my next job to knit much. When I was expecting my first I knit her a sweater and then another after she was born. Lots of friends had lots of babies, so I knit lots of baby sweaters.

After Nicky was born life was chaos. But about that time knitting became very popular and the yarns that were available, oh my the yarns that were available. Started knitting scarves with novelty yarns (eyelash yarn - ugh). Then felted bags, then socks (the ill-fated cashmere ones). I started designing my own bags and socks and sweaters. Now, I rarely follow a pattern and have published a few.

It's interesting how my knitting has evolved from being very product oriented to process oriented. I've gone from being monogamous to having multiple projects in the works at all times. Gone from relying on a pattern and not always understanding what went wrong when it didn't work to designing and viewing patterns as a starting place not a bible.

Anyway, the reasons I knit:

• Maintain sanity
  
• Have something that is not undone five minutes after it's finished
  
• Have something to do at boring meetings
  
• Have wonderful gifts to give (or not)
  
• Play with color and pattern
  
• Drive my husband crazy with projects left lying around all over the place
  

There are many more but the first is the most important.