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101 Reasons Why I Love Knitting

Oh knitting, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

  1. it’s calming.
  2. it’s creative.
  3. it’s enjoyable.
  4. it’s easy.
  5. it’s difficult.
  6. it can be undone.
  7. it encourages me to practice maths.
  8. i don’t need maths to do it.
  9. it encourages me to be lazy.
  10. it allows me to do something with my hands, even when i have to concentrate on something else.
  11. i like the feeling of yarn.
  12. i like the feeling of needles.
  13. i like the gentle click the needles make as i knit.
  14. i like to make the things i wear.
  15. i like to know how the things i wear are made.
  16. i like to keep warm & help others keep warm.
  17. i like having the ability to create something i want to wear.
  18. it helps me think.
  19. it improves my concentration.
  20. it connects me with many other people.
  21. it creates physical representations of time, effort, and love.
  22. it encourages me to improve my photography.
  23. it encourages me to improve my drawing.
  24. it encourages me to think laterally.
  25. it’s taught me a lot about fiber that i would otherwise not have known.
  26. it helps me make decisions about what i wear.
  27. it encourages me to be patient.
  28. it encourages me to try new things.
  29. it can be practiced almost anywhere.
  30. it’s ancient.
  31. it’s brand-new.
  32. it never gets old.
  33. there is no limit to the variety of stitches and patterns that can be knitted.
  34. there are many many different ways of knitting.
  35. it’s elegant.
  36. it’s a way of filling my life with colour.
  37. it’s a language not everyone knows.
  38. it’s a language everyone knows.
  39. it’s multi-lingual.
  40. it’s tiny.
  41. it’s huge.
  42. it’s extremely precise.
  43. it can be fudged.
  44. it can be used to make the most necessary, and the most unnecessary things in life.
  45. it’s practical.
  46. it’s limited.
  47. there are always things to learn.
  48. it’s meditative.
  49. it can help you look cool & detached in a heated discussion.
  50. it’s endlessly frustrating. (it winds me up!)
  51. it’s basic. all you really need is a length of something string-like.
  52. it’s thrifty.
  53. it’s luxurious.
  54. it takes hours to learn.
  55. it takes years to perfect.
  56. it’s addictive.
  57. it’s tempting.
  58. it’s ripe for allegory.
  59. it makes me want to jump out of bed.
  60. it makes me not want to go to sleep.
  61. it’s taught me to notice which styles flatter me & which don’t.
  62. it encourages me to challenge myself.
  63. there’s no wrong way of doing it.
  64. it can be a social activity.
  65. it can keep you company when you’re alone.
  66. there’s no need to make long preparations.
  67. it keeps me from biting my cuticles.
  68. it looks impossible to non-knitters.
  69. a knitted piece is never final or finished, but is always in flux.
  70. knitting is a fun way to donate to charity.
  71. knitting teaches you to deal with anxiety and worry.
  72. a knitted piece can always be recycled.
  73. knitting can be work or play.
  74. it can help you procrastinate.
  75. it can help you stop procrastinating.
  76. it improves your visualisation skills.
  77. it’s a conversation-starter.
  78. it’s resourceful.
  79. you can rip it when it makes you angry, and it’s still OK.
  80. it’s not fashionable.
  81. it can help you show someone just how much you care.
  82. it’s literary & makes me want to write.
  83. it can drape.
  84. it can be sculptural.
  85. it’s concrete.
  86. it’s better than just sitting there.
  87. it’s one of the simplest ways of creating fabric.
  88. it encourages you to branch out into other fiber-crafts.
  89. you can literally put blood, sweat, tears (and hair) into it.
  90. you can use your needles to stratch your back.
  91. it often defies both logic and probability.
  92. every stitch is unique.
  93. every stitch is a brief metamorphosis, every stitch has a previous existence.
  94. it’s made of loopholes.
  95. it’s high-tech.
  96. it makes a good day better.
  97. it’s feminine.
  98. it’s masculine.
  99. you are what you knit.
  100. it’s active, dangerous, risky & terrifying.
  101. it’s classic.

Writing this list really filled me with joy for my art. I’m sure I could find another 101, but I’d quite like to read some of your reasons too!

14th July, 2009  // Inspiration // tags: , , .

18 Comments

  1. Solange says:

    Love this! Can I translate it do portuguese and post it in my blog (with credits, of course)?

  2. michelle says:

    i loved all your reasons, but this one:

    “you can use your needles to stratch your back.”

    had me laughing out loud! come on, who hasn’t done that? ‘->

    moth heaven linked your blog. i stopped by to look at all the pretties. hope you don’t mind. =]

  3. […] “No really, it’s OK. It’ll save me work in the future. Besides, this is one of the best things about knitting!” I secretly suspect that Penelope loved the process of weaving as much as she loved […]

  4. […] designer, every time you look at this poster I hope it will remind you to take a deep breath and remember why you love knitting. See number 1? It’s calming. If you’re snowed under with Christmas […]

  5. TravelingAnn says:

    It’s made of loopholes.
    HA!

  6. Abby says:

    I just found your blog, and this list is marvelous! Love it! :-)

  7. Jann says:

    every stitch is a brief metamorphosis, every stitch has a previous existence.

    LOVE THIS! Please let me know if I can quote it with credit to you!! what a great list!

  8. Wanda says:

    I have been to alot of websites and I love this website. How do I love knitting is exactly how I feel also! Thank you so much! I signed up and I could not get the download! I love this website! Thank you!!

  9. Leah says:

    My favourite reason is it reminds me of my grandmother. I loved watching her hands with the yarn wrapped this way and that as she worked. :)

  10. Sue says:

    You don’t need electricity or fancy kit to do it. Though daylight would help in a power cut!

  11. chari says:

    I LOVE this (and I love knitting). I believe I will print it onto transfer paper and put it on a tote bag. I thought about entering it into the text function of my machine embroidery software but all that rehooping and trimming all the jump stitches would take too much knitting time.
    I somehow navigated from the Ravelry page where I found you. Sorry. Oh, now I remember, it was the thread where you asked for opinions on those fab tags.
    Thanks for the ebook. The stationary is on my list for next pay period. I’ve been thinking for a long time about creating my own. Now I don’t have to.
    PS The list of reasons on a tote bag would make a great Ravelry Mini Mart item. I get asked why I knit a lot. My usual answer is it keeps my hands busy so I don’t strangle people who ask inane questions.

    • laylock says:

      Wow, won’t it be rather long for a bag? Maybe you should pick your top 10. :)

      I’m really glad you’re enjoying Laylock. Happy Knitting!

  12. […] minutes you can undo a whole day. It’s like loosening the fabric of space & time… It’s brilliant! Leave a Reply Click here to cancel […]

  13. […] On a side note, if you like lists like this, you really should read the 101 Reasons Why I Love Knitting. […]

  14. marie landry says:

    i think you are new beat friend i just came across your website and love it thanks

  15. Margaret Thomas says:

    Thank you so much for this website. I love it and so glad I found it.


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