I used to be quite a prolific knitter.
Especially the first few years I lived in Boston, I was always making something – fingerless gloves for my girlfriends, sweaters for my then-baby nephews and niece, so many hats and cozy cowls for myself. These were also the years of Downton Abbey and Castle, Lark Rise to Candleford and Sherlock and Grantchester. I’ve never been a big TV watcher, but an hour here and there added up to lots of knitting over the years.
And then a couple of years ago, I just…stopped.
We’d moved again, and several of my favorite shows had gone off the air, and I couldn’t really justify knitting myself yet another hat or scarf. I spend more of my evenings running than sitting at home these days, and so the knitting fell by the wayside. But around Thanksgiving, as the hubs and I were watching Modern Family or doing the NYT crossword (possibly both), I realized I had itchy fingers. So I picked up a skein of Madelinetosh sock yarn I’d had sitting around for ages, and I started knitting – just a round or two here and there.
Two months later, I have an Erie hat – cozy and soft. And I decided it was high time I owned something with a pom-pom. (Red, of course.)
It’s been a comfort to have something back on the needles, and to watch the progress, stitch by stitch, round by round. The merino wool feels good in my hands. And when the weather in New England does its schizophrenic thing, I have another way to keep out those biting winds.
I’m not sure I’ll dive back into knitting the way I once did. But I am eyeing the Queensland Beach headband pattern, with some yummy red yarn I have in my stash…
cakes, tea and dreams 
The hat is lovely! I come from a very short line of knitters/tatters, and nearly all of her (grandmother) needle talents skipped over my generation, but one of my girls lives to crochet. It must be fairly relaxing to knit?
It is. My college roommate loved to crochet and I think she found it relaxing, too.
I have crocheted a bit — and I loved how much faster it goes than knitting!
Gorgeous work! I feel the same way- I love knitting and have made a lot of fun things in the past…but do I really need more? I have 74382947932 scarves and hats and mittens. When one wears out, I’ll make more, but I can’t really justify constantly creating more stuff without a need.
I do have a craft project going though. My grandmother died in May and I inherited all her cross-stitch material, including quite a few items that she’d started and hadn’t finished, so being able to finish those feels pretty special. 🙂
7438284747 scarves! Yes. And that cross-stitch windfall sounds lovely.
Love! I, too, have sort of fallen off knitting. There are only so many hours in the day and there always seems to be something else to do, or I have a book in my hands. And bread-baking has somewhat replaced knitting for scratching the itch to use my hands and create. I think I’ve been “working on” the same hat for two years now. But I agree with you that it’s lovely to feel the yarn between your fingers. And your hat is adorable! Happy stitching, my friend.
Thanks! And yes, I hear you on the other activities. Last week I made scones instead. Happy baking.
I mentioned the other day that knitting looks rather soothing. My husband of 45 years said, “It is. My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet.” Two things: How did I not know this???!!! And, can you teach me? (We are still mulling that one.)
Good for you! I’m so glad to hear you’ve picked back up your knitting, with a lovely finished object!