There is Something I Have to Confess

It is not shameful, but it’s an important thing you need to know about me if you are following this blog.

I am a mad keen crafter.

And when I say crafter, I mean knitter (and occasional crocheter).

I LOVE TO KNIT.

Knitted cowl for my friend in Nanjing

Steve, left back, wearing grey V-neck jumper

Sometimes I think of knitters as home-loving people. My Grandma, who passed away in the middle of last year, was a knitter and someone who loved HOME. Home was her number one place. If someone was away, she wanted to know when they would be getting HOME. In order to leave home, you needed to have a good reason: where else would you possibly rather be? Her home was her castle and I loved that about her.

My Grandma

But I am not this type of knitter. If I spend more than a day entirely at home, I become STIR CRAZY. I like to be OUT IN THE WORLD. I like to be DOING THINGS.

Knitting and liking to be out in the world are not, in fact, incompatible. You can knit in parks. You can knit at airports (if you can get your needles through the security check. Tip: invest in plastic needles). You can knit on trains, trams, planes, buses and in the car (but NOT if you are driving J). Knitting in public can be a conversation starter. ‘What are you making?’ people ask. And ‘It’s SO nice to see a young person knitting!’

Stripy socks

Why do I love to knit? Isn’t it a bit old school and dowdy? Can’t you just buy a scarf or jumper for much less money, time and hassle? Well, yes, probably. But there are reasons to knit that fall beyond the practical:

1. Knitting is relaxing. It is rhythmic, repetitive, but still productive. You can do it while watching TV: while your brain engages with the show, your hands are busy creating something. AND it prevents my restless hands from fiddling and scratching at things. Did you know that Julia Gillard, despite the ill-conceived photo shoot for Women’s Weekly, really does enjoy knitting? In her autobiography she says it ‘bridges the gap between work and sleep’. I can relate to that.

2. It is a way to show love. Like a cat bringing a rat to its owner, when I care about someone I feel a desire to do something nice for them, and often that means making them something. If you are one of the 20 or so people I have crafted something for, it means that you are very dear to me.

3. Knitting is FUN! You can make anything! There are SO many ideas and SO much beautiful wool available in ENDLESS colours and types. How exciting is that?

4. Knitting connects me with all the people throughout history who have knitted, and with knitting ancestors like my Grandma. Did you know that the Egyptians used to knit socks back in the 3^rd century? Wow.

I will most definitely be crafting my way around China, and look forward to sharing future inspiration with you. For now, above and below are some pictures of things I have made lately.

Wedding rug for my friends CN and LB

This rug took me a year to make! It was a lot of fun

Do you also love to knit? Or perhaps you prefer a different type of craft? What sorts of things have you made, or would like to try in the future? And do you prefer staying at home, or being out in the world? Or a bit of both?

Do tell.

xx Iz