About a month ago, I picked up knitting needles for the first time. At first, I only tried it as part of a hobby exchange with my wife; she agreed to try tabletop games with me if I gave knitting a shot. That excuse didn’t last long. So far, I’ve finished two hats, I’m nearly done with a sweater, and I’m studying the pattern for my next sweater (an anniversary present for my wife, it’s going to have an adorable sheep pattern across the chest). Of course, knitting is a fun, soothing activity, but beyond that knitting enhances my relationship with my time, my labor, and my possessions. I have drunk the Kool-Aid; I am a knitting fanatic, and I think you should be too. I’m going to explain why I love knitting so much, and I hope by the end of this article you will feel motivated to go to a craft store and give it a try.

Knitting and Possessions

First, knitting helps me rethink the way I view the things I own. I am so used to going to a store and seeing racks on racks of mass-produced clothes. I can purchase something with no knowledge of how it was made or who designed and constructed it; sometimes I haven’t even checked what materials a piece is made of. Furthermore, with most clothes I buy, I can safely assume they are one of thousands of identical garments, easily replaced or exchanged. While I’m sure other people may buy their clothes more mindfully, I’ll confess that I am easily reduced to a mere consumer. However, as I learn to knit, I look at my clothes completely differently. Not only do I understand more of the techniques and materials that go into a garment, but I get the chance to make something completely unique. I know for certain that the hats I made are distinct from anyone else’s, and I know every step of their construction in intimate detail. Even if I follow the same pattern as someone else, my knits have little imperfections and variations in texture that no one could replicate. Wearing something I own because I made it instead of buying it not only gives me a sense of satisfaction but also helps me move from consumerism into more fully appreciating the things I own.

Knitting and Work

Knitting not only helps me value my possessions, but it also gives me a greater sense of connection to my labor. In a post-industrial world, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the work we do. While I love my work, sometimes I get into the weeds of paperwork, and I get tired of ticking boxes and writing clinical paragraphs just to satisfy an insurance company. I’ve heard even worse from people in the corporate world (I am incredibly blessed with how few spreadsheets my job entails). With knitting, though, every stitch means something. Every step of the process contributes to a tangible product, and you can always see exactly how much you’ve done, and what you have left to finish your project. And, once you have completed something, you get to hold it and feel the fruits of your labor. When I knit something, I can celebrate my accomplishment and value my work for the benefits it gives me directly. Thus, getting in touch with what I can achieve through knitting serves as an antidote to the disconnection I might feel toward less meaningful tasks and helps me maintain an overall sense that I am using my energy in meaningful ways.

Knitting and Time

So, a finished knit gives value to my labor and possessions, but kitting’s greatest benefit is the way it connects me with my time. To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Knitting is my way to stop and look around. When I hold the sweater I’m working on, at first I experience it as a uniform object. However, when I look closer, I can study each distinct stitch and find little inconsistencies. In some spots the yarn has been stretched or frayed a little, and a couple stitches may be twisted or uneven. I am struck by the fact that I made each of these stitches, and every one of these inconsistencies mark a moment in time. I can think about the time I’ve put into this project, and I can wonder what caused each mistake. I knitted this part in a busy coffee shop, so maybe I messed up a stitch because the music distracted me. Another part I knitted on the train, so perhaps a sudden stop made me poke the yarn with my needles. While I can’t remember every detail, I can look at this sweater and see a precise record of the hours and days I’ve spent on it, and that in turn heightens my awareness of the time I spend moving forward. It’s comforting to me to imagine wearing this sweater years from now, knowing that I keep this chunk of time from my twenties with me for as long as the yarn holds up. Who knows, maybe my children and grandchildren wear this too, and this time may be something I pass on to the people I love. Just as with my labor and possessions, turning my time into something tangible helps me value it more, and provides me with a lasting source of meaning and accomplishment.

Reach Out

In conclusion, knitting helps me find value and connection with my life in the way it alters my perception of my time, work, and the things I own. Of course, these benefits are not exclusive to knitting; you could just as easily find these in any craft. For me, though, knitting seems to work exceptionally well, and I can’t help but think that all our lives might be slightly better if we spent them on such tangible, meaningful activities.

If you want help finding similar sources of value and accomplishment in your life, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Optimum Joy. Our intake coordinators can help you connect with a therapist who understands the importance of meaning and purpose, and wants to help you create those for yourself. And, if you want to schedule a session to knit with me, I will gladly take you up on that offer.