Knitting Zen
Knit One Purl Two happens to be one of the most well known knitting terms, well known by non-knitters and knitters alike. Repeating it out loud confers some of the meditative experience of knitting. For those of us who knit, there is almost nothing more relaxing than watching a row of neat, organized stitches line up on your knitting needles.
The knitting craze is cyclical. It was very popular in the 1950s and again in the early 2000s. It has slowed somewhat, but its enduring nature is a testament to both the relaxation it bestows on the practitioner, and the joy of craftsmanship. Many people consider it akin to meditation. After all, the first most basic meditation you learn is breath counting; in breath, one, out breath, two. In knitting you are often counting your stitches and focusing on nothing more than the stitches being created and the count itself. Basic meditation.
Of course, the challenge of a complicated pattern, or a technique previously untried requires a bit more focus and can result in "tinking" (also known as un-knitting) or even some serious "frogging" (ripping out more than a few stitches, so called because "rip-it, rip-it" is reminiscent of the frog's "ribbit"). But it is all part of the process, and most knitters, no matter how goal-oriented in their daily lives, face this part of the knitting experience with cool composure and aplomb. After all, it is the experience of knitting that we are seeking, more so than the finished-object.
Knitting teaches you to let go of your aspirations of perfection. There is some merit to leaving the error in place. We've all heard of Arab rug-makers who believe that only God can create something which is flawless, therefore they deliberately weave a mistake (or multiple mistakes) into their works of art in order not to offend God. It can be a humbling experience to the perfectionist. But mistakes can also be a good thing. My very first sweater was knit incorrectly. I knit everything through the back loop, the result a twisted stitch which worked wonderfully with the yarn I was using. I didn't know I had done something "wrong" at the time, but got many compliments on the distinctive nature of that sweater. Your mistake makes your project uniquely yours. It differentiates your work from anyone else's that might be knit from the same pattern.
There is also the cooperative aspect to knitting. There are many websites devoted to teaching / sharing knitting techniques on the internet. Knitting circles abound. The local yarn store will often provide assistance if you are having trouble with your pattern, regardless of whether you purchased your knitting supplies from them or a competitor. The knitting community, as a whole, is a warm, nurturing place.
The fact that knitting is such an easily portable activity also allows for us to mitigate stressful situations. Personally, I like to knit when I am a passenger in the car. Since I'm not the best passenger, this has the added merit of helping to preserve my marriage. If my husband and I are headed out for more than just a quick local errand I've got to have my knitting bag, or we'll both be unhappy. And if I've lost my focus and commented on something going on outside the car, my husband will often ask me why I'm not knitting. I have to admit, though, most of my frogging is a result of knitting while "passengering" -- my attention being diverted away from my knitting to some potential traffic mishap.
Things get better when you just breathe in and out; knit one, purl two.
Jane Wright authors knitting articles, when she can be convinced to put down her needles.
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