Knit One, Purl One: A Knitter's Mantra

I love to knit! Anyone who knows me is not surprised when I pull a skein of yarn and some needles out of my purse or bag when sitting for any time longer than five minutes. I always have a project but not always a purpose.

My knitting needles sat idle for many years when my children were in sports and school activities. I never had much time to sit, let alone be creative. About four years ago I picked up my needles again and have relished our time together since then. It is not uncommon for me to come home after a day's work and sit down with a cup of hot tea and pick up on my project where I left off. Very little relaxes me more than that. Just sitting down for a length of time is a struggle for me so I believe the old saying "busy hands are happy hands."

I love making children's clothes and hats, afghans, and adult sweaters. Aran knits pose a challenge for me and there's nothing more I like than a challenge. I will rip out half of a sweater if I make one little mistake. Perfection is a must in my work. I take great pride in my goods. My knitted works are usually gifts for someone, seldom do they end up in my house. Steve often asks, "Who are you making that for?" I usually don't have an answer, it's just fun to make something new.

I would never want to know how many hours I put into each piece because I would be astounded. If I charged even minimum wage for a fisherman's wool sweater the cost would be prohibitive. These are labors of love and the cost is priceless. What amount can you put on something that soothes your nerves, gives you time to think, alleviates the ADHD tendency in me, and results in gifts to give to friends? Call if you need anything. This long, cold winter has helped me add to my inventory.