March 07, 2007

Contest - In Search of Inspiration

I've been utterly lacking in the desire to knit or the ability to settle to a project. I haven't knit so much as a single stitch since the day before I went on vacation... that was on the 13th.

I'm looking for some inspiration and I'm turning to my fellow knitters to give it to me.

Why do you knit? What drives you, other than passion?

On the 13th I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner, who will win...


ONE of the skeins of Malabrigo, your choice of color, 2 mixed CDs titled Music to Knit To - Lace and Music to Knit To - Garter Stitch and a handmade bracelet in the color(s) of your choice.

Leave a comment by the 13th with why you knit. If more than 40 people comment I will select 2 winners. (Make sure that if you've updated to the New Blogger you go into your profile and select to show your e-mail otherwise I can't let you know if you've won.)

Help me get my knitting mojo back!

22 comments:

Unknown said...

I knit because all the things associated with knitting speak to me The fiber running through my fingers, the pattern evolving from 2 sticks and string, the rhythm of the sts as they are created, k1, p1, k2, p2, k whatever, p when you want. It all thrills my soul, which surely was a knitter in a past life. I searched hobby after hobby, craft after craft and then I finally found someone to teach me to knit. And it has been my reason to be since then.

Chris said...

I knit because it's the exact opposite of the work I do. I'm an analyst. I have products, but it's not very satisfying to produce an excel spreadsheet or get the billing software tweaked just right. Enter knitting - products! Wearable and lovely.

Knitting also helps me focus my "monkey mind." And it makes reading or watching a movie feel like productive time, as well as being relaxing.

Anonymous said...

I knit for a couple reasons:

1) I don't tend to follow through on a lot of things and this allows me to do, possibly because I can actually see the progress, as opposed to so many things in my life.

2) I can choose to fix mistakes or to live with them -- and by and large there are no negative repercussions either way.

3) Creating something and wearing it or giving it away to an excited recipient is just the coolest feeling.

4) Knitting still seems to be a fringe activity and it's fun to see people's reaction to it taking place in public places.

Anonymous said...

I knit because there is a place in my soul that need to create. There is an elemental necessity to put fiber to needle and allow all my senses to experience the magic.

I knit because I love. Have you read "The Knitting Circle"? In the prologue there is a short paragraph where she writes that each stitch of knitting is a letter. A row spells "I love you". Each garment is a manifestation of my heart. I mean really, how much better can it get? :-)

I've gone months without any desire to knit and then I pick up a fiber and the spark returns. Sometimes you just have to sit quietly with yourself and be patient.

Ann-Marie MacKay said...

i knit for sanity. I have 2 small young ones at home and knitting gives me a little bit of "me time" during the day.
i knit to create--i love to be able to wear a pair of socks that i made, that i love--admire them and say "i made that".
i knit to spread the joy of knitting--i love giving knitted gifts and teaching others to knit.
to know that love and time went into a gift--makes me happy.
it's also about "me time"--at night when the kids are in bed and my housework is done for the day, i sit down and spend time immersed in my knitting. the rhythm of it, it's calming and soothing.
hope you find your knitting mojo.

wenat said...

I've got two young kids at home, a fulltime job, and a 1-hour commute to work, and then another hour from work. I knit on my commute (transit), so that I can relax during the commute and totally lose track of the time. And then after a week or so, I've got a pair of cool handknit socks, too!

Sock knitting is a great way to experiment with different fibers and patterns, learn something new, and not be committed to a huge project.

Unknown said...

I knit because it's become such a habit that I really can't *not* knit now! I have to have knitting in my hands if I'm watching a movie, I take it with me for riding the bus or subway, and I knit with most of my friends since they're knitters too. :)

Anonymous said...

I knit to calm down after a stressful day. I knit to keep my mind sharp as I am a stay-at-home mother and don't get a lot of social interaction. I knit to keep new babies fashionably warm, friends happy, and my cats entertained with new fiber purchases. I knit in hopes of adding to the healing of a broken heart. I knit to have a valid excuse to read sites like the Yarn Harlot and amuse myself with other's tales. I knit because I don't know what else I would do if I didn't.

moirae said...

Because I can't stop. :)

Diane said...

I knit so that I can use up some of the yarn I already have which frees up room to buy more yarn. And since I'm shopping it allows me time to look at knitting books with wonderful patterns so that I have to buy more yarn to make the wonderful things in the books. But somehow .... at the end of the day .... I always end up just knitting socks. Go figure.

Maybe your desire to knit got kicked under the couch by accident. lol

Anonymous said...

I knit as part of my parole requirements ;)

Olga said...

I must create and this is the form it takes at this time, if I don't do something creative I feel like a little bit of my soul dies. And I love the feeling it gives me to see something done and done well and it stays that way, nobody comes behind me and 'messes' it all up and I have to do it all over again.

Cloudberry said...

I knit because it makes me relax. I'm a sahm to three kids, and the time I spend on knitting gives me a little time on my own. Even if the kids are around me playing. If I don't have a pair of needles in my hands when watching tv, I really can't concentrate. I hope you get your knitting inspiration soon :)

Panda said...

I knit because I love beautiful colors and soft yarn. I like having something useful -- like handknit socks that fit perfectly. Bonus if someone admires my work and I get to say I made it myself. I like the challenge of trying a new technique and having it work out in the end, even if I have to go through the frustration of several trial and errors first.

Cindy said...

I knit because it makes me more focused. It's relaxing, but it's also meditative. It brings me to a calmer place mentally. What you knit is not as important as the process. At least, that's my take on it. Besides, socks are useful and I always have a sock on the needles. Even if there is nothing else going, I'm knitting socks. Good luck on the mojo.

teabird said...

I knit because I love the rhythm and the colors of knitting. Knitting is my protective space, and my meditation.

knittingbrow said...

I began to knit because I enjoyed talking and spending time with my friend who taught me to knit. I commented how meditative it was watching her as we talked about the next color yarn that would be perfect for the sweater that she was knitting.

I knit because I thrive on color. I enjoy the tactile mixing of colors in a project created by my own hands. I knit because, just like you, I am an artist.

ikkinlala said...

I knit to relax when I remember to, I knit to challenge myself sometimes, and I'm definitely attracted to knitting because I love the textures and colours and ability to make useful objects. But mostly (and it pains me to admit this) these days I knit to procrastinate. Big pile of dirty laundry? Knit instead. Homework due soon? I'll work on it once I finish the next row, I swear.

Not a particularly inspiring answer, I know.

Anonymous said...

I started knitting because a friend taught me how to again (my grandmother had taught me as a young child). But I have continued to knit because of all the wonderful friends I have made while knitting. The knittting friends I have are the BEST friends I have EVER had! Knitters are obsessive with their yarns and their projects, as well as with their helpfulness. They are REALLY always there for you, if you need help reading a pattern or if you have simply(?)dropped a stitch! It is a great group...religion...cult...whatever you want to call it! I'm hooked!

Cat Herself said...

I knit because I love creating beautiful, colorful things that cannot be found elsewhere.

I knit because 2 very dear friends of mine were making such beautiful, one-of-a-kind items and I had to be part of it.

I knit because those beautiful, one-of-a-kind items share love, warmth and joy with the people who wear them. It's a tangible outpouring of the love I feel for the people who wear them.

Shirley said...

My first comment doesn't seem to have shown up. So I hope that this isn't a repeat.
I knit because I can. Actually I don't know why I knit. And crochet. And sew. And all the other crafts that I do every now and again. It's just a part of me. I might go weeks or years without doing a particular craft and then pick it up again. Maybe you just need a break.

stricken madchen said...

I knit for my kids so that they can wear something & be reminded how much they Mom loves them. I knit for sanity to get me through those crazy things lie brings my way. I knit for family & friends to show how grateul I am to have them in my life. But perhaps the biggest reason I knit is because with every stitch I'm reminded how much beauty life has to offer.
Hope you get better soon & find your knitting mojo!