Conversations and Connecting

We were created to live in community and as social beings we spend a great deal of time seeking a connection with those around us.  Yes, I agree that there are those who are more introverted than others, but the reality is that we need others to get along in this life.

Very few hobbies or pass times allow us to form instant connections and bond as easily as knitting, and I suppose crocheting, although I only crochet out of necessity. The runners, joggers, and cyclists run and ride solo, or in groups of fellow enthusiasts.  Assuming you are a cyclist or runner, there is a feeling of connectedness when passing a cyclist or jogger, a wave, and maybe a reciprocal smile and wave, but rarely a conversation started. It is, after all, about the destination, the goal, breaking the records.

Knitting, on the other hand, is about the journey as well as the final creation. My knitting goes everywhere with me  I often joke about a hat or sweater being made in Spain or China or where ever my travels have taken me.  On any given day, you will find me unashamedly knitting in public.  Yes, I take my knitting everywhere; church, restaurants; the library, coffee shops, airports, meetings at work, virtually no place is off limits, even into my virtual world of  Facebook and Ravelry.

Curiosity brings onlookers into my circle.  Fellow knitters (and crocheters) come out of the figurative woodwork to talk shop as well as those who have no idea which end of the yarn is the beginning or end.  Knitting begs questions about what I am making, for whom, why, where I bought the yarn, how long I have been knitting, and who taught me to knit.  It opens doors to conversations about faith, charity, family, travel, traditions and life,  It does not belie the fact that one is unemployed or CEO of some big corporation, whether they are a scholar or unschooled or, if they are down on their luck or on top of the world.  Knitting is a thread that connects people in an intimate but spiritual way without invading their privacy.

Contrived cocktail party conversations, “getting to know you” questions used in team building exercises and thoughtless questions asked by people who think they are being polite can be painful. Think about the person who lost their job, can’t find work, had to drop out of school, has lost a child, parent, or mate,  or gone through a divorce.  Now think of the questions we commonly ask people we meet. “Where do you work, what do you do for a living, do you have children, are you married, are you in college?” You get the picture.  Now think of the knitting conversations.  “Oh, that is beautiful, what are you making, how did you learn to knit, where do do get yarn like that, how long have you been knitting, how long does it take to make that?”

When I knit I am neither a wallflower nor the center of attention.  If no one talks to me, I am content and lost in my knitting thoughts, but just ask me and I am happy to tell you about my favourite hobby.  I might just find a way to tell you about my grandchildren too!

As I knit my way through life, I have come to make many friends and acquaintances and left a trail knitted gifts along the way.

Yarn Therapy

Knitting is good for the soul!  In a recent issue of one of my knitting magazines there is an article on the benefits of knitting and stress reduction.  I googled the topic and found 77,100 hits!  There are numerous scientific studies along with personal testimonies and anecdotal comments.  

We knitters don’t need any scientific studies to tell us what we already know.  When I knit I find peace and comfort in the colours, textures, the rhythymic click of my needles and the magic of watching yarn turn into fabric and seeing the patterns emerge.

I do a fair amount of knitting for charity and for others and I often find myself in prayer and meditation for the people for whom I knit.  I find that when the project is completed that I can recall my thoughts, prayers or conversation that occurred along the knitting journey.  For this reason, I like to knit in a quiet environment or with some pleasant music in the background. 

I like to think that the recipient of my gifts will likewise be soothed and comforted by their handknitted gift as much as it did for me. After all, It’s much cheaper and longer lasting than therapy.

Sock It To Me!

I just finished my very frst pair of hand knitted socks.  It took me a month to make them, only because I had to work, do laundry, read, cook and clean. I am happy with the outcome and enjoyed making them enough that I already have my next pair on the needles. These are pretty cool, but they aren’t perfect.  To the untrained eye, they might be, but they are imperfect.  I did  manage to align the stripes of both socks so they matched, although I am told that mismatched socks are quite the rage right now.  Perhaps that will be a way to use up the leftover yarns that are only long enough to make one sock. I often compare knitting to life and this pair of socks is no exception!  When my friends look at them, they see all that is right about them, but if a critic looks at them, they will find the flaws.  In life, I try to “get it right,” and I consider my life a journey to perfection.  I will never be perfectly acceptable to myself or others until I am with Jesus in heaven.  I do hope there’s a good yarn stash up there. Those who love me accept all my imperfections, but those who don’t will find every twisted stitch or flaw in the pattern. Personally, I am not opposed to getting feedback, but I am motivated to do better and improve when people accept me; you see I am my toughest critic.  So just like the oddly coloured ball of yarn I used for these socks which when knitted emerged into a beautiful striped pattern, my life of odd experiences seems to knit up into a life that I love. As I grow older, I realize that the only approval I need is that of my heavenly father.  And one day I hope to hear Him say, “well done, my good and faithful [daughter],” Oh, and, by the way, “nice socks!”