Why Do You Knit?

So I was trying to break my record for longest afternoon nap when I was rudely awakened by my cell phone. (Piece of advice.. never take your cell phone to your room for a nap.) On the phone was my 10 year old who had been locked out of the house as a joke by my 15 year old. Not funny.

I grabbed a Diet Pepsi, growled at my 15 year old, and plopped down on the couch. Now my allergies have been incredibly vicious and the smoke isn't helping, but on a whim I took my temperature and, although my well documented lack of confidence in ear thermometers leaves me uncertain, it appears I have a fever. No wonder it felt more like the flu than allergies.

Anyhoo... I want to knit... but am not sure what to work on. I wish I was one of those people who could just contentedly work on one project at a time enjoying each stitch to the fullest. But I'm not. I am, instead, one of those people who is always thinking about what is next and never quite content with what is on the needles once I've eyed that next must-knit project.

As with most things in my life, I also go through phases. I can go months at a time knitting only socks. They really are the ideal project because they are small, portable, full of variety, and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time. Not only that they are the most practical and well-worn of all my knits. However, there are times when I feel like a sock is just a sock and my labor should produce something of more significance.

So I usually have a sweater going too. There are just so many irresistible patterns available that I have to really refrain from tackling them all. The sweater provides a much more visible display of my efforts... if it gets worn... which they rarely do in our So Cal weather.

Now I've really grown to love lace... especially the triangular shawl. I love every part of the process... matching the perfect yarn with the perfect pattern, the countdown of repeats and variety of charts, and especially the final blocking which completes the metamorphosis of the blob of string into beautiful shawl. But honestly, these are not worn enough to be considered anything more than artwork... and if I didn't knitting them so much, I wouldn't knit them at all.

To be fair, I also like scarves and lacy rectangular wraps, but the three unfinished rectangular lace shawls that currently take up space in my yarn basket inspire little in the way of optimism that I will every actually finish anything rectangular that requires more than 400 yards of yarn. But I'd really like to finish at least one of them.

So it leaves me to sit here and wonder... what should I knit. Which begs the question, "Why do I knit?" Certainly not out of necessity... nor practicality (wool socks in So Cal? Uh-uh.) Sometimes it's fascination with the construction of a certain pattern... or love of a particular yarn. Socks certainly provide the best opportunity/excuse for relatively inexpensive yarn fixes. And every once in a while, there's an item that I just must have... an item that, in my mind, I'll love and wear forever such as my recent Perfect Summer Cardigan or hopefully my current Perfect Fall Cardigan project. The turquoise Aspen Leaves Scarf (long rectangular wrap category) also falls into this category so I'm determined to work my way through this even if it's just a few repeats a week over the next year. But ugh! What should I work on now? And why does it feel like an obligation sometimes instead of leisure? And most importantly, with all this knitting, when will I get a chance to learn to crochet?

So... I ask you. Why do you knit? For practical purposes... entertainment... a creative outlet? Do you wear what you knit? And if you knit lace... what do you do with it all? Is knitting just for the beauty of it justifiable? For some reason that last question is important to me. We'll just blame it on the fever (even though it's always on my mind).

Please tell me "Why?"



Oh, and then... please give me a pattern idea for this incredible Hand Maiden Swiss Super Sock in "Blooming Orchid" that I just got from The Loopy Ewe. I'm fascinated by the color combination of this merino/silk/sea cell blend and have no intention of using it for socks.