Knitting

Why I took up knitting

I never used to have any hobbies.  I used to just work, watch TV mindlessly, read about work stuff, eat & sleep.  I lived & breathed work, my friends were colleagues, I worked on projects outside of office time, I took work home & had no other identity but Clare, the dietitian.

When I became ill & spent a prolonged time of work I felt I lost myself.

Who was I if I wasn't working?

At counselling I was encouraged to take up a hobby.  But what?

I didn't want to go out much & had little motivation so did wan't to join a class or commit to something regularly. Knitting was having a revival, it was everywhere & I vaguely remembered my granny teaching me when I was younger. So I bought a set of needles, a beginners book & some cheap yarn & I tried to knit. 

Thank god for Youtube! & Ravelry (social media for knitters & crocheters) because boy did I have a lot to learn!

You don't have to be great to start

But you have to start to be great.  A quote I need reminding of constantly.  Now I am not saying I'm great now! I am far to modest for that & have far to many wholes in my projects to be called 'great' but I've started.

I started off being a perfectionist & ripping up my creation if I made a mistake.  Yarn can be ripped up & started again over & over.  I have mellowed since then & starting to try embrace the 'handmade' look my stuff has.

You can knit anything

I've knitted tiny bears, big bears, hats, wee stretchy jumpers for Africa, fish key rings, phone covers, bootees, a dog toy, a vase of flowers & good old scarfs.  & recently I even had a request for a knitted gear knob cover from a school friend! Random but you can always find a pattern to adapt.  There is a pattern for anything you can think of - y fronts, ties, belts, play food honestly anything!

I would thoroughly recommend knitting as a hobby.  You can knit big or small, easy or difficult depending on your mood, motivation & skills. Plus there is a wonder of beautiful yarn out there to make every project pretty & unique.

to get you started

To get started you will need

• A basic set of needles 

I recommend a set as I was buying different sizes as recommended on patterns but each project may require different needles depending on your gauge & yarn, & it works out so much cheaper just to get  a basic set & wallet to keep them all together in the one place

• A beginners pattern - a scarf or washcloth is probably a good simple project to get you started with casting on , basic stitch & casting off.  There are loads of free patterns online - just type it in google or join Ravelry & search free patterns.

• A basic sewing kit - scissors, tape measure, darn needle, stitch holder

• Some cheap yarn - start with a big ball of DK in a nice colour - if it's cheap it doesn't matter if you have to rip it out & start again

• Have a browse at YouTube videos - cast on, basic knit, basic purl & cast off/bind off.  I found videos easier than pics cos you can see what they do with their hands.

You are ready to start creating!

Or you could buy a kit.  Many places have started putting together bundles of needles, yarn & pattern together & instructions so you can pick up & project & go.  There is loads of different things like a camper van, to christmas trees or scarf or cushions & all at range of skill levels

Take a look at some of the kits on my pinterest board for ideas

Follow Clare BeeHappyHealthy's board Knitting Kits on Pinterest.

I hope you have think about knitting as a hobby & that the projects can look great but it is easy enough to get started.

What are your hobbies?

Ever tried knitting?