The somewhat nuanced stages of becoming a dedicated knitter.

Posted on by Jean

How do you go from being indifferent to knitting to becoming addicted? Your journey to becoming a knitting addict may look a bit like this:

STAGE 1: YOU ARE FEIGNING INTEREST

You think that knitting is for bored people who have nothing better to engage with to fill their time. If you have a friend that knits, you may feign some interest but secretly you think that knitting was just something your grandmother used to do. When your friend posts the latest creation on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest, you politely leave an encouraging comment.

STAGE 2: YOU ARE FEELING ACTUAL INTEREST

You really don’t want to love it, but you are beginning to. Your mind is being filled with images of projects you could make: scarves, hats or even socks! However, you are careful not to let on that you are beginning to feel a real interest.

STAGE 3: YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT

You have broadcasted to the world that you are going to take up knitting as well. You dive into your first project and then reality hits – it is harder than it looks. However, you don’t want to lose face so you persevere.

STAGE 4: YOUR FIRST SUCCESS

After gazillion attempts, you have finally managed to complete your first scarf (thank you YouTube!). You are feeling great and post your first creation for everybody to see.

STAGE 5: THE ADDITION

You are forgetting to eat – everything revolves around your latest knitting project. You join Ravelry. You have started hoarding yarn and your life has changed forever.

STAGE 6: YOU BECOME OVER-ZEALOUS

You have tons of projects in the queue on Ravelry – everything from a lace shawl to a knitted sofa for the neighbor’s cat. Nothing is going to stop you in your endeavors …

knitting addiction | the knitting spaceSTAGE 7: YOU ARE DROWNING

You are drowning in the amount of yarn you have stashed everywhere: under the bed, at the back of the wardrobe, behind the sofa, in the spare room … In fact, you have amassed enough yarn to knit enough hats and scarves to clothe all your friends, the entire extended family and many, many more. However, you have yet to make one as you are still struggling with understanding the patterns .

STAGE 8: YOUR ADMISSION

You may as well admit it – you have a problem. You are suffering from a KNITTING ADDICTION and have become a dedicated knitter with all the habits that an all encompassing hobby entails.

Things most people have ho idea about when it comes to knitting.

Posted on by Jean

Have you ever been at a loss for ideas on how to strike up a conversation with a fellow knitter? Here are some knitting facts you can use as ice-breakers to get you started next time it happens.

KNITTING FACT #1

Knitting is centuries old – since knitting materials tend to degrade with time, it is hard to pinpoint when knitting appeared. According to historical sources, it seems to have been brought by the Crusaders from the Middle East. The term “knitting” is mentioned in the 14th century for the first time.

KNITTING FACT #2

A former type of knitting was done with just one needle. A cross over between knitting and crocheting was being practiced even by the Ancient Egyptians!

KNITTING FACT #3

In the 16th century France, knitting was an occupation for males only. Go figure!

KNITTING FACT #4

The first knitting machine was invented in 1589. The man who came with the idea was named William Lee and it was under the Queen Elizabeth I that this happened. From that point forward, knitting became a leisure activity mostly performed by hand inside the home.

KNITTING FACT #5

During World War I, women had the national duty to knit socks, scarves and caps for the soldiers fighting across the battlefields. While many sent knitted items to their family members stationed in cold areas, others knitted for the sake of every soldier in the land.

KNITTING FACT #6

Did you know that knitting can reduce heart rate, blood pressure and it relaxes, so that the body can fight illness better?

KNITTING FACT #7

In the beginning, cotton and silk were more popular than wool as knitting yarn.

KNITTING FACT #8

A book by Johann Siebmacher was published in 1611, as the first documentation of no fewer than 126 knitting patterns!

KNITTING FACT #9

You may think that knitting needles should only be made of metal or wood, but back in the days they were made of far more exotic materials, such as ivory, tortoise shell or bones.