The zen of knitting

Published on November 20, 2004 By dharmagrl In Misc

I knit.

I knit hats, I knit socks, gloves, sweaters, scarves, blankets, bags...I even knitted a bikini once.

I knit when I'm sad. I knit when I'm happy. I knit when I'm frustrated. I knit when I'm exuberant.

I knit to not think. It's become almost a meditation for me....nothing but me, my needles and the yarn. The quiet click clack of needles making knots....the feel of the yarn between my fingers, the miracle of one thread being woven and knotted back onto itself hundreds and thousands of times and all of those knots and weaves coming together to form a single garment, a single item....it's really quite amazing.

I knit for myself, for my family, for my friends. I knit for people I don't know, and I knit for babies who aren't even born yet.

I knit. I meditate. I create.

I knit.

Comments

Danny Bassette

on Nov 20, 2004

Now that is a productive hobby

chiprj

on Nov 20, 2004

Very nice! My grandmother tried teaching me to crochet many years ago (not quite the same, but similar) but I never had the desire to learn more than a little. And I've lost all of it now... It's good to have something productive, though, to do with excess energy that you have, whether from positve or (better yet) negative sources.

Knit on!

dharmagrl

on Nov 20, 2004

Now that is a productive hobby

Yes, it is...this evening I sat and turned out a wrist warmer. Tomorrow I'll complete it's twin, and after that I have a scarf in mind.

My grandmother tried teaching me to crochet many years ago (not quite the same, but similar)

I crochet too, but I prefer knitting. I find it more versatile....I like crochet for big things like afghans and blankets for grown ups, but as a whole I much prefer knitting. Not to metion I'm getting pretty good at it...that helps!

It's good to have something productive, though, to do with excess energy that you have, whether from positve or (better yet) negative sources.

It keeps my hand busy and my mind still. I'm noticing fewer and fewer differences between my attitude and state of mind when sitting zazen and when I'm knitting. When I sit, I have my mala in my hands so they're busy...when i knit, I have my needles.

I would offer to knit you a beanie, but I don't know if it gets cold enough in California for you to wear it....

chiprj

on Nov 20, 2004

would offer to knit you a beanie, but I don't know if it gets cold enough in California for you to wear it....

I appreciate the offer. It does get quite cold here. Monterey and San Francisco have similar weather - to paraphrase a quote attributed to Samual Clemens "The coldest winter I ever spent was an August in San Francisco". But, alas, when I wear hats, I look very much like a dildo with ears...

Feel free to delete this if that last part was too off color...

dharmagrl

on Nov 21, 2004

But, alas, when I wear hats, I look very much like a dildo with ears...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! (copyright chiprj 2004}

But I've seen you in a ball cap and you didn't look that bad....then again, you did remind me of something I couldn't quite put my finger on....

Sugar High Elf

on Nov 21, 2004

I crochet... my specialty is the Harry Potter scarf... people love those. Plus, I find that a hand-made scarf or blanket mean more to people than a random, store bought gift.

chiprj

on Nov 21, 2004

But I've seen you in a ball cap and you didn't look that bad....then again, you did remind me of something I couldn't quite put my finger on....

We never wore our uniforms to or from work in Korea since we worked so far from where we lived. Even on the Korean base, we'd often go from the building we worked in to the small Korean PX without headgear since there was a covered awning that connected the two buildings. So many of my coworkers hadn't seen me in my beret during most of my time there. Near the end of my tour, I ran into a couple Marines I worked with outside and I was in uniform with my beret. The didn't even recognize me until they were close enough to read my name tape. They couldn't believe how different (and odd) I looked in my beret. I mentioned the dildo with ears thing and they nearly pissed themselves with laughter.

dharmagrl

on Nov 21, 2004

Plus, I find that a hand-made scarf or blanket mean more to people than a random, store bought gift.

Me too! I've knitted beanies for other bloggers and their babies, and I'm knitting a beanie and wrist warmer set for a blogger for christmas. Harry Potter scarves....now that sounds cool!

I mentioned the dildo with ears thing and they nearly pissed themselves with laughter.

I can understand why! It had me giggling as well!

Spc Nobody Special

on Nov 21, 2004

I look very much like a dildo with ears...

of course, I'm not going to ask where exactly he's seen a dildo with ears.............

I even knitted a bikini once.

mmmm......just a dirty thought, but doesn't wool yarn shrink when it get's wet?..............

dharmagrl

on Nov 21, 2004

mmmm......just a dirty thought, but doesn't wool yarn shrink when it get's wet?..............

That's why you knit socks, bikinis and stuff with cotton...get your mind out of the gutter!!!

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