Today I was browsing around in the Ravelry forums (as I am wont to do), and I happened upon a discussion topic about a survey on Gender and Knitting.
A sociology student at Occidental College is doing it as part of her senior thesis on Knitting as gendered activity.
So, I said, what the heck, I’ll go and see what it’s all about.
And it was all pretty straightforward…….. but question number 4 still has me thinking:
“Why do you knit?”
Seems like a very simple question, doesn’t it?
You’d think that, with as much as I knit, that I would have a fairly clear idea of why I do it.
But, after I read the question, I just kind of sat there for a minute, while a flood of possible responses sprang to mind.
I think I answered “To use up all the yarn that I spin.”
But there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?
Reasons I Knit:
- Because I can.
- Because I love making beautiful, warm, soft objects from scratch.
- Because I enjoy the challenge of learning new techniques and
- appreciate the beauty of creative garment constructions.
- Because wool is the most excellent raw material ever, and
- knitting is a great way to show off it’s special qualities.
- Because sheep are at least as cool as the wool that they grow, and
- making things out of my own sheeps’ fleeces is very grounding.
It is really beautiful and simple and true.
And because it is going to be lovely.
Why do you knit?
