What is a knitting practice and why you should start one
At what point does your casual hobby turn into an obsession? I’m going to challenge you to frame this “obsession” as a “practice” instead. For one, it sounds healthier, and two, I think it's a more apt description of what we do as slow makers.
The term practice is generally used by those who do yoga. They are intentional about finding time regularly to move their bodies and quiet their minds. Yoga is called a “practice” because it takes time and requires patience in order for you to improve. You have to practice it often and regularly.
And I think we do the same with knitting - you have to knit often to make mistakes, learn, and enjoy the creating process. It requires patience to create a garment from a skein of yarn. And it helps to quiet your mind. It helps you relax, let go of your anxieties for a moment, and relieve the stress from your everyday life.
So why wouldn’t we want to call it a knitting practice?
What is a knitting practice?
A knitting practice is the intentional act of knitting on a regular basis with a commitment to learning and skill development.
Why you should start a knitting practice
Create Balance
You are a tenacious, unstoppable force of productivity in a world that never stops moving.
You’re busy. You’re running from home to school drop-off, to work to errands, and back to school for pick-up. Sometimes, it feels like you’re rushing all day long and balancing a lot of plates in the air at once. Everyone needs you at the same time. Even though you do it, it can be overwhelming.
On these days, a soothing knit with textured stitches can help calm your mind and body down. Most knitters start knitting to help them “relax” in a way that’s still productive. I have a lot of thoughts about women needing to feel productive even while they’re relaxing, but that’s a post for another day. Having a constant need to feel productive can’t be all that healthy.
On other days, things run smoothly. You can easily check everything off your to-do list and get ahead on your tasks for next week.
You could use a bit of a knit challenge on those lighter days. Pick a project with intriguing lace or cable knit stitches to engage your mind.
Find Community & Connection
Your lifestyle can be isolating, and you’re starting to feel lonely. You don’t connect with the other women at your kiddo's school or have no knitting friends nearby.
Leaning into a knitting practice can help you build an online community with other women like you. You can also build a connection with something you’re passionate about (knitting), which will be deeper than just having parenting in common.
Find me on Instagram to meet some other incredible women like you. You can also join a test call and get added to our Slack group. It’s really fun there, and I’m starting to host knit nights. So, if you don’t have an LYS near you, you can dial in and still feel connected to a strong & supportive community.
Build Confidence
Big life changes can negatively impact your confidence. Starting a new job, becoming a new mom, and meeting new friends can all cause you to doubt yourself and your abilities. Lean into your knitting practice to help reclaim lost confidence.
There's a certain confidence that comes from making a commitment to yourself and sticking to it. Knowing that you can challenge yourself and meet that challenge is incredibly empowering. It sounds cheesy, but becoming your own cheerleader, mastering new skills, and wearing your finished hand knits will help you build confidence. Get ready to see that confidence seep into other areas of your life.
How to Create time for your New knitting practice
Now that you know what a knitting practice is and why you should have one, how on earth are you going to find the time to actually do it?
Your schedule is already packed with all the things on your to-do list. Adding your knitting practice as another to-do can feel overwhelming. But I want to challenge you to reframe your thinking around adding a knitting practice. It will help make all those other to-do’s easier. Sprinkled in between all the things you are doing for other people, you’ll be doing something that’s just for you.
Here are a few tried and tested tips for creating more time for your new knitting practice:
Wake up a little earlier, just 15-30 minutes earlier. Use this little extra time to make a cup of coffee and sit with your latest knitting project.
Knit on the go. When you’re in the car (as a passenger, of course) take your knitting with you. Take it on the train, subway, or bus. You’ll be able to squeeze in a few rows, which will help you feel more relaxed during your morning commute.
Knit at night. Once everyone is tucked into bed at night, knit for about 15 minutes to bookend your day with a little bit of quality time with your knitting. It will help you relax before trying to fall asleep, much better than endlessly scrolling on social media!
Read this post for more tips on prioritizing your new knitting practice.