Cool Knitting Reflections (with pattern)

I loved reading your knitting reflections last week. When did knitting get to be so cool? Lately, I’ve also been reflecting on my relationship and trends in knitting.

As a college student, learning to knit was solely for selfish reasons. I wanted warm Icelandic type sweaters for hanging out in the woods. In my early working years, knitting became a fashion statement. People often would ask me at parties in New York City where they could buy my plush, sweaters and, who the designer was …uh, me I would say. That was cool.

When I first met my husband, he regarded my knitting for him as the truest test of my undying affection, as I made some of my most intricate Fisherman knit sweaters and Fair Isle designs for him. As a mother, I have knitted for my children throughout their childhood and young adulthood. When other moms asked me to knit for their babies and children and were willing to pay me, my hobby became a career. Knitting for kids and writing children’s patterns for magazines became an opportunity to stay home (and work) with my kids while they were very little. So cool.

As a teacher, I incorporated knitting into my teaching curriculum. I taught as many school children to knit that wanted to learn. Passing along this craft has become a mini-mission of mine. Knitting was easily woven into my classroom through math (counting stitches, rows and graphs), language arts (reading patterns), social studies (cultural and regional designs), science (sheep and yarn dying), music (the rhythmic clicking sounds of the needles), art (creating beautiful wearable objects from a ball of yarn) and my most favorite goal as a teacher, having fun. As I watched my students intensively focus, their concentration turned inward towards the process rather than the product (no instant gratification here), as if they are hypnotized. As they slowed down taking one stitch at a time, without being bored, I realized how useful it is for kids to get into the knitting zone. Very cool.

My reflection is quickly interrupted as my son emerges on a cool evening, snowboard in hand. He offhandedly remarks that he wants me to knit him a snowboarding cap. Together we search magazines, websites and books to find just the right colors, patterns and of course – the look.

Next: Easy Winter Cap Knitting Pattern

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Michele W.

11:51AM PST on Nov 23, 2011

Thank you

send a green star

jill b.

9:33AM PST on Feb 21, 2011

I love Etsy!!! I check it out all the time for unique ideas. My daughter is a fabulous knitter (tasha bukovnik) and has her things on Etsy.

Last year she knitted 150 premie toques and sent them to Africa. The number one death among premie's is losing too much body heat from the top of their tiny heads. The program she hooked up with was a very good cause... who knew that African premie's needed toques.

Zarka M.

8:27PM PST on Nov 23, 2010

Thank you for the pattern!!

Amd V.

2:50AM PDT on Sep 16, 2010

thanks. its very simple way of knitting a hat. expert knitters can add patterns

Past Member .

8:30PM PDT on Sep 5, 2010

Very nice!!! Thanks!

Swapna A.

3:32AM PDT on Aug 27, 2010

get me ne designs really i am very much interested

Magdalena S.

10:57AM PDT on Aug 19, 2010

10:56AM PDT on Aug 19, 2010

2:12AM PDT on Aug 16, 2010

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