My History of Knitting

'I found knitting helped calm my thoughts. While I was knitting and putting my stitches in order, it was easier to put my own mind in order' - Keep Calm and Cast On

'White Beard'
My First Knit

I have mentioned recently in My Whispers of Wisdom about how I took to knitting during the 2012 olympics and used the 'Inspire a generation' tagline for my own development - not just for sport.

I had been in a bad place with anxiety and I had read how knitting is good for relaxation and promotes mindfulness that cancels out worries and stress. So, I decided to give it a go. 

I didn't know what I was going to knit and I wasn't too bothered about it either, I just wanted to practice. I bought some 4mm (UK) needles and 50g wool to match and worked with my mum to understand casting on and the simple knit stitch. 

First I was slow, and then I got a bit faster. Sometimes I lost count and rows where longer than others, tension uneven. But I kept at it as I watched the cross-country cyclists and Rebecca Adlington and Tom Daley in the pool, and found it all very exciting. Their motivation spurred my motivation, and by the time the main olympics had finished, the Paralympics gave me that extra push, and then my first knitting creation had been complete. An uneven white beard-like thing. Nonetheless I was proud of it. 

Several balls of wool later, I had completed the same type of thing, but had moved on to knit and purl, which again, slowed me down to begin with and when I learnt the method and I got faster again. 

That September, I found out my sister was having her first baby and I wanted to knit something for it. I didn't yet have a knitting book or bag, as those came that Christmas; so I thought simple. A patchwork blanket. I had made one of those for my Art GCSE but in the form of textiles and appliqué sewing, so knitting one in simple knit stitch shouldn't be a problem. I gave myself 9 months. 

My brother-in-law is a London-Irish rugby fan so it shaped my criteria in forms of coloured wool, but it was still unknown whether my nephew was going to be a nephew..or a niece. 

I got to work anyway when was living in London at my student halls and my knitting kept me occupied  on those quiet nights in. Green, white, green, white (they are the London-Irish colours) and I got my tension in 20X20 stitches and it was looking really great.

May 2013 was soon on it's way and I needed to add some more rows, which meant 10+ more squares. I hadn't realised then, that I had to stitch the squares together, which luckily I found how in my first knitting book Knitty Gritty by Aneeta Patel.

I didn't finish it on time but I made sure I took my time so it was ready for my sister and nephew.

Here it is:

 So if you have wanted to start knitting, just go for it. Buy some wool of a fun colour, of just in plain white like I did, visit a tutorial on YouTube, purchase a book or talk to someone who knows about the initial stitches and cast off, you're away! Even with the simplest of stitches you can create great things.

Happy Knitting,

Zoë