I knit because it helps me to relax. I knit because there is sod all on the tv to watch. I knit because I love watching a length of yarn and two needles make something with shape and form, something beautiful. I knit for many reasons.
Knitting has taught me to have patience. Knitting has taught me that it's better to go back and correct a mistake rather than leaving it and regretting it. Knitting has taught me that I do possess some creativity. Knitting has taught me many things.
Today I realised that it has also taught me something very important....how to hand wash clothes! There have been a number of things at the bottom of the laundry basket that require hand washing for quite some time. I keep avoiding them. Today was the day.
There was an angora mix Tommy Hilfiger cardigan of Pickle's (Tommy Hilfiger on a 22 month old I hear you cry?.....don't ask...a present from MIL!), a beautiful hat and gloves also belonging to Pickle and Jomp's lovely Husband socks. As I swirled the items very gently in luke warm water, then carefully rinsed them in water at the same temperature, then rolled them lovingly in a towel before laying them out on another towel to dry, I realised that this was the first time I had taken such care over such a chore.
Less than a year ago I would have slung them in the washing machine and hoped for the best. Or, at best, I would have run the water far too hot, rubbed the items together vigorously and then rinsed in an ice cold rinse before wringing every drop of water out and hanging them on the line.
I've read many blog comments and forum posts lately about why people knit. Usually the answer is to relax, to forget or as a cheap form of therapy. It does do these things, true, but I like to think about all the many little, inconsequential things knitting gives me.
Like teaching me how to hand wash!
5 comments:
Thats funny you should say that about the clothes washing. I actually look at the labels now too, and don't think twice about handwashing!
The funny thing is, even though my washing machine has a handwash programme I much prefer doing it in the old way. Very satisfying.
It does bring so many things, many so unexpected doesn't it?
Knitting has taught me similar things, patience, creativity and so on. Handwashing? I'm still not that there with you!!!! I shamefully put handknit socks in the machine on a normal wash last week. Even my husband said "are you allowed to do that with those socks?"!!!!!!!! I may live to regret it!!!
This made me laugh, I've recently & successfully tackled some handwash-only handknits too. I did spin them in the machine tough!!! I machine wash all my handknit socks too. BTW how's the CPH coming along??
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