If someone had told me a year or so ago that I'd spend my evenings getting excited about wool, I'd probably have laughed. Yet here we are.
These days you'll often find me happily surrounded by balls of wool, counting stitches and wondering how on earth I've managed to knit one extra stitch when I was absolutely certain I hadn't. It's a mystery that knitting has yet to explain. Where do they come from??
Like drawing, knitting has quietly crept into my life and made itself completely at home. It’s not a new skill - I used to knit as a child, mainly scarves for my Action Girl (I was the only one of my friends that had an Action Girl. All the others had Barbie or Sindy, but no…not me) alongside my friend Wendy. That’s how we used to rock ‘n roll… Since then, I’ve knitted toys, baby clothes, a cardigan. Plus little santa hats for wine bottles at Christmas (they’re cute!) But, now? This is something different.
Firstly, I’m of an age where my brain is very different to what it was years ago. A woman of a certain age + MS + life ‘stuff’ = brain fog! But I’ve found that knitting helps to clear it. A lot. There's something wonderfully calming about it. Once the needles get going, the rest of the world seems to become a little quieter. My ever-growing list of jobs to do fades into the background, my mind stops trying to solve every problem known to mankind (things that are a) highly unlikely to ever happen and b) nothing to do with me whatsoever), and for a little while it's just me, some wool and the occasional muttering, ‘Oh... where did that hole in the pattern come from??
In fact, one of the biggest surprises has been how much it's helped me relax. I treated myself to one of those fancy Oura rings and it kept telling me how my resting heart rate was high, particularly when sleeping. Since I started knitting every evening for at least half hour before bedtime, my heart rate has come down and the ring tells me I’m in a relaxed state. (I’m not relaxed when I have to take the ring off to charge it, as it refuses to move off my chubby finger!) Whether that's the knitting, the drawing, or simply spending less time rushing around, I couldn't say for certain—but I'll happily take it!
There's also some fascinating research suggesting that hobbies like knitting, drawing and other creative crafts don't just make us feel good in the moment. Keeping our brains active by learning, creating and solving little problems may also help support long-term brain health. I rather like the idea that every stitch is giving both my wool and my brain a little workout
But hey, let’s talk about a little secret project. For the past few months I've been knitting some funny little tortoises. Or, as they're affectionately known in our family...
Sausage Pots.
Don't ask. Truth is, I have no idea how or why I came up with that name. I just liked it and it made me laugh. I knitted one for my grandson Otis a few months before he was born, and called it ‘Sausage Pot’. Then made another for a friend’s new baby, and the name stuck.
I'm not quite ready to introduce them properly because they're still getting their personalities (and a few finishing touches). Somehow each one ends up looking completely different, despite me following exactly the same pattern. Clearly they have minds of their own.
I can't wait to share them with you soon.
Until then, I'll be over here trying not to lose my stitch counter for the fifteenth time this week and pretending I definitely meant to buy that much wool. (Why is wool buying so addictive? Mind you, you can never have too much wool......can you?)
Until next time, keep creating!
Penny xxx
🐢 This Week in the Wool Basket
- Currently knitting: A funny little tortoise.
- Current wool situation: I definitely had enough... until I didn't.
- Lessons learnt: Counting stitches is surprisingly difficult when you're also watching Esme talk about gusset elastic on The Great British Sewing Bee.