Anxiety has been growing among everyone amid the pandemic. With uncertainty everywhere and tensions rising, I needed an outlet. In the same week of March 2020, I was rejected from three schools, waitlisted at one and let go at my job. I was also dealing with the school year coming to an abrupt end and missing out on the normal things a senior should enjoy. While combating depression, my anxiety grew.
I would try to see my friends and try new recipes, but seeing my friends and going to the grocery store was dangerous. I tried to workout and eat healthy, but my lack of willpower overcame me and I ended up sitting on my bed binge eating. I needed to find an outlet that I could express myself creatively and give me something to do. I tried painting and it was too messy. I tried making pasta and I lost the patience. I finally got back into knitting after ten years of not doing it. My great-grandmother taught me how to knit on a basic level when I was eight and I never even made anything besides a four inch by four inch patch. I had to practically relearn everything and going through that process distracted me from the world. I redirected energy off of my bad thoughts and onto creating something in addition to professional mental help. My doctor supported me for starting a hobby and she even encouraged me to adopt a healthy nutritional lifestyle, which I didn’t do, but that’s besides the point. While I had a wonderful time knitting and making projects, it did cost some money. I find knitting relaxing and calming. Through knitting, I have been able to ground myself more and express myself creatively. While I am also treating my mental health through talk therapy and medication, I still take measures to try new things and form new hobbies. By focusing on one thing, I have calmed down quite a bit within quarantine and within life in general.
One of the negatives of knitting is the cost. I do buy yarn from a craft store, so it isn’t cheap. One package or skein of yarn can cost about seven dollars when I would need about five to seven skeins of yarn adds up pretty quickly. For my first sweater the yarn cost me about fifty dollars. Of course there is cheaper yarn and easier projects. For example, knitting a hat only costs me about five dollars to make. Recently, I have been buying yarn at thrift stores for much cheaper. While knitting might not be the best option for your pockets, it is very sustainable and avoids fast fashion. It also provides you with the gratification of producing a product for your interest or for a gift. People really do find a special sentiment when they are given a handmade gift, especially when it comes to parents. I know that my mom loves handmade gifts and I love making them. Handmade gifts are things she asks for every year, besides a brand new Mercedes Benz, but I really cannot afford that right now so she will be getting some knitwear for a few years. Knitting is an easy and difficult skill to learn at the same time. It is easy to knit a hat, scarf or even a blanket. Knitting mittens, sweaters and incorporating designs is where it takes more attention and time.
Tips on Starting to Knit and a Pattern One thing that a lot of patterns do not specify to beginners is how to buy the yarn and matching needles. Every yarn has different sizes and those different sizes require the correct sized needles. Luckily, on the back of the skein, it will state the size needed for knitting needles and crochet hooks. The first thing I finished knitting was a scarf and it was fairly simple. When I first started, I noticed that thicker yarn will give me a faster result, so I started off getting 4-5 skeins of chunky yarn. Some brands I like are Wool Ease Thick and Quick (about $8.00) and Hometown yarn (about $4.00 depending on the color you get). Both are by the Lion Brand company and found at most craft stores such as Jo-Ann Fabrics and Michaels. Make sure you read the back of the skein to get the correct size of the needles. I usually use size US 13 also known as 9 mm for the Wool Ease and Hometown yarn. I use straight bamboo knitting needles because I think the yarn slides off better than on the metal needles. To start the project, you will need to cast on about 40 stitches. There are different ways of casting on, but I prefer the knitting on cast on method. This can be learned easily through a quick video tutorial. My favorite person to watch when it comes to knitting and the basics is a Youtube channel called Sheep & Stitch. After everything is cast on, knit until desired length. Again, Sheep & Stitch will have a basic tutorial to show how to knit. After the scarf is at your desired length then bind off. At this point you can add tassels to the end by weaving it or you can leave it be. After you are comfortable with casting on, knitting and binding off then you can try to incorporate more diverse stitches and projects such as purling, hats and mittens.
Trying new hobbies and being creative helps me with my mental health. While I enjoy knitting, I have to continue to challenge myself with new patterns and hobbies. For example, I just started making ceramics within the past week and I am in the process of learning to crochet. When I challenge myself, I can direct myself off my anxious questions about the pandemic, my future and things I cannot control.