Knits and Purls – Picking Up a Long Lost Hobby

knits and purls

Being in quarantine alone since the beginning of the pandemic found me doing things that I never found time to do previously. From sorting old documents to continuing long forgotten projects and picking up on long lost hobbies. I started knitting at the beginning of 2020 and knitted in earnest by the end of the year.

How it began

In 2019, my brother started knitting again. He learned this craft (including crocheting) when he was about 7 years old. I myself learned how to knit and crochet when I was about the same age. But it was something that I never pursued. Well, there was a time back in 2008 I think, when I attempted to knit a sweater because of a pattern that I found in a crafting magazine that I bought. I never finished the project and forgotten all about it until I picked up on knitting again last year.

My interest was tickled again after seeing my brother finish knitting sweaters, shawls and beanies. So at the start of 2020, I found myself holding a circular knitting needle and started with my knits and purls without any project in mind. Knitting is similar to biking – once you learned it, you never forget to do it. And so for my first project, I knitted a pair of leg warmers for Zaine. Using my brother’s needles and extra market yarn. LOL! This was also the very first knitting project that I completed and the first time that I knitted in the round.

A pair of leg warmers as my first completed knitting project

Using the excess yarn from the leg warmer project, I made a scarf. Same as the leg warmer, I didn’t follow any patterns in making the scarf as well. But I was told that what I made was a 2×2 rib, otherwise known as knit-knit-purl-purl.

Here’s me wearing my second completed knitting project during one coffee date with the fambam prior to the pandemic

And so, finishing these two projects and feeling so accomplished and fulfilled with the things that I’ve learned knitting-wise, I decided to continue knitting on my spare time. And I was surprised to have completed a lot of knitting projects.

Last year, I was able to knit 1 pair of leg warmers, 1 scarf, 1 shawl, 3 beanies, 3 kids sweaters and 1 baby cardigan.

2020 completed knitting projects. Not in photo: leg warmers

Why Knitting?

Why knitting? You might ask. For me, there’s something calming about the repeated knits and purls or the alternating knits and purls. The repetitiveness of the task silences the daily mind chaos brought about by work, the stress of being stuck at home away from family, and it gives that comforting silence even when you’re alone. I guess for some, it would be a different hobby or craft that gives them these but for me, I found it in knitting.

And so I think I will continue on knitting. I still have a lot of sweater projects to finish. Apparently, once you start knitting, it will not stop anymore. LOL!

I will be blogging soon about the sweaters that I finished last year. But you can follow me in Ravelry since I started posting my completed projects there as well. Oh, and let me plug my talented brother’s account, too. He knits beautifully made sweaters, conducts knitting classes, and he will be posting tutorials within this year, too. Follow Crafty Lukas on Facebook, Instagram, and Ravelry for his knitting patterns.

Anyone here who knits, too? Let me know what your projects are and if you know some good and easy sweater and cardigan patterns for kids. I would love to hear from you!

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