This Monday was supposed to be Blue Monday. According to that great mixing pot of truth and nonsense that is the internet, it was a term invented at the beginning of this century by a holiday company to sell more holidays!
Whether it’s real or not, it made me think about how knitting and crochet quietly fit into our everyday lives.
When we’re feeling a bit blah, a few stitches can start working on our endorphins almost without us noticing. But sometimes, when those heavy feelings wash over us and everything feels urgent and overwhelming, even the thought of picking up needles or a hook feels like too much.
And that’s OK.
Sometimes knitting fits into life by simply being there. The stitches wait patiently, ready whenever you are. Sometimes it fits into life as just one row in the evening, before bed, or while the kettle boils.
Knitting and crochet are cumulative. One stitch is just as good as a hundred stitches. It’s the slow, steady process that, over time, makes the difference.
This is one of the most important things about knitting, and one that often goes unnoticed. It isn’t really about the jumper, scarf or cardigan at the end. It’s about what knitting gives you along the way.
‘Life’s a journey, not a destination’, as Steven Tyler says – and knitting fits that beautifully. Knitting is a feeling… and an object. It’s both.
So what did I do this Blue Monday? I forgot to write this blog – which is why it’s late this week! Instead, I was busy knitting a new design, completely absorbed in that familiar rhythm of stitch after stitch. I was so excited to finish it that everything else slipped my mind.
It also reminded me that I still haven’t released another design that’s finished, test-knitted and laid out as a pattern. I simply got distracted by the next cast-on – which feels very true to everyday knitting life.
And you? What has knitting or crochet looked like in your days this week?
I’ve noticed a renewed love for the Aimsir Crochet Blanket, with some really beautiful colour choices. I especially loved seeing Croft DK worked with one solid shade alongside a variegated one – a reminder that these projects live alongside us, growing quietly while life carries on around them.
Wherever knitting fits into your days at the moment – one row, one stitch, or simply waiting in your bag – that is enough.