Purls of wisdom
Christine Perry discovers that knitting is so more than just about keeping warm, it’s a ‘superpower’...
Christine Perry on the joys of knitting
One thing that we should never be, as knitters, is cold. As I write this, it’s a bright day – there’s even a hint of sunshine as I look out of the window – but it’s a bit nippy out there and I’m wearing ‘All The Layers’. I’ve had my hat and mittens on whilst I was out with the dog. I’m wearing my woolly socks of course (it doesn’t really matter what the weather is like, I’ve usually had my woolly socks on at some point during the day – hard experience has taught me not to walk the dog in sandals!), and I’ve got my jumper on. I’ve also got plenty of cardigans, scarves, cowls, shawls and blankets tucked away in the drawer should I need to wrap myself up any more – I may look more like a mummy of the Egyptian kind than the Winwick variety, but at least I won’t be cold!
WONDER WOOL
You’ve probably seen the slogan ‘Knitting is my superpower’ around and whilst it may have originally been created as a joke, I think it’s actually a statement of truth. How many other hobbies can help to regulate the temperature of premature newborn babies, distract and delight older people coping with illnesses that take away their ability to function as they used to, or keep our children (and grandchildren) looking supercute as well as snuggly warm? I haven’t noticed anybody wrapping themselves up in a model train track recently!
HAND KNIT VS MACHINE KNIT
I don’t know what it is about them, but handknits just feel warmer to me. It could be down to the yarns we use or the extra love and occasional rude words that get knitted into them, but even the high street retailers know that we’re onto something.
Their knitwear sections often display items that look pretty close to being hand-knitted although we know that they’ll often have been produced on a machine somewhere. Surely I’m not the only one to check out what kind of cast on has been used and be able to spot a machine-knitted cu at twenty paces?!
YOU CAN KNIT ANYTHING
As knitters, we have the power to make sure that not only we but also our families and friends, and (for those who do charity knitting) even people that we don’t know can have a woolly layer to wear. Armed with our pointy sticks and balls of yarn, we can conjure up whatever is required. There’s pretty much a pattern for anything you can think of to make (and a few for those that should probably stay unknitted – swimsuits, perhaps, or coats for dogs that like to swim which end up more like cloaks when they come out of the water…). The point is, that our hobby is multifaceted; it occupies our hands and minds but also produces something that is practical.
THAT WARM GLOW
Sadly, I don’t think it’s ever going to be the case that our knitting produces enough energy to burn a great number of calories or even switch on a light bulb – imagine that, we could solve the world’s energy issues by simply casting on a new project! But there’s nothing quite like the warm glow you get from pulling on a newly finished item or watching someone else be delighted with something that you’ve knitted for them. Knitting truly does warm us in so many ways, and not just when the weather is cold.
If you would like to read more about Winwick Mum, Christine Perry, pop over to her website at www.winwickmum.co.uk.