I'm not sure what is is exactly, but when the wind starts blowing a little cooler and the thermostat finally gets switched on, my mind starts to wonder toward that certain corner at the back of my closet. What? You don't have that certain corner, or basket, or shelf? You know the one with all the balls of wool, and knitting needles and patterns and half done scarves, hats or gloves? Well if you don't it is high time you did.

There is something almost meditative about casting on a row of stitches and transferring them from one needle to the other. The minutes fade away as you focus your attention on the tip of the metal or wooden needle as it slips in and out of rows of loops while a never ending piece of yarn crisscrosses your field of vision. If that were not enough, once you repeat the process long enough, you are rewarded with a warm and textured piece of work, quietly collecting on your lap. That is why I knit, for the relaxation and the prospect of being able to forget the concerns of the day while I focus on the sound of the needles as they "clack" one against the other. It is almost the winter version of listening to a wind chime on a summers day.


Here's are the basics to get you started.