Why Do We Knit?

So why do we do it? That’s the question most knitters hear more often then any others. “Why do you knit?”

The feminist tell us, we have the freedom to do what we want, so why continue doing something that was an obvious sign of oppression for our mothers and grandmothers?

We hear the frugal young mothers say, why on earth would you knit something that you can buy for just a few bucks at Wal-Mart?

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The business woman reminds us that with our education, why would we stoop so low as to pursue a craft that’s the work of women in third-world countries that don’t have our opportunities?

Then there are men who hint to us that only spinsters and women of leisure have the time to entertain such a thing as knitting.

Finally, there is that voice that creeps in the back of our own minds that question why we would spend such time and energy on a child-like activity of playing with sticks and string.

Then, with the start of a cast on, the turning of a heel, the finishing of a sleeve or even the bind off of a scarf, we remember. We remember the men and women that knitted because they had to. The children and spouses that were clothed because we loved to. The soldiers that were grateful because we knew how to. The art that is expressed through the different stitches and techniques because we learned to. And the next generation that will carry on the tradition because we pass on to. So why do we knit? Personally, because we want to. But as a universal craft that crosses all boundaries of color, race, sex, religion, sexual orientation and social status- as a human race we realize the reason why we knit is because we need to.