by Thread Knitrow—a knitter.
Father, forgive me, for I have purled when I intended to knit.
-- a confession whispered during fiber artistry.
Unity of Charlotte recently started a knitting ministry, and members are engaged in knitting and crocheting shawls and other items for those in need.
What's so special about Knitting? Knitting begins not with needles, but with intention. You learn what it is, then why it calls you. You learn how to do it, what to make, where it might go— and then you begin again. Each loop a prayer, each row a breath. Insert your spirit and energy into every stitch. Know this before you begin: Winter births knitting. Babies summon crochet. Cast on with hope. Be loopy. To finish—cast off with joy.
Pause often. Others may think you admire your work—and you do—but you are also searching for the thread of perfection. Artists do this.
Knitting is easily interrupted. You can stop on any stitch and return with grace. Even complex patterns offer respite because every other row, often consists of only knit stitches.
Try circular needles of bamboo, size nine or more. Let them glide. Relax your forehead. Breathe. Prayer helps. Keep sessions short. Let your hands rest. If pain visits your fingers or wrists, do not knit for a day. Healing is part of the pattern. You learn to relax even when you want to knit.
Moth larvae eat holes in wool—disappointment made visible. Acrylic resists them. Choose your fiber with care and beware.
Somewhere around halfway, knitting shifts from madness to gladness. It teaches patience through the ache of impatience. “Knot” is a word of connection. “Not” is a word of absence.
Knitting needs crochet hooks for some corrections. Crochet does not need knitting needles. Both are looped languages, interlocking with thoughts and prayers.
The mantra: One more perfect row. The long-term plan: What will this become? The short-term plan: Finish the current row.
Counting is easier on knit rows. Purl rows resist. Never count past twenty—use markers to know your place in the story.
About Misteaks
Mistakes arrive in many forms—old, new, correctable, ignorable. Each one a divinely-inspired-focal-point… and a knot or a tangle.
There is always a second chance. You can redeem the last row in the current one. But beware: All knitters will one day need a crochet hook. Accept this truth. The best place to find any error is now. The second best is the row before. Beyond that—heaven help you. Fetch the hook.
If the yarn splits, you did it. Try again, slowly with maximum mindfulness and intention return the loop gently. "Soft-spun" yarn sounds good but easily splits.
A missing loop causes a run—in knitting and in life. Fixing it is easier on knit rows. Purl rows demand more grace. When tension rises, exclaim (or pray): "HOLY PURL."
And so—with breath, with patience, with joy—Happy Crafting.
08/31/25