The Joys of Knitting

Oh, Ravelry, what would I do without you?
As the wind gets colder and the mornings frostier, it is in my nature to want to make things to stay warm. This winter will be more fun than maybe any other I've had, with the opportunity to knit little garments for my babelet.

An opinionated co-worker not-so-politely informed me that baby clothes are pretty cheap to buy these days. While not true in the case of mainstream babywear, it is true that there are many second hand options for much less money. I will indeed be hitting up the local thrift and second-hand clothing stores, keeping my out for original and cute things. But why in the world would I want to deny myself the chance to fashion my own uniquely stylish get-up when it gives me such a huge thrill? There is something incredibly soothing about the repetitive work of knitting that satisfies me on many levels: a level of self sufficiency, being part of the creation process of the "things" I am introducing into my child's life that will formulate his/her sense of familiarity and home, and of course the pure, creative satisfaction that can only come from putting in the work to make something yourself. It's the same feeling that comes from building something that you need in your home to make it more functional, or growing your own vegetables and cooking with them. I feel like this is a growing movement among my generation; a movement stemming from a feeling of being overwhelmed by the blatent consumer culture that has been forced upon us, making us think we can have anything any time we want it. It is a throw back to the days when the hard work and elbow grease we had to engage in was for something directly related to our needs, instead of the once-removed trend of working for money, which has become the main answer to having the things one needs and wants. Meanwhile, our skills at helping ourselves to survive independently have all but dissappeared, as there are now trained professionals who have paid to go through the schooling to provide these services to everyone. What would we do if money dissappeared suddenly? I think it's no exaggeration to say that we would be in a bad way.

So while knitting is a hobby that I do purely for the love of it, it means more than that to me. It is, in fact, one of the ways in which I am a non-participant in societal practices I believe are hurting us and causing us dissatisfaction, and a way in which I am a particpant in something I believe is a positive change for the world I live in, and establishing habits in my life that make me feel whole and alive.

Here is my first baby project, one I found on Ravelry. Here is the pattern.

This one I haven't embarked on yet, but am in LOVE with it! It's perfect! Here's the link.
Note: You must be a member of Ravelry to view the pattern.