I began knitting as stress relief back in early 2017. It was a way to relieve anxiety without getting a prescription. Since then, I've probably reached an intermediate knitter level. Maybe borderline advanced.
From the beginning, I chose projects that would teach me new things--new stitches, new ways to bind off, anything I hadn't tried before. It helped me become a better knitter faster because I operated under the premise that if I messed up, I could always undo it and start over.
Despite my desire to learn knitting and my choice for adventurous projects, its primary purpose is stress relief. First, last, and always.
There were knitting designers I really liked, and I began subscribing to newsletters. Discount codes for patterns are always welcome and it also gave me sneak peeks at what they had coming up. As time passed, I got more and more designers.
And then one of these designers stopped sharing patterns or coupon codes. Every email from her was about taking her class to become a knitting designer.
I don't want to design knitting projects.
I want to knit projects other people created. I don't want to sell patterns. I want to buy patterns and knit them and just have it be a hobby, not a job.
Once upon a time, writing was for fun. Then I sold my first book to New York, and it became a job. Writing is still a job, and while it's the job I always dreamed of doing, it's not relaxing. I worry about every plot point, every story detail. I fight with my characters because they go on strike if I write them doing something they don't want to do even if it advances the plot and makes my life easier.
I need knitting to remain a relaxing hobby. I don't want to worry about anything except having the correct stitch count on the row. Heck, I don't even do lace knitting any longer because it stresses me out.
I finally unsubscribed from this woman's emails. She wasn't about knitting patterns any longer. She was all about selling her class to women who dream of being knitting designers.
That's never been my goal.
