Passion or Pastime: Why Do You Knit? Let's Discuss...

Good time for another go 'round the table? I think so. But first! THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your wonderful compliments on my Central Park Hoodie. Whooooweee do you guys know how to make a knitta feel good! I'm really touched by those of you that keep coming by here to see what I'm going on and on about, but having some new names in the comment list was this week's extra special treat. I'd wrap you all in cashmere if I could! As I said to some of you by email and comments, I'm very happy to help in anyway I can if/when you decide to start on this pattern. I got by with a lot of help, and I'd love to offer that back to you.

Another housekeeping item; for those of you who tagged me for my 7 random things, I'm not ignoring you darlings. I acutually did this over at the BriarRose Fibers KAL - and you can read that (and ogle great yarns) at this link. It does appear though that I've waited past the decent time frame for tagging others because everyone I would have picked already has their list posted. If you do leave a comment and you have posted your 7, let me know because I would like to check them out.

Okay, chat time. This morning I knit a few rounds on some socks out on the patio. It's particularly stormy and damp down this way lately, which puts me in a pensive state. I got to thinking about what it is that makes me reach for my needles first thing in the morning when I get up, and again right before I crawl into bed at night. More and more I find that my packing for any trip - long or short- is not complete without a project bag crammed with yarn, needles, more yarn, a pattern, my knit notebook and a magazine...and another ball of yarn (we call this project delusion). I acknowledge that I don't have any real "down time" because every spare moment is spent pattern browsing, stash fondling, blog posting, taking project pictures, soaking up a podcast or (gasp!) actually knitting. Where did this obsession come from? And how come it has hit me so hard?

As usual, I won't give my own answer just yet. I want to hear from you! Share with me and with the others here at the table - why do you knit? If you had to label it, would it be your Passion or your Pastime, or is it some wonderful mish-mash of both? If you're one that is new to knitting - welcome! Why did you choose this handcraft over the many others available? If you're a sticks veteran, what has kept you interested this long? What makes you keep at it stitch by stitch until the next thing comes off the needles? And if you don't knit, but you do put your hands to use in some other passion or pastime - tell us about it, and why you keep at it. Go philosophical if you like - it's totally allowed.

To add to the dialogue, I'd also love to hear about why you knit or make specific things. If socks float your boat, enlighten us about their magnetism. If baby knits, lace, or charity knits really do it for you, give us reason to join you in doing that.

As usual, share freely and share whenever you like, no time limits. I like these semi-regular chances to open the floor to you out there and to learn from you. And if you'd like to know why other people pick up their pointy sticks and cast on again and again, tell them to come on by! Give them this link and they'll come right to this post:
http://thebrownberry.blogspot.com/2007/06/passion-or-pastime-why-do-you-knit-lets.html

So, why do you knit?

Let's discuss....