Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

When the Knitting Thrill Is Gone – Have You Lost Your Knitting Mojo?

by

how to deal with loss of knitting mojoAfter I left About in the spring, I went through a period of not wanting to knit at all.

It has been such a big part of my life for almost 10 years, through three books and hundreds of articles, patterns, book reviews and tutorials.

It still is, but I just didn’t want to do it anymore once I didn’t feel like I had to.

I know that will sound strange to a lot of people — how can you ever not want to knit? — but when your creative outlets become your job, it’s tricky business to maintain the fire.

So I let it go. I didn’t pressure myself.

I started a couple of projects, none of which I’ve really finished (though a couple only need ends woven in, of course).

Now that the weather is getting a little cooler, I’m starting to feel that will to knit creeping back in. I have a giant, but simple, project on my needles. I’m ready to knit through the winter.

If you’ve ever lost your will to knit, you should know that it’s totally normal. And whether you have or you don’t think you ever will, you should read the piece “Of Knitting Mojo, Lost and Found” from Lee Ann Dalton in Twist Collective. It reminds us that shifts in energy and desire to knit are normal (though if you’ve lost your will to do anything, that’s a different problem).

For most of us, time spent not knitting does not mean lost income, so just let it go and trust that it will come back to you. Maybe on that first cool morning in October.

Have you ever lost your knitting mojo? I’d love to know what you did, if anything, to get it back, or what you do when you’re not feeling inspired to knit.

[Photo via Twist Collective.]

Comments

  1. Knit for charity. I’m in the UK and photos of children and babies in refugee camps in France or Greece spur me on to knit those warm blankets and clothes that may literally make the difference between life and death to a baby living in a tent in the snow. Homeless hostel 5m from me needs adult knitting too – so I never stop!

  2. As much as I love to knit, when the will to knit starts to go, I switch. I leave the knitting as is and work on a crochet project, or cross-stitch, or make jewelry. This way I never get bored and instead, see my knitting with refreshed eyes and a new perspective. It also helps to get together with my crafting friends. I met them on Meetup and our Meetup is open to all crafters so there is much to learn from each other.

  3. I separated from my husband last fall, suddenly and traumatically and it was all I could do to get through the day. Some days I would just hold the knitting, unable to focus to make a single stitch. When my desire to knit came back I knew I was turning the corner toward healing.

  4. As in life there are changes. This is not a bad thing it is how you handle these changes. So, give knitting a rest, garden instead, or do cross stitch, smocking, sewing, craft. Ask grandchildren if they would like something knitted scarf, fingerless gloves, head band etc.Even make some jam and add a pretty homemade label. Give one jar away.

Have you read?

Book Review: Knitted Safari Friends – 20 Adorable Animals to Make

If you have a weakness for knitted animals wearing tiny clothes, Knitted Safari Friends by Sarah Keen is going to be very difficult to resist.

This colourful collection includes 20 safari and savannah animals to knit, including a lion, tiger, elephant, flamingo, hippo, crocodile, rhinoceros, zebra and giraffe.

And yes, many of them have their own little outfits.

The lion in purple overalls is probably enough to sell me on the whole book.

Cute Animals With Plenty of Personality

What I like about this collection is that the animals are clearly designed as characters rather than realistic wildlife models.

They are bright, friendly and a little quirky, which makes them particularly appealing as handmade gifts for children or animal-loving adults.

Looking at the sample pages, the hippo and flamingo patterns have a cheerful illustrated layout, with the finished animals shown in little safari scenes alongside the practical pattern information.

There is also plenty of variety in the shapes, which means you aren’t simply knitting the same basic body 20 times and changing the ears.

If knitted animals with interchangeable clothes are already your thing, have a look at our Knitted Wild Animal Friends book review. That collection includes elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, zebras and other animals with an entire wardrobe of tiny knitted clothing.

Is Knitted Safari Friends Beginner Friendly?

The publisher describes the patterns as easy to follow, and the book includes a techniques section, abbreviations and knitting conversions to help you through the projects.

I would still put this more in the confident beginner to intermediate category rather than recommending it as someone’s very first knitting project.

Toy knitting usually involves shaping, joining pieces, stuffing and finishing neatly, and that finishing stage can sometimes take almost as long as the knitting itself.

Ask anyone who has ever had a finished knitted animal sitting in pieces on the craft table for three weeks waiting for its legs to be sewn on.

For knitters who are still learning the basics of toy making, our Knitted Amigurumi Animal Friends review is another useful option, with smaller animals and simple clothing pieces.

A Great Gift Knitting Book

These would make lovely handmade gifts for children, particularly if you matched the animal to their favourite safari creature.

You could also knit several of them together as a nursery display or create your own little safari collection.

The clothes and accessories add another level of fun, too. Once you’ve knitted an elephant, there is something wonderfully satisfying about then deciding what that elephant ought to wear.

Apparently this is where my crafting priorities are now.

My Take

I think Knitted Safari Friends is one of those books that you buy intending to make one project and then immediately start planning an entire knitted zoo.

The bright colours, cute facial expressions and tiny outfits give the animals loads of personality, while the variety of creatures should keep the knitting interesting.

Sarah Keen has been designing knitted toys for years, and that experience shows in the way these animals have been turned into characters rather than simply miniature versions of real wildlife.

If you enjoy toy knitting, handmade gifts or anything involving animals in overalls, this one is definitely worth a look.

Knitted Safari Friends: 20 Adorable Animals to Make is written by Sarah Keen and published by GMC Publications. It was released on April 21, 2026, with a listed RRP of $26.99.