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

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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?

Stitch a Simple Sack Hat that Looks Like a Turkey

If your family is the sort to do a turkey trot for Thanksgiving, or even just to take family pictures, you’ll want to get started knitting up some Turkey Sack Hats with this pattern from Underground Crafter. 

The pattern uses super bulky yarn and is rated easy. It’s knit flat but there are a few skills in here around the shaping of the eyes, which includes changing colors, working bobbles and doing a wicked purl 3 together decrease. Twice. 

But that’s all in one row, and the rest of it is pretty simple. The beak is worked separately and sewn on, and the side of the hat is stitched up to make it into a hat. 

What’s great about this one is that it comes in 10 sizes, ranging from newborn to adult large, so you really can make one for everyone in the family. And because it uses super bulky yarn you can knit a bunch pretty quickly if that’s a thing you’d like to do. 

It’s also fun because you could use this base pattern to make different animals or for different holidays. Make it all in orange and stitch on a jack o’lantern face for Halloween, or make a white one that’s a snowman, for example. 

In any style this would also be a fun gag gift for that person in your life who has everything or doesn’t want gifts, or if you do a secret Santa or white elephant gift exchange at work or elsewhere. 

And make sure whether you’re making it a turkey or some other character that you include the pom poms at the top! They’re just so cure and a great way to add a bit more color to the project, and they’re easy to make. (See also: ways to make a pompom with yarn.)

You can grab the free pattern at the Underground Crafter website. 

[Photo: Underground Crafter]