Monday, March 24, 2008

Knitting vs. Sewing

Or, "Five Reasons Why I Like Knitting More Than Sewing".

1. Knitting is portable. (Just try taking your latest sewing project to a movie, or working quietly on it during a church service.)

2. Knitting has fewer steps before you get to see real progress.
  • Choose yarn & pattern.
  • Wind yarn (if necessary).
  • Check gauge (if you feel like it).
  • Cast on.
3. Knitting is much eaiser to undo. Whether tinking, frogging or dropping stitches, you just go back to where you fouled up, fix it, and get on with life. Even if you have to rip out an entire project 10% from completion, it all goes back into yarn, ready to be used again. Not so with sewing. Sure, you can rip seams (which I really hate to do--fiddly business, it is), but you're still stuck with pieces of fabric cut to a certain shape, which can be hard to use for something else. Even cut yarn can be joined in ways that are nearly undetectable. With fabric, a seam is a seam is a seam.

4. Knitting is can be restful. I can knit lying in bed, sitting comfortably somewhere, or during my walk. Sewing is back-breaking, neck-aching, tiring work most of the time. (Well, unless you have a special room, with a special table, ergonomic chairs, etc.)

5. Knitting takes very little special equipment. (And the special equipment it does require is little.) Sure, you can invest in all kinds of paraphernalia, but it's not really necessary. You can start knitting with about $20 in materials (or less), and keep things simple. Most people already have a chair in which to knit (well, unless you're me ;o), and lighting in their homes. No big cutting tables, large or heavy machinery. Now, there are knitters like this one, whose stash handily spanks that of a large yarn shop, but most of us can keep our knitting supplies, etc., easily in the space we have, even if it's small. Small space, that is. Yarn is small, and can be tucked in all types of convenient places.

So, why do you prefer knitting over another craft? Do blog about it, and then come tell me so I can see. ;o)