Today’s Woolness & Me post was written by Beverley Dott, whose post – like yesterday’s – touches on the therapeutic qualities of playing with different coloured wools and the ways in which wool work can help when navigating long-term health problems.
Woolness for me is all about texture, colour, warmth and comfort: knitting with wool is my form of escapism. I can lose myself for many hours in the same way that a good book can be hard to put down. As someone with Multiple Sclerosis and Fibromyalgia, I suffer with pain on a daily basis, so it’s good for me to try and focus on something else like knitting. It helps me to deal with the pain. It’s still there but I’m not thinking about it as much because the gentle rhythm, the soft sound of the needles, the smell of the wool and the feel of it running through my fingers are all very soothing. I like a good dose of knitting every day for this reason; it’s part of my therapy.
Colour is very important too and it’s how I express myself. Choosing the right colours for a project is an essential, yet enjoyable ritual in itself. I am never happier than when I’m marching to the box room, mug of tea in hand, where I can shut the rest of the world out and try all of the interesting colour combinations I came up with before going to sleep the previous night. I dream up some new ones while I’m there.
I love the fact that I can work with wool that came from a sheep. A sheep that was kept warm and dry in the harshest of weather conditions, by the same wool that I am now knitting into an item of clothing, that is going to keep me (or someone else) warm. It’s the ultimate example of “If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me”! After all, I can even feel cold in the middle of summer.
Wool is such a flexible medium to work with. Different textures can be achieved by using smaller or larger needles. Delicate lace, beautiful drape or a tailored look can all be attained and the fact that the possibilities are endless is enticing and exciting.
You can follow Beverley’s beautiful work through her Facebook Fair City Knits page if you use that platform
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