Do you ever just feel… blah? You know, the days where you aren’t really sick or having a mental episode per say but you just don’t have enough gas in the tank? You want to do something but every single thing feels like effort? Like you know knitting would help you feel better but you don’t know where to start?
Fear not, friends, for I have been there and I have some suggestions! And here’s the cool part: you don’t have to use every suggestion to make it work! Even just using one of these suggestions could be the boost you need to get knitting. While not every idea may be your cup of tea, I’m hoping that some of these things will help you to knit when you feel less than stellar.
No Row Counting
First things first. When I’m not feeling fantastic, I reach for a project that does not require that I count rows. If I’m not feeling great, I definitely don’t want to be using what little mental energy I have on counting rows. I mean, to be fair, I almost never like having projects where I need to count rows.
When it comes to knitting, I tend to be more of a free spirited “I’ll make what I want” kind of gal. Sure, I’ll sometimes start a fancy sweater that requires shaping a la row counting but if I’m struggling that day? I’ll reach for something sans the row counting.
Knit In The Round
Typically, “going in circles” is considered a bad thing but, if I’m not feeling 100%, I vote for in the round knitting projects every time. There is no turning of the project which means you don’t have to untangle your yarn or try to remember what you’re supposed to do on which side. Ordinarily, it’s not a big deal but when I’m not feeling it, just the idea of flipping my project around feels ridiculously difficult. Knitting in the round solves that problem right up.
There’s also something oddly therapeutic about knitting in a near endless loop. The repetitive motion of clicking my needles with no interruption is something that I often find very relaxing. This is especially true when I just don’t have much extra mental energy to hand out. Bring on the mindless knitting!
Knit Plain Stockinette
You know what I love? Tiny cables with lace in-between. But not when I’m feeling blah. Now is not the time to get fancy! While I do enjoy shaking things up with purls and yarn overs, I’ve found that plain stockinette gives me all of the benefits I’m looking for without the stress of keeping track of patterns or trying to remember what comes next. Easy peasy!
If plain stockinette is a little *too* easy for you, something like Moss Stitch may be the ticket for you! Still pretty straight forward, next to nothing to memorize, and just enough texture to keep you engaged. In the past, I’ve kept one of each handy for days where I needed one or the other. Variety is the spice of life, right? Whatever you pick, make sure it’s nice and soothing for your brain.
Use Fingering Weight Yarn
Not too big and not too small, fingering weight is the Goldilocks of the yarn world. Sure, fingering weight is almost the smallest weight available but for my hands, it’s just perfect. Big enough to show progress and to be easy on my fingers and small enough for my money to get more bang for it’s buck. Fingering weight is also just a really versatile weight to keep in your stash. With enough yarn, you can make just about anything.
If fingering weight isn’t your speed, the next best thing for me has been worsted weight. Worsted weight is much thicker than fingering weight but it’s just as versatile. There are tons of pattern options when it comes to worsted weight yarn so I always have some in my stash. Because it’s so much bigger than fingering weight, you do get to see your progress much faster. It can also be easier on the hands if you’ve been knitting a lot of tiny things lately. I say, have one of each!
Use Self Striping Yarn
Here’s where the magic kicks in. Get yourself some self striping yarn and you won’t look back! I absolutely love this stuff. There are tons of options out there and yes, I’m sorely tempted to collect them all! It’s so encouraging to finish one stripe and move on to the next. It’s honestly my secret sauce to knitting a lot. I love watching the different patterns show up and, since it’s so easy to say “just one more row!”, I find myself producing a LOT when I use self striping yarn.
If stripes aren’t your thing, there are some faux fair isle yarns out there that produce some really neat effects. Color variations in general can help make a project all the more uplifting. When I’m feeling meh, I find that it’s best to let the yarn do all of the work for me. While I prefer a self striping yarn, a gradient or sparkling or tweed yarn can all have the same fun effect! Whatever floats your boat!
Putting It All Together
Now, if you combine all of this? You get a truly meditative project that helps you to get the feel-good vibes of knitting with minimal distractions. While you can knit whatever you want, this is what I’ve found to give me the best results.
Typically, I absolutely love to keep a pair of plain men’s tube socks on my needles. I try to pick self striping yarns that are in really funky and happy colors. The wilder the better!
Right now, I’m working on a scrap infinity scarf that is helping me to clear out my stash while also being a welcome distraction/encouragement on my “meh” days. It’s coming out really funky and I love it. And this scarf has an awesome bonus: since I’m using up my scraps, this scarf is like a wonderful trip down memory lane. It’s like a cozy reminder of my past knitting accomplishments. Talk about encouraging!
Keep A Project Ready To Go
Now that you have some ideas of what to do for your own project, the most important part is that you actually cast on! I know that can be really difficult on a day where you’re lacking mental energy so the trick is to have it all cast on and ready to go! Next time you’re having a good day and you have some spare time, cast on your “blah day” project. Think of it as a gift to future you.
When a hard day hits, I know first hand how hard it can be to do anything; let alone something you typically enjoy. As difficult as it can be in the moment, working on projects like this may just be the thing you need to encourage you to do more and more. At the bare minimum, I hope the knitting serves of a reminder that yes, you are awesome and yes, things will get better. No matter what you choose to knit, you’re pretty amazing. On your good days and your “blah days” 🙂
What About You?
What tricks do you have for knitting on your blah days? Let us know in the comment section down below!
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