How to Make Time to Knit

Do you find yourself glancing longingly at your unfinished projects throughout the day? Do you think about how you would rather be knitting than at your meetings or appointments? This feeling of stifled creativity can create restlessness and anxiety in our bodies and minds.

We all love the idea of a little "me time." The world gets put on hold while we rest and enjoy our favorite pastimes. The only trouble is those precious moments can become few and far between. Without intentional and actionable steps, the busyness and crowded voices of what we have to do drown out the whispers of the activities we want to do.

Let's talk about practical ways to get more time to be creative and feed your heart and soul.

Set a Time and Place

One of the best ways to be intentional is to set a specific time of your day that you will claim as your own. Put it in your planner or calendar if you have to. Pick a spot beforehand and make it yours. Set your knitting project nearby with everything you will need to enjoy your time. This sets up expectancy and helps you follow through with your plan. "I am going to knit when I get home." It also gives you something to look forward to throughout your day. I like to take afternoon breaks with a cup of coffee or tea and my knitting before I start dinner preparations.

Afternoon knitting break

Set a Timer

Next, you may want to set a timer. This helps our minds to focus immediately on the task and with focus we can achieve more in a short amount of time than we can trying to multitask. You may be surprised how good you feel and how far you go after only 15-30 minutes. If you find yourself reaching for your phone to check emails or social media, remind yourself that you would rather enjoy your time fully without distraction.

Redeem Lost Minutes

Throughout the day, there are several times when we find ourselves waiting. Waiting for an appointment time. Waiting for dinner to finish cooking in the oven. Waiting in the car line for kids to get out of school. These are the lost minutes that can be redeemed with a project on the go. If you get to be the passenger in a car or commuter on public transportation, you have an opportunity to squeeze in even more stitches. It's best to have simple projects for on-the-go crafting that you can pick up and put down with ease.

Find Friends to Join You

There is no one more motivating than a friend who has started a new project or found a new yarn. Their joy is contagious and inspiring. It can be fun to bounce ideas around and get opinions or help with a project. Encouraging one another to achieve goals is the best part of having knitting friends. If you don't have a local group (check with your local library or craft store), you can join an online one (some even meet together on Zoom each week), or start teaching the people in your life to knit! That's what I did and now my family members are my knitting circle.

Enjoy Every Moment

In knitting, as with many things, the goal isn't quantity but quality. You may only be able to knit for a little bit every day but don't let that discourage you. If you are enjoying your time spent knitting, then the real goal has already been met. You may see people with seemingly endless time to knit who are finishing projects faster than you can cast on for one. That's ok. Knitting isn't a competition and it's for you to do as you please, when you please. Small joys are no less joyful, so knit to make yourself calm, happy, and at peace.

I hope you enjoyed these tips and please feel free to share this post with friends.

Here's a knitting playlist with relaxing music in the background that you might enjoy.

Knit with Me

Thank you for being here with me,

Ester Puente