Recently, I’ve seen some chatter on TikTok about knitting influencers who are fast knitters generally or who intentionally take on challenges to see how quickly they can knit a particular item. Much of the conversation has swirled around how slower knitters or knitters with less knitting time feel when they see this sort of content.
You probably know where this is going already. Many of the videos I’ve seen are from people who feel bad when they see how quickly other knitters can knit things.
As a knitting content creator, myself, and as one whose available time to knit has ebbed and flowed over the years, I have a couple things I’d like to contribute to this conversation.
Your Knitting Journey Is Your Own
There are countless reasons people take up knitting, and not all of us knit for the same reasons. In fact, some of those reasons are incompatible with each other.
Maybe you love a really intense, challenging puzzle of a pattern. It could be that you knit to self-soothe or because the items you like aren’t available in stores. Maybe you knit because you love seeing how math has practical applications in our everyday lives. Perhaps you like to knit because you want to have clothes nobody else has or because you want to get in touch with your creative side.
That’s okay. Each of us has our own knitting journey. Just because somebody else knits for one reason, doesn’t mean that your reason for knitting is invalid. Likewise, your reason for knitting doesn’t invalidate their reason. It just means that your two approaches to knitting might not mesh well with each other.
So let’s start there. Nobody else gets to tell you how to approach your knitting life. That also means we should be very cautious about telling others that their reasons for knitting or the ways they find joy in knitting are wrong.
Speed Doesn’t Have To Be Your Goal If You Don’t Want It To Be
So let’s get to the crux of the issue here. I’ve seen commenters in this conversation say that they feel pressure to knit faster when they see how quickly someone else can crank out a sweater or a pair of socks.
Why feel that pressure, though? Knitting is about what you want it to be about. If you don’t want it to be about your speed and how many FOs you have at the end of the week or month, it doesn’t have to be.
For some knitters, the process of knitting matters more than anything else, and the FO is almost immaterial. I’ve known knitters who will finish a project, admire it, rip it out, and start something else.
Speed knitting is also not without its risks. I’ve known many knitters who’ve struggled with injuries after knitting too fast for too long. Rushing yourself past your point of natural comfort may do more harm than good in the long run.
You get to decide whether speed matters to you. If you’re a slower knitter or you have less time to finish projects, that’s just fine. You still deserve to take up space in the knitting world.
There’s Nothing Wrong With Wanting To Knit Faster
Likewise, though, it’s totally fine if you want to be a fast knitter. Some knitters have lots of loved ones and want to knit cozy things for all those loved ones. Other knitters are rebuilding a wardrobe after major life events. There are times where speed can be helpful.
And if your desire for speed isn’t causing you physical pain or emotional strain, then carry on! You can absolutely explore techniques that may help you knit more quickly, and it can be really fun to do that.
Keep Your Eyes On Your Own Paper
I can almost guarantee you’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: comparison is the thief of joy. If you find you’re in a place where faster knitters make you feel inadequate or sad or frustrated, there is a very easy solution to the problem: don’t give them your attention.
I don’t mean that in a mean or angry way. I mean it in the sense of self-preservation. Your attention is a finite resource. You can point it toward things that make you feel inadequate, or you can point it toward things that inspire and encourage you.
And you can easily control where your attention goes on social media. You can unfollow and mute accounts, or even block people if necessary. I encourage you to use those tools if they’re helpful for you.
But at the same time, if you need to use those tools to protect your peace, it always worth asking yourself: why do I feel the need to engage in comparison? What is going on with my own heart and my own spirit that causes me to feel inadequate when I look at others?
Often, that’s the conversation we really need to be exploring. The feelings of inadequacy are a symptom of something deeper. It’s not just the knitting.
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