Knitting together an old passion

The modern world is so fast-paced and with innovations happening each day, it gets faster and busier. But when the pandemic hit, everything came to a grinding halt. Businesses, schools, and most of the world shut down. Suddenly, we were given all of this free time. We were forced to slow down our lives and look for happiness in simple things. But as time progressed, many of us started to feel the effects of isolation on our mental health. The public took to saying, “Alone Together,” as a slogan of comfort. 

Suggestions and tips on how to cope with the loneliness of lockdown started circulating on the internet. One tip that was repeated over and over again was to practice a hobby. I decided to take on this suggestion and went through a list of my passions and hobbies. I quickly realized that many of my passions had been lost to the hustle and bustle of my pre-pandemic everyday life. Two of them were knitting and sewing. My grandmother and mother both sew and had taught me that skill. I immediately picked up my old knitting and sewing needles, yarn, and thread.

However, I encountered an obstacle! I had no idea where to start and what to do: a consequence of not practising for a long time. I had forgotten all the steps and the nuances of it. I was furious and disappointed at myself for losing the skill. But I refused to give up. So I turned to the internet, specifically YouTube with its hoard of tutorials (I will be forever amazed at the copious quantity of content following one simple search on the Internet). After watching several videos and reading countless pieces on the web, it all started coming back to me. I picked up my knitting needles for the second time and I got to work, my muscle memory urging me forward. If you are interested in knitting yourself, I would recommend the YouTube channels: “RJ Knits” and “Handmade by Aura,” they have great videos! I spent a good time of my quarantine knitting and sewing; my family will attest to this, if you asked them, they will probably tell you that it felt like they were constantly getting tangled in long balls of yarn. I knitted a few scarves (although I have to admit this is one of the most basic and easiest pieces to knit, it’s a start!). 

Along with knitting and sewing, during quarantine, I also spent my time doing, what many would consider, “studying.” What I mean by this is that I did a lot of learning and exploring within the subjects of Science and Math. Many would consider this boring, but Science and Math are my passions and I truly enjoy studying these subjects. Again, I watched online videos about these topics. Also, the Toronto Public Library offers an app where you can borrow ebooks, audiobooks, e-magazines, and many other online resources. I prefer ebooks over audiobooks. So, I spent most of my time (that wasn't spent knitting or sewing) reading. Although the pandemic was and still is a very unfortunate situation, I am glad that it has provided me the time to immerse myself in my passions. Science encompasses a large variety of fields and I like to explore each, but I would have to say that nothing captivates me more than the physical sciences. I feel that my brain, my logic and my thinking, is more in tune with this area of Science. The concepts and theory greatly fascinate me. I specifically love chemistry and physics; I look forward to taking these courses at school next year!

Now that schools have opened in Ontario and although I missed out on the many experiences that the first year of high school brings, I am looking forward to my second year. Clubs and extracurriculars are being offered in person, with some being online. This is exciting! Currently, I am a member of the Intermediate Band (I play the flute), the STEAM/Environment Club, the Computer Club, and the York-Fields Math Circle. My list of responsibilities is growing.

And as life slowly goes back to what my pre-pandemic days looked like, I can only hope that I don’t lose any of my hobbies and skills again. With my passion for Science and Math, it is easy enough to keep, as they correlate with school subjects I participate in. But with a hobby like knitting and sewing, I would have to make time for them. Who knows, with the winter season approaching, you may find me knitting a scarf or two!