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I am planning on continuing with my project, casting on for a cause, however, with slight modifications. The majority of the project is the same, however, we have recently recruited another person who loves to knit but is not in this class to help us produce more scarfs. We are also looking into asking the knitting club to help out and possibly student government. I think this project is extremely worthwhile, especially since my experiences in the last week. This past week I have been spending time at the Hiawatha Care Center which is a long term care nursing home. I have been doing clinicals to become a nurse aide and have been getting to know the residents. Every time I go in the residents have so much they want to talk about, or they tell me that they love when I come because I am nicer to them than most of the workers. In particular though there is one resident who is a perfect example of why I really want to follow through with this project, her name is Ivy. Everytime I go to the care center and am with Ivy she tells me that she hates the way she is living, everybody haters her, and she feels like a pain in the ass and “knows she is too.” With this project I think it would maybe for at least one day make her feel appreciated and feel liked and if I can at least put a smile on peoples face that feel the way Ivy does, then I will know that this project was worthwhile. 

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            Macy Schares

Perspective p.7

3/2/17

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Many people observe knitting as an old lady hobby used to pass time. This is probably because that is how knitting is portrayed in many movies and television shows. However, it is recently becoming a more popular activity among the youth, especially high school aged students. Another common thing thought about knitting is that it is a lengthy project used for gift giving or selling for personal profit. Lastly, it is thought to be a thoughtless activity.

            In the article “How to Knit a Scarf for beginners,” on Sheep and Stitch, they show that actually a lot of thought goes into knitting. First is the pattern you are looking for, then the yarn color and size, next the needle size that works best with the yarn size of your choice, and lastly the desired length of the scarf so that you can purchase yarn accordingly. This article also pulls life lessons into knitting, like how “practice makes perfect” and teaches you that you must move on from your mistakes, and leave them behind you. They show how important this life lesson is especially in knitting because it takes a lot of practice, and it’s easy to make a mistake while knitting. On top of all of this it brings up that knitting also has many health benefits. They say that knitting is a great stress reliever and can help your mind be focused on something other than the negatives in your life for at least a short while.

            I agree with this article I think that a lot of thought goes into knitting and teaches some great lessons. However, what I agree with most in this article is that there are health benefits that go along with knitting. I have noticed that while I am knitting I am not worried about all of the stressful things in my life, and I just sort of worry about what is happening in the moment. It also allows great social interaction when you knit with friends and others. Like I said before many people believe you don’t get very much out of knitting besides a scarf, hat, or sweater; but it is proven by scientists that giving improves people’s moods. I think this is especially true of when you give someone a scarf or something that you made yourself because of all of the time you put into it.

            I think that many people will be surprised by how big of a difference such a small thing like knitting a scarf can make, when I am done with my twenty-time project. Since I have started I have already strengthened friendships and felt my overall stress diminish. However, the biggest difference will be when the scarves are donated to a nursing home to show the elderly that they are still appreciated by the youth in society. Also I am hoping that this will create even more relationships for me and the elderly. Maybe I will even start to knit with them in my free time.