Purl of Wisdom

As part of my online Fashion course at The New School Parsons on Fashion Industry Essentials, we cover the Accessories Industry. When I think of accessories, I tend to think of jewelry, shoes, and belts. Though I love hats, I don't wear them as often as I used to when I was a hip-hop dancer. Now they are a practical way to keep the rain off my head in the fall or keep my head warm in the winter. That's not to say that I'm not picky about how my hat goes with my overall looks; I just tend to see them as a necessity in Alaska more than a fashion accessory.

A decade ago, I loved to knit. Honestly, I don't even know why I quit knitting. Most likely, some significant lifestyle changes happened, and many changes occurred around that time of my life. I mainly knitted towards the end of my paraprofessional dance/choreography career. Hats, shrugs, backpacks, blankets, scarves, and more. I never knitted an entire sweater though I know I had that planned when I stopped knitting, retired from dance, and began triathlon training. And then life cascaded into a new house with a young dog and a return to sewing. 

One of my hats finished nearly a decade ago
when I knitted a larger number of fashion accessories.

Yet, Ironman training is time intensive, and since my best sewing happens with I have a large chunk of time, I went back to knitting during the primary training season. Hand dexterity is not a strong point, and my hands quickly get tired, so I can get an inch or two done once I start going.

 Mostly, I found knitting is a great relief to my ADHD. As a lifelong learner, I take in-person and online classes whenever I can squeeze them into my schedule. Before the pandemic, I must have taken 100 online classes with Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning). So when the pandemic came, I took advantage of the slew of online workshops that I wouldn't be able to attend because the cost to fly to the Lower 48 is outrageous. Unfortunately, my ability to sit still for more than 10 minutes at a time is challenging. Even when I'm writing an article, unless there is a dangerously pending deadline, I will get up every 100 words and do something else for a while. 

Knitting while attending class has done wonders for my ability to stay focused. In fact, I wish they would allow it in school because I'm sure I would have been a better, less annoying student that got far better grades than I did. I also find it more productive than playing with a fidget spinner or whatever latest gadget they're advocating for students to use. And in the end, I'll have a new accessory.