Knitting: The Perfect Winter Hobby

Looking for something to do indoors this winter? For many it's hard to pick up new hobby, there just never seems to be enough time, money, or desire to actually keep the hobby for any length of time. Now that winter is approaching, knitting is the perfect hobby for anyone who is looking for something to keep them busy. Knitting is usually stereotyped as something that can only be done by women eighty and older while sitting on a rocking chair, but once you've learned how to knit you'll probably think to yourself, "Why didn't I think to do this before?" Knitting is a great hobby for many reasons, especially during the winter time when it's too cold to go outside, and everything you make can be worn immediately. I have highlighted five main reasons why I think knitting is the perfect hobby for anyone looking for something to do.

The first (and biggest) perk to knitting is that there is such a low "start up cost." A ball of yarn is around $3.99 and knitting needles average around $5.99. A ball of yarn goes far too, I have made three hats with just one ball of yarn in the past. Another good aspect of yarn is that it will last forever, so if you just have a little bit left you can use it as an accent color, or to make something small, like a belt or another accessory. To start off with all you need is one pair of knitting needles, so all together to start your new knitting hobby all you need is around ten dollars and you're ready to go!

The second thing about knitting that is so great is how easy it is to learn. There are thousands of websites with tutorials on how to do certain stitches, some even have videos that show you step by step what to do. Among these websites are also free knitting patterns, so if you don't know what you want to knit, simply click a few buttons and voilia! You'll be on your way to knitting something new in no time. At first though, learning to knit does require a little bit of patience, but in about ten minutes I can guarantee you will get the hang of it. Although your best bet for learning how to knit is by Google searching "how to knit," many craft stores such as Michaels offer knitting classes (mainly during the winter months) that will teach you how to knit anything from handbags to beanies. You can also purchase "Knitting For Dummies," one of the best books for people who are just learning how to knit, or you can find it at your local library.

The third plus to knitting is that you can do it while doing virtually anything. Knitting can be done while talking on the phone, watching TV, or listening to music. I have seen people sitting outside Starbucks knitting, you can do it on a train, in the car, or just sitting on the couch in front of the fire place on a cold winter night. Because knitting is so easy to do and doesn't take much concentration, you don't have to have hours and hours of spare time to enjoy knitting.

Another great aspect of knitting that will definitely come in handy this winter is that you don't have to worry about getting a second job to pay for all of your gifts, you can just knit your friends little hats or scarves, or even socks. People always appreciate gifts that are hand made much more than just something you can buy at a store, and they will usually be shocked to find out that you have learned how to knit before reaching great-grandma status. Like I said before, knitting is probably one of the cheapest hobbies out there, so when you can combine a cheap hobby with an amazing personalized holiday gift, you know you've stumbled upon something worth knowing how to do. And on top of that, it's fun!

The final reason knitting is so perfect this season is because of the profit you can make by doing it. Now that winter is right around the corner, I just recently started selling the hats and scarves I have knit on eBay, and it get about twenty five dollars per item. Figuring that it probably cost around 5 dollars to make, I make around a 20 dollar profit for each knit item I sell. You can also sell them in garage sales, to your friends, basically anyone will want something to keep them warm this winter and won't mind paying extra to get something that is "hand knit," I guess you can compare it to the price you pay to get your car "hand waxed." With knitting it is always a win-win situation because you can enjoy your hobby while profiting big time as well.