Knitting Light

When it comes to knitting, I’m not a big planner. On the rare occasion that I finish a project and don’t have something else ready to cast on, I’ll start a pair of socks. In fact, I almost always have a sock-in-progress.

In the Before Times, I’d throw a sock into my bag whenever I left the house and would knit while commuting or traveling, while waiting at [insert medical professional, athletic, or cultural event here], and for a long time, at Mom’s each day.

But a few weeks ago, I saw a creation on Instagram that captured my attention immediately and completely. I had to make it. So I poked around online, found instructions, and ordered materials. As soon as they arrived, I dived in.

You’re right; it’s not yarn. It’s wire. More precisely, it’s wire with tiny LED lights — fairy lights is what I call them.

In a short while, I’d made a sculpture (of sorts), that now hangs from the wall next to my “desk” (really a cluttered shelf that’s used for paperwork and knitting supplies) in the kitchen.

The wire fabric hangs from two metal needles and is plugged into a nearly USB outlet. Of the eight lighting modes — most of which make my brain flicker — the steady one is my favorite.

A bright, steady reminder of the joy in creating.