What inspires us to knit?

I recently finished a somewhat odd project, and it got me thinking about what it is that inspires us to knit. Sometimes a new project falls into my lap...a new yarn arrives at the store, a magazine pattern speaks to me, or someone I know has a baby. You know, typical reasons that send the sane knitter to the stash or store to get supplies to cast on. But some projects have origins that are less obvious. Recently I knit a dress after hearing a story on National Public Radio about the number Pi. In the past, I've been asked by my son to create Halloween costumes that have multiple heads. Yup, I've knit a chimera costume. Cerberus, too.

What about you? We have folks in Montpelier, like Andrea and Mary jo, who choose a project with a really good friend and cast on for their own knit-along. Lee dreams about skirts...often. Some get inspired by fashion, and deconstruct commercially made garments to create their own unique version. For others it's the words of a knitting-guru-blogger like Sandi Wiseheart (who we recently had the pleasure to meet) that get them excited to start something new. In the grey days of the early Spring, many people in this part of Vermont are inspired by the color green. A bright green that mimics the color of a shoot pushing up through damp, mostly thawed soil. Think about it...life leads us many places that knitting can also go.