How to Knit an Invisible Scarf

1) Learn how to knit. 

There are various ways one can learn how to knit. If you can find a person to teach you, you are ahead of the game. When a human isn’t available, there are always books and YouTube.

At six months pregnant, I signed up for a class on Saturday mornings in a little knit shop, where I’d pop in, big bellied, during the week to ask someone to undo my latest tangled mess. Learning to knit was hard and very enjoyable. It took all my brain power and left my hands sore. My early attempts at knitting looked like child’s work. I loved it.

2) Choose some yarn. 

This can be as involved or as simple as you like. You won’t want to rush this process if colour is your thing. You know who you are: you gasp as you pass the paint chips at the hardware store. You see a masterpiece as you marvel at the wall of nailpolish in the pharmacy. I have a sumptuous little collection of hand dyed wools. Cherry red, turquoise, candyfloss pink, emerald green. If texture trumps colour for you, may I suggest alpaca wool. It’s like a baby animal curling up against you as you stitch. 

(Borrow, find or buy some knitting needles. Any two will do.)

3) Knit a scarf.

Grab your basket of knitting supplies when you need to slow your mind from the unrelenting looping of anxiety. Narrate your movements out loud if need be, “Under, around, through and off. Under, around, through and off.” Hold it up periodically. Admire your work. Say hi to your mistakes. Watch what your anxiety—or perhaps your releasing anxiety—is creating. Like dressing the invisible woman, she slowly appears as you bandage her.

4) Remove your knitting needles.

Your instinct will tell you when it’s time. Listen to her. 

5) Pull the thread. 

I love this part. So does Simone. If she is present, I’ll hold the disappearing scarf as she pulls the yarn. Zone in, watch it disappear one stitch at a time. 

“Pop. Pop. Pop.”

6) Untangle and rewind.

My hope is that you now have a tangled mess of yarn. Though winding as you pull is perfectly acceptable, letting it fall into a heap leaves you with the delicious task of untangling and winding your ball of yarn for your next invisible scarf.