Comments on: Repetition http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/experience/repetition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=repetition Asperger's Syndrome from the point of view of a self-diagnosed adult Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:37:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sparrow http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/experience/repetition/#comment-510 Sparrow Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:28:58 +0000 http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/?p=597#comment-510 It's not as unusual as it might seem. Over on Ravelry (a social networking site for knitters and crocheters) we have our own sub-forum for the neurologically diverse and there are a bunch of us who knit and/or crochet. It's probably my all-time favorite spectrum forum. It’s not as unusual as it might seem. Over on Ravelry (a social networking site for knitters and crocheters) we have our own sub-forum for the neurologically diverse and there are a bunch of us who knit and/or crochet. It’s probably my all-time favorite spectrum forum.

]]> By: James http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/experience/repetition/#comment-506 James Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:49:28 +0000 http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/?p=597#comment-506 Sparrow, From your detailed description, it seems clear that knitting is also one of your special interests. It's nice to see a slightly more unusual special interest for a change! Sparrow,

From your detailed description, it seems clear that knitting is also one of your special interests.

It’s nice to see a slightly more unusual special interest for a change!

]]> By: Sparrow http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/experience/repetition/#comment-492 Sparrow Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:52:29 +0000 http://www.thatexplainseverything.com/?p=597#comment-492 You've hit upon one of the reasons I knit. The repetition is very soothing to me. And there are different projects for different stress levels. A straight stockinette knit might be boring on a day I'm feeling calm but incredibly soothing in its simplicity when I'm in an uproar. On days when stockinette is too simple, I might go for a lace pattern. The repeating pattern turns into a song in my head "knit knit yarn over knit purl purl knit2tog" and soothes me like ocean waves rhythmically breaking on the shore. Days when I really need a good challenge, something similar to putting together a jigsaw puzzle perhaps, I might go for a multi-color intarsia knit where I have to consult a chart and count stitches and change colors often. But still underlying it all is the repetition of "knit knit knit knit knit." That puzzle-solving is another reason I knit. I love to design my own patterns, which requires spatial reckoning and lots of arithmetic. It's so satisfying when I can take pen to paper and create something out of nothing. And so satisfying when the finished piece fits perfectly because I've used the math to sort out the measures and designed everything perfectly for me. It's so rare that store-bought clothes fit comfortably and well and feel soft and comfortable. I can make socks with no toe seams out of the softest alpaca blend wool. I'm currently working on a pair of toe socks to wear with my new Vibram Fivefinger shoes I ordered for greater comfort and proprioception (the shoes have toes and thus regular socks won't fit under them.) I've bought some athletic socks with toes from Injinji for the shoes but since I like to knit, I figured why not design some toe socks as well. I've strayed off topic a bit, but I do get a bit obsessive about knitting and crocheting. I just wanted to add to your reflections about how repetitive motions are so soothing. Picking up my knitting and getting absorbed in it is like a mini-stress-vacation for me. You’ve hit upon one of the reasons I knit. The repetition is very soothing to me. And there are different projects for different stress levels. A straight stockinette knit might be boring on a day I’m feeling calm but incredibly soothing in its simplicity when I’m in an uproar.

On days when stockinette is too simple, I might go for a lace pattern. The repeating pattern turns into a song in my head “knit knit yarn over knit purl purl knit2tog” and soothes me like ocean waves rhythmically breaking on the shore.

Days when I really need a good challenge, something similar to putting together a jigsaw puzzle perhaps, I might go for a multi-color intarsia knit where I have to consult a chart and count stitches and change colors often. But still underlying it all is the repetition of “knit knit knit knit knit.”

That puzzle-solving is another reason I knit. I love to design my own patterns, which requires spatial reckoning and lots of arithmetic. It’s so satisfying when I can take pen to paper and create something out of nothing.

And so satisfying when the finished piece fits perfectly because I’ve used the math to sort out the measures and designed everything perfectly for me. It’s so rare that store-bought clothes fit comfortably and well and feel soft and comfortable. I can make socks with no toe seams out of the softest alpaca blend wool. I’m currently working on a pair of toe socks to wear with my new Vibram Fivefinger shoes I ordered for greater comfort and proprioception (the shoes have toes and thus regular socks won’t fit under them.) I’ve bought some athletic socks with toes from Injinji for the shoes but since I like to knit, I figured why not design some toe socks as well.

I’ve strayed off topic a bit, but I do get a bit obsessive about knitting and crocheting. I just wanted to add to your reflections about how repetitive motions are so soothing. Picking up my knitting and getting absorbed in it is like a mini-stress-vacation for me.

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