What do you do while you're knitting?

[jackandahat]

I've just read yet another person going "Ooo, you can't possibly knit during films with subtitles". And I keep getting people doing the internet version of looking at me funny when I talk about knitting while reading fanfic.

But... to me that's perfectly normal. Obviously there's some stuff where I have to look at my hands, anything like picking up stitches. But if it's something like plain knitting/ribbing or an easy pattern, I'm generally either watching a film (with subtitles, dodgy hearing) or reading fic/a blog. I don't have the one-track attention to only be knitting unless it's something incredibly complicated - in which case I can only do little bits or it drives me nuts.

What do you do? Do you knit in front of the TV? Do you read while you do it? Do you knit while only focusing on the knitting? I'm curious now.

Comments

[ambersweet]

It really is. I listen to audiobooks and lots (and lots and lots) of podcasts while I'm knitting. I can also read on my iPad, on my computer, and if the book has a relaxed enough spine that I can lay it flat, but podcasts are easier. Another side benefit to podcasts is that they're finite, so I can a) slip them into a specific time frame I need to fill (I have 30 minutes before I have to go pick up my boyfriend, so I'll listen to this one) and b) when one ends, I can make myself stop and stretch/walk around/eat something, rather than being utterly riveted for hours on end while listening to a book.

[jackandahat]

The finiteness is part of what I like about knitting to TV shows - I know how long stuff is, so it is limited. (...as long as I don't then go onto the next episode...)

[ambersweet]

That makes perfect sense. I'm not much of a TV watcher in general, although I'm learning to do it while spinning, just because the layout of my living room necessitated placing my wheel with a direct line-of-site to the TV, whereas my knitting chair is off to the side. (Unnecessarily detailed comment is unnecessarily detailed, I know.)

[jackandahat]

Pffft, this is the internet, we're all about details and information!

My knitting chair is wherever I park my arse - which is generally in front of my laptop. Which is what I watch TV on (no TV in the house.)

[afuna]

Very good point! Definitely one reason I love knitting while watching TV (... though usually I can't help but click on the next episode /o\)