I was the 80s goth who knitted her own skirts and jumpers (and black fingerless gloves). Yes, I actually did do it before it was cool.
But then I had babies and somehow fell out of love with it, as my babies grew up. Suddenly hand knits were not as cool to my four sulky teenagers as they had been to the shiny eyed toddlers who loved the ducky buttons.
I know, we've all been there.
I grew disillusioned with patterns consisting of acres of soul. destroying stocking stitch, which seemed so pointless when we can buy a plain sweater for a fraction of the price of the wool. As the craft grew in popularity, every new pattern seemed to be a hat or gloves or (God forbid) a shawl (who actually wears those things anyway?)
I missed the challenge of lace and pattern. More importantly, I wanted a REASON to knit again.