I knit nearly every day and it's one of my favorite hobbies. I love that it produces something useful and beautiful bringing me a sense of calm and accomplishment. No matter how often you knit, research has shown there are real benefits to this beloved craft.
Mindfulness
The term mindfulness has gained popularity in the last few years. But what is a mindful activity? Greater Good Magazine states, “Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.” Once you get past the initial learning curve of learning to knit, knitting is exactly this. The repetitive nature of making one stitch after another can be both calming and provide focus. Knitting is a wonderful way to remain calm in stressful situations and combat boredom.
Cognitive stimulation
Knitting requires thinking. It can be calm and meditative with a familiar and less complicated pattern, or challenging when learning a new technique. Either way, the brain is stimulated both intellectually and by the act of moving your hands.
Dexterity
The act of knitting is considered a fine motor activity. It keeps your hand, wrists, and fingers limber and requires hand-eye coordination. I subscribe to the philosophy of “move it or lose it”. Moving stiff body parts keeps them moving. It might not be pretty and might take longer than at one time, but that is okay. Keep knitting anyway.
Note: Pain is very different from stiffness. Always follow your doctor's advice.
Socialization
Knitting is a very versatile activity. It can be done independently or in a group. Friends can meet up to knit together or talk about their projects and many knitting groups and meetups are available. I frequently take my knitting with me when I need to wait in an office, on the airplane, or at the park or pool with my son. I have met many people who like to talk about their knitting projects or someone in their life who knits. I've also started attending a knitting meetup at my local library. It's a wonderful way to meet others with the same interest.
Accomplishment
The best part about knitting is that I get to work on something that brings me joy and a sense of well-being, and I get the added benefit of a tangible and useful object.
Happy Knitting!
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