Brenda Knitting has a way of slowing everything down and resetting life for just a while.
The world is loud and overwhelming much of the time. By the time you get home from work, after having stopped off for groceries, you’re ready for bed. But you can’t go to bed because there are meals to make, kids to care for, and the next day’s preparations.
When do you have time for yourself? Usually this comes at the end of a long list of things done for others. This was my life before I moved to Greece. Yes, I have more time to myself now. I seldom have to deal with traffic or stress that isn’t even my own. And yet, I still knit, usually every day.
What is it about these “grandma” crafts that are making them desirable by even the youngest in our society? I believe it’s several things:
Knitting is Repetition Without Thinking
Many of our brains are in constant “on” mode and we can’t seem to find the off switch. Doing something repetitive that doesn’t require a lot of thinking is very restful for our nervous systems
As humans, we used to regularly do tasks that were repetitive and that were familiar, therefore our brains could go “offline” for a while and allow them to rest. Or we would spend the time thinking, making plans, or figuring out a problem that needed a solution.
Giving our Hands Busywork Without Guilt
Many of us, especially women have an issue with sitting still. We feel guilty if we aren’t doing something, so resting, even when we need it, feels lazy.
Knitting is creative and ends with us having something to wear or display. It feels productive. That means we can allow ourselves to rest without guilt, because we are accomplishing something rather than just sitting.
Caveat here: I don’t believe in guilt and I subscribe to the Italian idea of La dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing). Truth be told, I have become far more productive since I refused to feel guilt for relaxing and doing nothing once in a while.
Slowing Time and Returning to Simplicity
Knitting has a way of slowing everything down and resetting life for just a while.
There is a simplicity in sitting with a hot beverage, relaxing and allowing your hands to move in a soothing rhythm while your mind rests and is allowed to flow where it wants to go.
Creativity is Vital for Our Health
We are creative beings so when we spend most of our life in tasks that don’t involve creativity, there is a part of us that withers a little. In this world of “wellness hacking” it might surprise you how something as simple as knitting for half an hour or making some other craft relaxes your nervous system and contributes to your overall health.
When you create something with a pair of needles and some wool, it’s almost shocking how good it feels. Or you can go outside and pick up a few things from nature and make whatever you feel like making. The important thing to remember is that this isn’t a contest. You don’t even have to show anyone and you can even throw it away after, though I doubt you’ll want to because it reminds you how good it made you feel.
It may take some time to shut off your inner critic and learn again to create as a child does: with abandon and no criticism. Once you do, you will likely find yourself returning to the practice again and again just for how relaxed you feel after.
Knitting With Natural Fibre is Healthy
We live in a plastic world and that often includes our clothing. We are part of the natural world and have an energy field around our bodies that can be blocked and interfered with if we wear synthetic fibres. Science is now proving this to be fact. It’s even proven to interfere with fertility.
Wearing natural fibres is not only good for our health and our energy, but is good for the planet. We live in a throwaway culture that produces garbage and yet costs far too much money. Why not repurpose, buy second-hand, and make your own clothing? A lot of people even thrift sweaters to unravel and repurpose the yarn!
Knitting Your Own Clothing
There is nothing that feels quite like stepping out of the house in a hand-made sweater, scarf, or hat that completes your outfit perfectly. Then when someone compliments it, you get to say, “I made it,” and enjoy the surprise on their face.
A lot of people say it’s too expensive to make your own clothing. I say it’s too expensive not to! You might be able to buy a sweater for only $20, but how long will it look nice and how well will it wear? How many $20 sweaters will you have to buy over the course of your life? And is it worth the cost to your health?
Try Repetition for Your Mind
The next time you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, why not give a repetetive task a try and see if it doesn’t let your mind rest a bit while giving you a chance to explore your child-like creativity once again.
I buy my natural fibre yarns from Denmark and they have served both my yarn appetite and my wallet. I make gorgeous wool, alpaca, cotton, and linen sweaters for much less than I could buy something that looks even half as nice. There are many yarn shops and small indie dyers all around the world, but this one is my favorite and they ship worldwide (I don’t get anything for recommending them ).
I would love to hear about your knitting adventures or if you do other crafts for relaxation and your wellness practice. You can follow me on the socials below or sign up for my newsletter for lots of wellness tips and freebies every month.
