How practicing your craft can enrich your life : Mindful Knitting

Here in the Northeast, we’re moving into graduation and wedding season and trying to fit in EVERY SINGLE family event that requires decent weather. I don’t know about you, but my calendar has me ready to crawl into a yarn-hole never to be seen again.😳

With all of the busyness, I’ve been contemplating how knitting helps us to better care for ourselves. When I started writing it all down, I realized it was TOOOOO much for an email, so this will be the first in a series of blog posts.

I hope it helps you connect with your knitting in a way that enriches your life and brings more ease to the hectic times. Consider this your official prescription for spending more time knitting!🩺

Part One: Mindful Knitting

As Elizabeth Zimmerman says, “Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”

Do you feel the need to multitask at ALL times? I certainly do.

It’s one of the reasons I learned to knit: so I had something to do with my hands while watching a movie. I also find it hard to justify “unproductive” hobbies. (That’s another topic for another day, but I mention it because I’m guessing I’m not alone, and that sentiment can prevent us from truly enjoying our craft.)

I will always love knitting while watching movies or spending time with friends and family, BUT being present with your knitting is a wonderful way to enjoy the meditative benefits of a focused knitting session that you might miss out on if you’re focused on a television or a social setting.

How do you knit mindfully? 

Curiosity is your friend. Embrace it and get truly curious about your knitting.

Stockinette in-the-round is the perfect place to start your meditative knitting journey. It will allow you to focus on your knitting without referring to a pattern.

To begin, find a quiet and comfortable space to sit. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and bring your attention to the present moment. As you pick up your knitting needles and yarn:

  • Pay attention to your fiber and the story it tells.
    • Is it plied?
    • Are the colors heathered, speckled, or tonal?
    • How does the yarn feel as it glides over your fingers?
  • Observe how your stitches form.
  • Listen for the sound of your stitches.
    • Can you hear your needles clicking together or sliding across one another?
  • If (when) your mind wanders, practice gently bringing your attention back to your knitting.
  • Embrace the rhythm of your breath as you knit, syncing it with the movement of your hands. Rhythmic breathing can help create a sense of calm.

Finally, remember that knitting mindfully is not about perfection but the journey. Embrace any mistakes or imperfections as part of the process.

BONUS: Practicing mindfulness in our knitting can help us to be more mindful in other areas of our lives. That same technique of being present in the activity at hand can help us deepen our relationships, become more engaged in our work, and reduce general overwhelm.

As you knit this week, I hope you’ll take a moment to be present with your knitting. Just one row can make all the difference!

Happy Knitting,
Becky

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