Good Knit

It’s said that you can’t have too much of a good thing, but is that true for knitting? In the last three weeks we’ve looked at the benefits of knitting mentally, socially and physically. As with most things, good or bad, knitting can be harmful when over done. The first problem that comes to mind is the physical injury that can be the result of repetitive behaviour. I remember when I was in art school and working on a knitted project my teacher warned me not to spend too much time knitting. She said that I could get repetitive stress injury or even carpal tunnel syndrome if I over did it. Knowing when to take a break and proper posture are key to preventing either of these conditions.

I find it hard to believe that knitting in public is still an issue, but it is. People in knitting communities often share incidents where they’ve been told knitting in class or at a social gathering is rude. Younger knitters report people saying things like ‘Aren’t you too young to knit? I thought that was what grandmas do.’ Not to mention the sexist comments made to men who knit. Which is ironic since knitting started out as something men did to keep warm as fishermen and soldiers (that’s another whole article). Studies show that the reason for this attitude comes from the fact many people view knitting a female and domestic thing and are uncomfortable with seeing that in public.

June 9, 2018 is World Wide Knit in Public Day. As knitter’s we can use that day to change stigmas attached to knitting. To show how knitting is a valuable thing and anyone can do it, old, young, men, women. That it is “Better living though stitching together”! – mission statement from World Wide Knitting Day website.

Stash, this word alone can be problematic, it’s a word used by drug addicts to describe their secret hoard of drugs. I’m sure it’s meant to be a tongue in cheek term for all that yarn we have stored in our basements, closets and garages, but it can also express a hoarding problem. Excessive yarn purchasing can become hoarding and financial problem if not kept under control.

If you often say to yourself “Just one more row” – stop and think if that’s actually true or can you put your knitting down mid-row and walk away? I personally struggle with this and have let supper get a bit over cooked more than once because, I just wanted to keep going. My personal take on this is that it’s like video game addiction which has the effect of the addict not engaging in other activities and procrastinating.

At the beginning of this article I discussed the mental health benefits of knitting so it’s fitting that I finish with a mental health disadvantage. Studies have found that some knitters come to rely on knitting so much that instead of relaxing them it causes anxiety. These knitters report feeling most anxious near the end of or between knitting projects because they don’t know what their next project will be. I also know from personal experience that anxiety can come from knitting deadlines for knitted gifts. You worry whether they will like and appreciate it and if you will get it done on time.

I didn’t want to end this article on a downer however it’s important to tell both sides of the story. At the end of the day I believe the benefits out weight the disadvantages. So go knit, share and teach others this wonderful thing. And enjoy all that warm, soft stuff you’ve made.

This is the fourth and final part of Knitting is Good for Your Soul. Part one can be found here , part two can be found here and part three can be found here.

Credits

Credits Psychology Today website articles
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/open-gently/201311/should-you-knit
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/open-gently/201506/knitting-is-good-you
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-excess/201701/excessive-knitting-and-addiction

In the first part of this article I discussed the meditative aspects of knitting as it pertained to mental health. In this section of the article I’ll look at how knitting as a meditative tool can be beneficial to your physical health. The rhythmic and repetitive nature of knitting keeps the mind in the here and now. Which moves the focus of the mind away from thoughts that make us feel stressed, depressed or anxious. By alleviating stress, depression or anxiety knitting helps lower heart rate, blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol.

One obvious physical benefit of knitting is it maintains and improves hand dexterity. My mom suffers from arthritis but continues to knit. She might not be able to knit for as long as a duration as she once did, but the movement helps prevents her hands from losing their dexterity. There is a warning though as too much knitting can cause repetitive disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome. To prevent problems keep knit times to a reasonable length and stop at the first signs of discomfort.

Studies have shown there is a correlation between preventing dementia and knitting. People who knit earlier in life and continue to knit have a reduced chance of in developing dementia. How this works is that since knitting is a cognitive activity it releases an natural anti-depressant called dopamine. We know there is a link between depression and dementia, so by lowing depression dopamine helps delay diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The hand-eye coordination and math skills required to knit are key to reducing dementia as well. These skills help strengthen and build neural networks, protecting neural connections. By protecting and improving neural connections the deterioration of the brain is slowed. Knitting also utilizes attention span and memory which are specifically affected by dementia. When knitting these areas are used like a muscle strengthening the brain and reducing their deterioration.

This is the end of part three of Knitting is Good for Your Soul. Part one can be found here and part two can be found here. I will post part four next Friday. There will be four parts.

Credits will be included at the end of last the article.

Knitting can socially connect even the most reclusive introvert. You don’t have to leave your house to find like-minded knitters. There are knitting communities online like Raverly that allow knitters to share and support one another across the world. You can find plenty of  Facebook groups, blogs, forums (Knitting Help), youtube videos, online knitting magazines like Knitty and knitting shops like Knit Picks. Online it’s all about knitters reaching out to knitters.

I made several online friends when I started my blog 11 years ago and I’m still in touch with some of them today. These days I keep up with my online knitter friends on Facebook, but I originally met them through forums, their comments on my blog or my comments on their blog. We talked about knitting, raising children and our lives.

Knitting is portable making it easy to take along anywhere (unless maybe you are making an afghan). You can go to a coffee shop to share, teach and learn with other knitters. Most knitters I know are a passionate and friendly bunch who love to talk about knitting, yarn and so much more. There are plenty of face to face interactions out there for knitters. Places like causal knitting groups, local yarn shop meet ups, yarn shows, craft shows and knitters’ guilds are all great ways to meet other knitters. These meet ups are often called a stitch and bitch. I however am not a fan of this name. I supposed it can be a time to knit and vent with friends, but I think it’s a bit negative. I would rather view a knitting meet up as a time to connect and catch up with friends old and new.

Okay knitting can encourage social interaction, but why is this important? Social interaction gives us friends and friends support each other through stressful and difficult times. Friends are people we share fun times with and should make each other feel good about themselves. Having good people in your life improves the quality of your life, often improves your outlook on life and helps alleviate depression and stress. So go out there and connect online or out in your community!

This is the end of part two of Knitting is Good for Your Soul. Part one can be found here. I will post part three next Friday. There will be four parts.

Credits will be included at the end of last the article.

I don’t need to convince you that knitting is amazing. You are here, you are a knitter so you already love knitting. This month I’m going to look at several great reasons to knit besides creating warm, woolly wonders.