Today I'm thankful for this hobby.
When I first began knitting earlier this year, I'll admit that I didn't see what the big fuss was all about. It was frustrating...maddening, really....to attempt to create a piece that didn't look like a puppy hadn't chewed through it in a million places.
My friend, Nicole, insisted that knitting would bring me peace. That I would come to love yarn stores and needles and patterns. Research studies have discovered that knitting can also help people combat stress and to manage life's downs. One study notes that knitting "helps people put into perspective any traumatic issues that would normally dominate their waking thoughts -helping them to find a stable balance between problematic events and feelings and more positive, pleasant sensations within the current moment. It's a state of mind where you're not mulling over the past or fretting about the future."
I didn't buy any of it. Knitting was stressful to me. Until a few months ago.
My first creation was a disaster. I almost gave up. Until I changed my perspective. And now I'll never get rid of that cape/triangle/thing-ma-bob that sits in my dresser drawer. It has meaning to me. So much meaning.
And all that stuff about knitting combating stress and helping to manage life's ups and downs? It's been true for me. I knitted like a mad-woman when our puppy, Buddy, unexpectedly died. I've knitted as I've waited in doctor's offices, the school pick-up line, and restaurants. I've knitted during karate lessons, soccer practices, and swim lessons. I've knitted while sitting, standing, lying down, and walking down the hallway. I've knitted when I'm happy and when I'm feeling pretty down.
Knitting, for me, has become like therapy. The bonus? Some pretty cute hand-made birthday and Christmas gifts are being created out of that therapy.
I'm teased by my friends that I only make scarves. Maybe someday I'll branch out and knock out a glove. Or a hat. Or a pair of socks. Or a gigantic shawl. Or...GASP...a blanket!!!!
All of that seems too stressful. Think I'll stick to scarves for now.
Baby steps.
2 comments:
Beautifully written post. Your scarves are beautiful, too. You can see the love in them. You can stick with scarves through the holidays, but come January.....:-)
xox
good therapy indeed! i recommend it to all of my clients! (not really but i would if they would be willing) i picked up my crochet hook for therapy and it stressed me out because i wanted to finish the project - doing scarves are excellant because they don't take long - noce job on the scarves you :0)
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