Knit Therapy: Stress Relief May Just be a Stitch Away

     Except for a failed crochet experience more than a decade ago (an overly-ambitious first project that resulted in an unwearable black cardigan with sleeves of significantly different lengths), I've never really given "needlecraft" a second thought.  Recently though, I read a book called The Knitting Circle (The Knitting Circle at Amazon); a wonderful and touching novel about a woman who suffers a horrible loss and finds solace in a place she never expected...a local yarn shop and a women's knitting circle full of non stereotypical members.  The main character works through her sorrow, forms new and meaningful friendships and discovers an unexpected means of alleviating the stress and anxiety that threatens to consume her, all with the help of some needles and yarn.  It got me to thinking, as many books do. Maybe knitting isn't just for Grandmothers anymore.  Maybe there is something to this recent resurgence in the popularity of what is usually perceived as an "old lady hobby."  Why are women of all ages being drawn to knitting?  What do they know that I don't?  Of all things, could knitting be the answer to my stress management problems?

     Desperate for a creative outlet and a way of burning off some of the neurotic anxiety that has plagued me all of my life, I decided to give it a try.  In the process of buying some knitting needles and learning the basic stitches, I met a few knitters, all of whom described their reasons for knitting in surprisingly similar terms.  "It's like mental yoga," said a lovely young college professor that I met at one store, "It's very soothing....it takes your mind off of other things."  Others have described knitting as "relaxing", "almost spiritual" and "something that I can think about and not really think about at the same time."  Almost all of them, young and old, claim that knitting is "addictive." Now, of course, as with all things there is a bit of a learning curve.  And, just like anything new that you are learning, it can be frustrating in the beginning.  But when you start to get the hang of it and develop a little bit of a rhythm, it truly does become meditative.  I've learned a lot in my first few months of knitting.  Unwilling to give up out of "newbie" frustration, I've developed a little bit of patience.  For me, that's quite an accomplishment as patience is definitely not one of my strengths.  Along with that has come perseverance, as I've wrestled with four double pointed needles at once in my first attempt at knitting preemie hats.  All in all, it has been a positive experience.  I have learned that I can do things I never thought I would be able to do just by sticking with it long enough, having patience with myself and trusting the learning process. 

     We do live in stressful times and many of us are searching desperately for ways to relieve some of that stress.  There are many stress management techniques out there to try.  Some of us run or incorporate other forms of exercise into our lives, some of us learn to meditate or twist ourselves into yoga poses.  Sometimes we choose downright unhealthy ways of managing stress, like drinking, smoking or consuming chocolate by the bagful, only to create new problems with our ineffective attempts to eliminate others.  I've tried some of these (although not the drinking and the smoking, thank goodness).  I exercise and eat chocolate every day without fail, but it isn't quite enough.  So now, I knit.  And I have found it to be quite addictive.  That's how I know it's working.  I feel anxious now when I don't have a knitting project going. When I'm knitting, I lose track of time and I'm simply unable to focus on my worries.  There are twisted and dropped stitches to concern myself with; stitch patterns to follow; rows to count.  I can't possibly keep track of all of that and wallow in self-pity at the same time.  And, unlike other stress relieving activities, this one actually results in a useful product.  Thanks to my anxieties and neuroses, my kids have warm wool scarves and hats to wear this winter and my mom has a great new mohair and silk scarf to dress up her leather jacket. Who knew that an age-old method of making useful articles from two sticks and some string could be so beneficial to my modern, stress-filled life?  I certainly didn't.

     So, is knitting your answer?  There's only one way to know for sure.  Pick up those needles and give it a try.  There are are a lot of great books out there and also websites that can help to get you started.  And if you're really lucky, you'll find a few new friends loitering around the local yarn shop as well.  If you're intrigued by the idea, check out www.knittinghelp.com for beginners tips including video instructions on basic and advanced stitches.  It's a great help and often easier to watch someone do a stitch than to learn it through diagrams in a book.  They also have free patterns, as do many other sites.  But books are also a great resource that you can carry with you for reference when you are ready to take your knitting out on the road; to your daughter's soccer practice or your son's piano lesson.  Stitch'n Bitch - The Knitters Handbook (Stitch'n Bitch at Amazon) by Debbie Stoller is my favorite.  It's an easy-to-learn-from book written with a sense of humor (a good sense of humor comes in handy when you're a frustrated beginner).  Another great book is Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti (Knitting in Plain English at Amazon).  There are loads of other knitting sites and books to try but these will give you a good start. So, if you are still searching for that something that can help you relax and maybe teach you a few life lessons along the way, give it a shot.  The results might surprise you.  Let me know how it works out.