Simply Knitting - UK (2019-09)

indingsometimealone

toenjoyjustbeinginyour

owncompanycanbea rare

treatinouroverlybusyworld.Yetit is

soimportantforyourwellbeing.As

knitters,wehavetheperfectportable

tooltodojustthis.Knittingenables

ustobeproductiveandto ‘look’busy,

whilstenablingustoswitchofromany

problemsthatmaybedominatingour

thoughtsaswellasthegeneralstresses

andstrainsof theworld.Thishashuge

mentalandphysicalhealthbenefits.

Findingthetime

Knittingaloneandknittingin a grouphave

dierentbenefitsandI wouldrecommend

doingbothto getthemaximumbenefitfrom

yourcraft.However,it maynotalwaysbe

possibleto attenda knittinggroup,particularly

duringtheschoolholidays.It’simportant

thatwealltaketimeoutona dailybasisto

manageourday-to-daystress.It willpreventit

buildingupinsidiouslyin thebackgroundand

becominga healthproblem.Knittingalone

It canbediculttofind

timetoswitchofrom

ourbusydailyschedules

willenableyouto dothisevenif you’rehaving

a busydayandcanonlymanagefiveminutes

hereandthere.

Thecreativesoul

Whenwebecomeabsorbedin ourknittingwe

entera stateof flow,whichis describedas an

optimalpsychologicalstatewherewefeelour

best.Knitting’sportabilitymakesthisstate

accessibleanytime,anywhere.Carryaround

a smallprojectin yourbagandmakethemost

of everyopportunity.Useit onyourcommute

to work,whilstwaitingfora friend,sittingin

thedoctor’ssurgeryor waitingto pickyour

childrenup,forexample.Thereis a Greek

word– Meraki– whichmeansto dosomething

withcreativityandsuchsoulandlovethatyou

weavea pieceof yourselfintoit. I thinkthis

describesknittingratherperfectly.

It’sonlynatural

Whynotgiveknittingin naturea go?It gives

theaddedbenefitof beingoutdoorsandall

thebenefitsthatbeingin naturebrings.Try

knittingin yourlocalpark,in thegarden,even

H

Betsan Corkhill tells us how knitting is more

than just a hobby, it’s a great form of therapy

onthebeachforanextraboostto yourwellbeing.

Learningto enjoymomentsof solitudein this

wayis highlybeneficialforyourwellbeing,and

canalsohelpyoumanagefeelingsof loneliness,

whichis detrimentalto wellbeingin manyways.

Teachtheworld

Knittingis a valuablegiftto passonto your

childrenandgrandchildren,so in theseschool

holidayswhynottaketheopportunityto

teachthemto knit?It willbenefitthemhugely

throughoutlife.In ourStitchlinksandCardi

Universitysurveyof over3,500knittersfrom 31

countries,oneof ourmostsignificantfindings

wasthatthemorefrequentlypeopleknitthe

happierandcalmertheyfeel.Youjustneedto knit

morethanthreetimesa week.Soif yourchildren

area bitfractiousbecauseit’srainingoutside,

thenuseknittingas a wayof calmingthemand

yourselfdown.Introducethemto thebenefitsof

theenjoymentof solitudeandtheyneednever

feelboredagain.

© PHOTOGRPAHY: GETTY IMAGES

Enjoy the flow

of solitude

5

relaxing

yarns you might

like to try

1

Silk – these yarns are luxurious;

the ultimate treat.

2

Linen – cool and light between

your fingers, making it

particularly perfect for summer.

3

Cashmere – cast on a knit

that’ll become an heirloom.

4

Bamboo – experience a

dierent type of natural texture.

5

Cotton – what’s not to love

about this simplest of yarns?

F

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