Lately, I've been experiencing a creativity block that has been draining my energy to knit. I must confess that I haven't touched m
y projects for quite a while. I know other knitters have gone through this, and Nara has discussed her experience with it in this article.
In an effort to regain my knitting mojo, I began reminding myself why I fell in love with knitting in the first place, and I'd like to share with you the three reasons I thought about.
The mindfulness
By now, I think many knitters already know about knitting's therapeutic benefits. Knitters have talked at length about how the rhythmic movements of knitting relax the mind and help them focus on the present moment, letting go of anxious thoughts.
Here at KnitLeaks, we have articles about the benefits of knitting and how it can help you get into a mental state of "flow.” You can also read here about how a non-profit organization in Italy has been using knitting and crochet to help oncology patients cope with the stress of undergoing treatment.
Since the pandemic, many people have turned to crafts as a way of spending their time doing something that makes them feel rewarded and relaxed. I started to take knitting seriously as a part of my life a little earlier, in 2017. I was going through a tough time, and having a new hobby helped me focus on new and exciting things. Also, as someone who has always dealt with high anxiety, knitting has helped calm my mind and think positive thoughts.
The materials
Another thing that made me love knitting is the beautiful materials that are part of the craft. When I learned how to knit, I didn't know much about yarn and fibers. There was no LYS (local yarn shop) where I lived; there were only notion stores that sold yarn, almost all of them 100% acrylic.
Ten years later, when I picked up knitting again, I discovered and fell in love with the world of wool. And there was no turning back. Anyone who has been to a wool festival knows what I'm talking about. The beauty of all the colorful yarn can be overwhelming. It's a feast for the eyes. The excitement of experimenting with these beautiful materials certainly made my interest in knitting grow. And now I've got a stash that would take me three lifetimes to knit.
The community
The third thing that made me fall in love with knitting is the community. I've been blessed with great friends that knitting has brought me into my life. One of them is Nara, the founder of KnitLeaks, who has trusted me to run the website. There's also Iris Alessi and Barbara Vilas Boas, my partners at Tricopedia, which is a platform with a vast video collection about knitting in Portuguese. Besides them, many others have become my friends; some I've already met in real life, some I only interact with online.
There are also many other people I've met through knitting who may not be friends with me but with whom I can share my passion for the craft. From time to time, someone comments on one of my videos on YouTube, saying I helped them with their project, and that brightens my day.
These are three reasons that made knitting an enjoyable part of my life. Have you ever thought about yours? I'd love to know! Visit our Substack to comment on this article.
