Knitting is Magic!

I will never forget sitting down at a table in the cafeteria / break room at my work (I was a government contract employee). One of my friends joined me, then a younger man. I was talking to my friend and knitting on a cowl. I noticed the guy watching me knit. He was staring at the stitches in absolute fascination. After a few minutes, he declared, "It's like magic!" Of course, my friend and I laughed at his awestruck voice and wide eyes. Later, when I was back at my desk, I started really thinking about it. Knitting really is magic!

I had seen a picture somewhere of a group of troops, sitting in a circle knitting while they were serving in Iraq. There was only one woman in the group. All of them were relaxing by knitting things for their loved ones in their downtime. I looked up the picture for this blog post.

Knitting in Iraq, John Sorich
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/86723927.html

I have always read that knitting was therapeutic, and found that I felt calmer and could concentrate better while knitting. Turns out I am not alone. Iraqi vets who are returning home and suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) are also finding it as a good way to deal with the anxiety, depression, and the stress of serving their country.

Knitting is similar to meditation. It allows you to rest your mind and focus. Instead of focusing on nothingness, you focus on the calming motions of repetitive stitches. Insert needle, wrap yarn around needle, pull needle and yarn back through, repeat. The steady motion and light clicking sound of the needles allow you to free your mind of the stresses that keep it busy and make you more tense.

Staff Sgt. John Sorich, Jerry Holt,
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/86723927.html

Staff Sgt. John Sorich was a knitter before he was deployed to Iraq, but took the hobby back up in Iraq as a way to relax. After ribbing from others, he encourage other servicemen and women to take up the hobby with him and explained that the craft was his way of maintaining sanity in a chaotic world. 

Recent research and studies support this, finding that knitting (and crocheting, among other crafts and hobbies) is healthy for you, mentally and physically. Some physical and occupational therapist are now using knitting to help their patients regain their fine motor skills after injury. There is also research indicating that since knitting requires thinking from both side of the brain, it can slow or prevent the onset of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

See, the young guy in the break room was right. Knitting really is magic!