Knitting and Illness

Hi to you both (and anyone else who comes along), I am intrigued by this topic, because I have just learned to knit. I decided to learn for many reasons: I no longer work and wanted to feel productive in a new way; I wanted to find another outlet for my creativity; I thought using my hands and having to focus on a task would help me to worry less, especially at times of stress (e.g., awaiting scans, dealing with new illness, etc.), while also offering the opportunity for my mind to wander and find new paths of interest; I liked the idea of learning a new skill and developing mastery with it; I was inspired by the book, The Creativity Cure, which included reasons for doing hand work in the path to finding greater creativity and meaningfulness; Making items by hand for loved ones sounded fulfilling.

So far (just 10 weeks) I have found knitting to be very interesting in that it has allowed me to discover the joy of feeling soft yarns and of sinking into the process of making something, to self-soothe, to deal with new challenges without becoming totally exasperated (learning how to "tink" or un-knit has been invaluable!), to relax in ways other than reading (which has been harder because of recent visual problems). The class I attended has ended, but the instructor has her own yarn store and is very willing to help me learn more, so that gives me hope that I will be able to build my skills with support--which I know I will need! Right now I am making a scarf with fall colors, and I am hopeful that it will be finished soon so that I can wear it. I imagine this is an activity that I will continue, and I am eager to learn more about it. I did embroidery years ago as a teenager, tried cross-stitch but did not like it, tried needlework (crewelry?) without getting excited about it, tried sewing and hated it.

It will be interesting to see if others have found knitting to be therapeutic. I would imagine there are more of us out there, and certainly there are many people who have found creative outlets with handwork that doesn't involve knitting. I hope one day that I will consider myself a more competent knitter, but in the meantime I am enjoying the process itself. Thanks for starting this topic.

I love to knit, crochet, cross-stitch and sew.  I've not done much sewing since my diagnosis and surgeries as sitting at the sewing machine is not all that comfortable.  However, the number of knitted items I created has mushroomed during the past 9 months.  I take a project with me to all appointments, it helps pass the time and it does relieve the anxiety.  In the evening, it is comforting to feel the yarn glide between my fingers and see the item grow before my eyes as I sit in my recliner. Knitting also keeps me from snacking in the evening, cuz I hate to have to keep washing my hands.  I have to confess that I love starting projects, but I'm not so good at finishing them.  I especially dislike sewing seams, so I try to knit in the round or with as few seams as possible.  I like to have a number of projects on the needles- a small one that is easy to transport; something that is simple so you really don't have to concentrate on the pattern; something that is a little more involved; and then lace which requires peace and quiet so you concentrate on the intricate pattern.

I think being able to knit during recovery kept me from over-doing. During those waiting times, it kept me grounded and sane.