Knit Yourself Calm

I've been struggling since I got back from the condo for something to write about for Knitting: A Love Story.  I don't have anything on the needles far enough along to share.  I don't have any new purchases that light my fire.  I just wasn't inspired.  Then I got an email from Amazon saying a book I had been waiting for had been delivered.  I looked on my stoop, and there it was.

I pre-ordered Knit Yourself Calm months ago and had been impatiently waiting for its release.  Some books just reach inside your chest and grab your heart.  This was one.  Just as I felt I had been introduced to a kindred spirit when I picked up Knit The Sky, I felt I had discovered an unknown soulmate when I read the Forward and Introduction to Knit Yourself Calm:  A Creative Path To Managing Stress.  I felt Lynn Rowe and Betsan Corkhill had looked inside my mind and borrowed my beliefs about the soothing effects of knitting.  They even had the perfect name for it "therapeutic knitting."  I've talked many times about how knitting centers me, soothes me and just makes me a nicer, kinder person.  It was all in this wonderful little book and more.  The first sentence in the Foreword set the stage for a journey into stress reduction and self care.  "Knitting is the perfect portable tool (WOW! Do I ever love that description!) to enable you to manage the stresses and strains of everyday life, as well as those more challenging events that come everyone's way from time to time." 

Therapeutic knitting equals knitting plus knowledge: the knowledge of knitting, the knowledge of the detrimental effects of stress on the body and the knowledge of what the body feels like stress-free.  This made me think.  I believe this from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.  But, I wondered when did knitting go from a stress inducing activity to an activity which channels stress from my body.  I think a piece of it for me is when I quit knitting with a deadline.  Once I quit knitting things for people for Christmas and started just knitting things I love and then deciding who they would go to, knitting became my yoga, my zen.  

If I would have decided to knit this for Linda for Christmas, I would have faced months of stress and uncertainty.  Would she really like it?  Would it fit?  Would I get it done in time.  My stomach would have been tied up in knots and it would have become "have to" knitting.  Where is the joy in that?  As it was, I took a class at The Knitting Room (which was a joy), I  continued knitting,  learning many new things and enjoying every minute.  When I was done I discovered this was meant for Linda.  

I also hopped on the entrance ramp to less stress in knitting when I changed from American to Continental knitting.  There is always less stress in my hands.  No throwing the yarn, no struggling to keep gage.  

Did you know that research has proven the more frequently someone knits, the calmer and happier they feel?  I won't go into the statistics on that as I would put myself to sleep.  

One of the beauties of knitting is, it is an anytime, anywhere calming activity.  I always have a zip lock bag in my purse with a small piece of knitting so if I have to wait in the doctor's office, I knit.  If I get caught in traffic, I knit (but not while I'm driving).  Any time I am waiting, I can be knitting and instead of increasing stress because of the impatience in waiting, I am reducing stress with the rhythmic, calming movement called knitting.   

​Lynn and Betsan introduced me to a whole new way to look at knitting and relieving stress.  They identified five different kinds of knitting and explained their importance in searching for calm.  They encourage having one project in each area on your needles to facilitate the appropriate stress reduction for the appropriate time.  The Stash Studio would tell you I have many from each area just waiting to be finished, just waiting until it is "want to" not "have to" knitting.

1. QUICK AND EASY: This is my current example of QUICK AND EASY.  This is a project which is meditative and relaxing.  It will quickly raise your mood as you feel accomplished in the rhythmic moves and easy movement.  For this adorable necklace from Olga Jazzy, you knit two 9 stitch strips with a YO and K2T every few rows.  It is totally mindless and wonderful.  I knit on this while I watch TV, while I visit with friends and while I problem solve.  This pattern allows me to relax while letting my mind think of something else.   

2. PORTABLE:  This is my very favorite pattern,  the Olga Jazzy Issey Scarf.  I have made many.  The Issey Scarf has greatly contributed to my yarn stash.  It looks tough but it is easy.  I usually have one in a ziplock bag in my purse, though I don't right now.  I love to pull it out as I wait in the doctor's office, the dentist office, the DMV, a restaurant, just to name a few.  

The Bandito Scarf is my second favorite PORTABLE knitting project and one I've knit many times.

3.  GROUP PROJECTS:  Reading about this made me want to be involved in a GROUP PROJECT.  It is about friends, knitting and giving, three of my favorite things.  Currently, we have a community blanket at Ann's By Design.  When people come in for social knitting, they are encouraged to knit a little (or crochet on the crocheted one.)  Then we'll give the blankets to charity.  Just think knitting with other lovers of knitting, making something for someone in need and wine.  Sounds pretty darn good to me.

4.  BIG PROJECTS:  This is my beautiful Zigzag afghan.  It has all of the elements of a calming BIG PROJECT.  It is cozy, it is comforting and it is completely yummy.  Everything about a BIG PROJECT is soothing.  I love the weight of the project on my lap.  It works for me like Murphy's Thunder Vest is supposed to work for him.  I love the warmth of the massive quantities of yarn as it grows bigger.  It will be finished when that huge ball of yarn is gone.  Every time I work on it, it makes me happy. I am in no hurry to finish.  

5,  NEW SKILLS:  Learning new skills is essential in nurturing a healthy brain.  My brain must be ready for the Olympics because I love learning new knitting techniques.  My first foray into swing-knitting or short-row knitting was amazing.   

This brioche cowl combined two of my favorite things; learning a new skill and taking a class.  I just love the social aspect of a knitting class.  

Now you have it; all of the reasons you should rush right out and buy Knit Yourself Calm:  A Creative Path To Managing Stress.  Not only is there all of this beautiful insight into the zen of knitting, it also has patterns to go along with the five type of knitting you should have on you needles at all times.  I really love this book!