Knitting Is The New Yoga
My Knitting experience
In 1970s hand knitted sweater were very fashionable. My grandmother was an excellent knitter and I had wonderful sweaters in all colors. My mother liked knitting but she was not as dedicated as my grandmother and concentrated on easy and quick finishing pieces. They though me how to knit but at that age it seemed boring to me.
I started to knit a few years ago. With my best friend we were wandering in a shopping street/Istanbul and entered to a wool shop. The colorful wool yarns tempted us and I bought a green yarn. She a yellow/red one.
That night I started to knit a scarf. I felt so relax and happy while knitting and watching television.
My friend knitted a hat and she found the experience as getting rid of daily stress.
It is also fun to hunt for lovely, colorful wool.
I love wearing my knitted hat
Knitting is the new yoga
Dairy express in a news describes knitting as the new Yoga. I have seen many internet news and articles defending this idea.
I also believe knitting is like making Yoga. Why?
During knitting we sit calmly in a comfortable place and rhythmically work with the knitting needle, the continuous, repeating movements form right hand to left hand v.s. is like repeating a meditative mantra.
When I am stressful, I sit and knit. It makes me calm down, empty my brain. I just knit. Like in meditation my mind breaks free of its
usual patterns so that I enjoy a simple, open state of awareness.
I choose a simple pattern to knit like "garter stitch" I just knit the simple knit stitch again and again. In the end I fill happy, relax and also I have a beautiful colorful scarf .
Coco Chanel's 1916 use of jersey in her hugely influential suits was a turning point for knitwear
Coco Channel and Knitting
History of knitting
It is thought that hand knitting originated among the nomads of the Arabian Desert about 1000 BC and then spread from Egypt to Spain, France and Italy. Sweaters first became more than sporting garments in the 1920s, when designers such as Coco Chanel introduced them to their collections.
Knitwear was firmly established as a fashion item in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when brightly coloured yarns became more widely available and ethnic fashions grew popular.
Knitting as a Depression Therapy
Knitting is seen as a therapy for depression. It is known that creating things makes people feel good and recent studies have shown that not only does it make us feel good, with that sense of satisfaction of a job well done, but it can also physically help people to:
- deal with pain
- improve feelings of well-being
- significantly change your outlook on life.
- Knitting has a neurochemical effect
Findings to date suggest that knitting has a neurochemical effect on the brain. Monica Baird, pain specialist at the Royal United Hospital Bath states "It changes brain chemistry for the better, possibly by decreasing stress hormones and increasing feel-good serotonin and dopamine."
It seems that knitting could be a cheap and accessible intervention that functions as an effective, informal, pain-management aid.
Knitting Tips for begginners - What a beginner can knit
Knitting is relaxing !
Knitting is a relaxing, portable and creative hobby.
I have started knitting last year, as a beginner I knitted a wool, warm scarf, I bought a chunky-weight yarn and a large needle. .I wasn't bored, in 3 nights I finished my scarf and was proud.
Baby blankets and scarves can be good projects for beginners.
As a beginners I advise you to choose easy patterns, one or two colored yarns.
