I read this really great article the other day, put out by LoveCrafts, one of my favorite yarn suppliers and source for indie knitting patterns. They’re also an excellent resource for interesting articles and trends for the fiber arts and I always find something relevant in their newsletters.
There’s been a huge push the last few years for mindfulness, self-care techniques, and awareness for mental health in general. As someone who has studied counseling and mental health, I’m personally thrilled. People are more willing to talk about what they need to do to keep themselves stable and more importantly, to do the things they need to in order to remain stable. Yoga and meditation have continue to be popular mindfulness techniques, with the addition of other activities like adult coloring books and Zentangles.
People are also starting to recognize the benefits of crafts like knitting and crocheting. Any knitter will tell you that the very act of knitting can be meditative and help calm anxiety and stress. Personally, I find that half an hour of knitting before bed is the perfect way to wind down; I sleep better as a result, which in turn leave me more prepared to face the day when I wake up. Knitting got me through my last year of grad school, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to sit among my classmates during our internship seminar working on a scarf while we discussed our respective weeks. And honestly, the best part about crafting as a mindfulness technique is that you end up with something tangible at the end!
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of knitting, check out these articles:
The Tangled Clew 