Knitting with Intention
Make knitting a mindful practice.
4/27/20262 min read
For many of us, knitting is meditation in motion. Intention transforms a project into a mindful practice.
What "Knitting with Intention" Means
Knitting with intention means choosing your yarn, projects, and patterns carefully and mindfully, ones that align with your values, needs, and energy. You should be choosing projects that match what you want to create physically and emotionally. It means focusing on the project while you’re knitting, noticing the senses of the experience.
Before You Begin
Choose a project that meets your needs, or the needs of whomever you’re knitting for, whether that’s a gap in your wardrobe, something you’ll wear for the upcoming season, something you’ll enjoy wearing or using for a long time. Choose a yarn that provides a good sensory experience, both while you’re knitting, and while wearing or using the finished piece. If ethics and sustainability matter to you, make sure to consider that in your yarn choice as well. Make sure the pattern you choose matches your skill level and energy levels. Do you want a project with easy repetition or do you want a project that challenges you?
Mindful Knitting Sessions
To knit mindfully, pay attention to the rhythm of creating stitches and your breathing. Square breathing (inhale, hold, exhale, hold for four seconds each) is a technique often used to help with anxiety, but can also help you stay present in the moment with your knitting project. Notice the sensation of the yarn around your fingers, its texture and softness. Notice the feel and weight of the needles in your hands. Maintain a good, comfortable posture while you knit. Embrace mistakes along the way when they inevitably happen instead of letting them frustrate you. When your mind wanders, notice the thoughts that come up, and try to return your focus to your project.
Knitting as Emotional Processing
I’ve written previously about how knitting affects your mental health, because that is a particularly important topic to me. Knitting has helped me through some tumultuous times in my life, and I know I’m not alone! Many people knit to relieve anxiety, to help with the greiving process, to aid with transition. And let’s not forget the main reason most of us knit: to bring us joy! If this topic interests you too, I would love to have you join The Unraveled Club, my weekly mental health focused craft circle!
Gifting with Intention
Knitting for someone else is definitely a labor of love. Gift your knitted items with intention by knowing what fibers, colors, and projects the recipient would choose for themself. Consider their needs, like they may be sensitive to wool, or they may be vegan; these will impact your fiber choices. Think about them as you knit, knowing how grateful they will be for something so personal and thoughtful (as long as they are knit-worthy!).
Finishing
Binding off a project provides a very satisfying hit of dopamine, but there are more steps to finishing! Weaving in ends and blocking are my least favorite parts of knitting, but they are usually necessary for a professional look in the end. It can help to view these steps as a kind of ritual to appreciate all the hard work you’ve already accomplished. Once your blocked piece is dry, take a moment to savor the feeling of your achievements.
Use the form below to let me know, what’s on your needles? What will be your next intentional knitting project? Happy stitching!
