Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Therapy

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Watching Huell and knitting Sunday night. I'm like a little old lady!

I forgot about the click-click- click of the knitting needles. The downy layer of fuzz that sometimes ends up all over your clothing as you knit.
The pace of knitting is so different from sewing. Knitting is much slower. You can't help but slow down overall.

When I worked in the mental hospital, many patients enjoyed knitting and crocheting. I think because it can transform anxious energy into a slower, more even pace...it's calming. It can be repetitive & meditative, but depending on what you are making, there are times when you have to count & focus. It's very hard to concentrate & focus on anything when you are anxious or depressed...but knitting kind of sucks you in. It is almost addictive! It's comforting to feel something soft and warm between your fingers.

Patients would have to knit seated in front of the nurses station due to the potential hazards of sharp needles and lengths of yarn. It was a bit of a pain to try to keep my eye on them while I was trying to chart, pass meds, assist other patients etc. but when someone wanted to knit or crochet, I would try to find a way for the patient to do it, even though it created a little extra work for me, because I understood that it would usually result in them feeling better.

3 comments:

Janis said...

Perfect timing, exactly! I've taken to a smaller needle - embroidery :^)

ilana kohn said...

love to see some more dyed yarn experiments!

Katie Underwood said...

I've been on a knitting tear, too! And a friend recently turned me on to Ravelry for patterns, tips, etc.