Fresh Off the Needles

Maple Beanie pattern from CJ Design Blog.

Before the holidays I was able to finish this double thickness hat. It is made by knitting a long tube in the round, folding it in half, and cinching the top and bottom edges together. It is a great pattern for beginners as it only requires the knit stitch (no purling) and a long-tail cast on. It is not, however, the fastest project as you are essentially knitting twice as many rows as you would need to for a hat of comparable size (that means extra practice though). You can find the pattern I used here. Now to decide what to make next…

Work in Progress

One of my resolutions this year is to set aside time for knitting on a regular basis. With that in mind, I’m excited to start working on a pattern that I’ve been meaning to try for a long time. This pattern (from Purl Soho) creates a ribbed texture without purling! Instead, the pattern leverages two rows with offset knitted and slipped stiches (K3, slip 1 wyif). I’m using Red Heart Unforgettable in Sunrise to achieve an ombre of bright colors that is still washable and wearable. What are you working on this month?

Cold Weather, Hot Glass

Maker’s Mercantile is a Washington state based community of crafters. They recently hosted a Maker’s Night with fiber and glass artist Carol Milne. Milne is known for her sculptural works knitting glass. A knitter since the age of 10, she ventured into glass casting in 2000. She noticed that the wax canes she used the mold making process looked a bit like and wondered, “Can I knit with these?”

The short answer is no, you can’t use knitting needles to knit with wax because it lacks the elasticity of yarn and tends to break rather than stretch. However, knitting is created with interlocking looks and as long as these loops come together the it doesn’t matter whether you use tools or not (for example, finger and arm knitting). Eventually, Milne reasoned that she could hand knit the wax into a knitted fabric which in turn can be made into a mold. The glass is fired inside the mold in a kiln and takes on the knitted form, creating elaborate sculptures.

Some of Milne’s more recognizable pieces features hands knitting themselves. While initially these were inspired by M.C. Escher’s print “Drawing Hands” a series of losses caused the meaning of these sculptures to shift, “I started thinking about what does it mean to become your own mentor.” Whether through death, retirement, moving away, or growing up, eventually the teachers and coaches in our life leave us. When I reflect on the idea of knitting your own hands I think about internalizing the support and guidance from our mentors and making it a part of us.

Guerrilla Kindness this Winter

In a previous post, we discussed craftivism, which is the combination of craft and activism. Sayraphim Lothian introduced a new term called guerrilla kindness, which is the combination of guerrilla art (independent, unauthorized, impromptu) and random acts of kindness. In other words, guerrilla kindness is the act of leaving small, handcrafted items in places where they can be found and enjoyed by others. Lothian explained, “Random acts of kindness are a rebellion against the expected and entrenched nastiness, and joy and confidence in yourself is a radical act.” With all of the negativity in the news and polarized views within our culture, kindness, particularly towards strangers, is surprising and potentially subversive.

Lothian added “When you give something precious away for free, you fly in the face of the assumptions of capitalism.” This is particularly salient during the bustle of the upcoming holiday season. Traditionally, there are pressures to spend money on gifts, outfits, food, decorations, outings, travel, and more. While the current pandemic is forcing many to adjust or abandon these notions, there can still be feelings of guilt, shame, and stress for not living up to (arguably outdated) expectations.

This season you may be visiting family, attending religious services, or partying with co-workers all over Zoom. While celebrating may be very different this year, it can still be festive. You can make decorations for your home (to display privately or in a window for neighbors to see), send small, hand-made gifts through the mail, or post photos of your work on social media. If you choose to leave items for others to find you might consider items that can be easily sanitized or washed. You still have some time left if you haven’t already picked up your knitting needles or crochet hooks. I’ve selected a few videos to get you started (linked below).

An easy and quick way to crochet and stiffen a snowflake ornament for your tree or window!

Learn to crochet the Hanukkah set which includes a coffee cozie and a gelt bag.

Alexis Hex shows you how to make ball of yarn ornaments! Her channel also has tutorials for snow flakes, trees, scarves, and other festive items.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to knit a Christmas Tree, step by step. Fun, quick and easy to knit, this pattern is ideal for beginners.

How to create the step weave pattern using construction paper. You could easily substitute fabric or felt for the paper shown. A mkeka is a traditional place mat for Kwanza offerings.

You can also check out my Pinterest board for more holiday knitting projects.

If you are looking for craftivism and guerrilla kindness project ideas you can make throughout the year check out the books below. Please note that each of these books may contain images or language that are intended to be political, jarring, or provocative. They provide tutorials for making pieces of art and craft with a message to promote social change.

Guerrilla Kindness & Other Acts of Creative Resistance: Making A Better World Through Craftivism by Sayraphim Lothian

Crafting with Feminism: 25 Girl-Powered Projects to Smash the Patriarchy by Bonnie Burton

Subversive Cross Stitch: 50 F*cking Clever Designs for Your Sassy Side by Julie Jackson

Fresh Off the Needles: Socks, Physical Therapy, and Wellness

As my arm is slowing beginning to heal I’ve ben able to resume knitting in my customary hand position. With the cold weather firmly in place I wanted to try making socks. I’ve never been a fan of double pointed needles so I was pleased to a find a pattern that can be worked flat and later sewn together. You can check that out here. The pattern specifically calls for 5mm (size 8) needles and worsted weight yarn. I used a thicker yarn so that I can get more of a slipper sock and am pleased with the first of the pair. The pattern fits a size 9 in women’s but you can adjust the pattern to fit different sizes by adding or subtracting stitches on the sole before the toe and instep after the tow. If my calculations are correct, you should be able to use the size chart I’ve created.

Size 8 needles, Lion Brand Tweed Stripes Bulky (5) yarn in orchid, added 4 rows to the sole and 4 rows to the insole to create a women’s size 10 slipper sock

As I’m regaining mobility in my arm in some ways I feel as though I am living through some of the literature about the therapeutic benefits of knitting. Specifically, I’m reminded of the work of Betsan Corkhill, a physiotherapist and the founder of Stitchlinks, an online community providing support, research, and guidance about knitting. Early on, she observed that her clients often had trouble engaging in physical therapy not because they would be unable to do the exercises but because they felt that had no reason to do it or meaning in their lives. She noticed that her clients often suffered from social isolation, worry, fear, stress, lack of rewarding occupation, low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, low confidence, and a changed or lost sense of identity. She speculated that if she took a different approach, specifically introducing knitting, that her clients would have a meaningful hobby which could prompt motivation for physical therapy.

Over time, Corkhill observed that her clients who participated in knitting were less depressed. Later research suggested that frequent knitting (at least three times per week) can help people feel calmer and happier. The reason for this benefit, Corkill suggested, is the complexity of the task of knitting as well as the enjoyment derived from it. She referred to knitting as a “bilateral, rhythmic, psychosocial intervention.” By this she meant that the combination of complex, rhythmic movements of both hands and eyes, simultaneously, across the mid-line of the body is so complex that it leaves little room for negative, ruminative thoughts that are common in anxiety and depression. Additionally, because the repetitive movements of knitting can become part of muscle memory, this allows people who knit in groups to modulate their eye contact (looking up from their work or gazing into their lap) which can create a sense of safety around others which helps people who have experienced trauma.

Knitting is a

Knitting and Pain Poster

What Do Running and Knitting Have in Common?

When you think about running, what image comes to mind? Sweating? Heart pounding? Breathing hard? Moving fast? This probably isn’t the same image you have of knitting. You might not even envision the same person enjoying both activities. Yet, in my experience and as the research suggests, running and knitting may have more in common than you would expect.

Running and knitting are both activities that are based on repetition. Whether it is one foot in the front of the other for miles or one stitch after another hundreds or even thousands of times over, each activity is the repetition of a basic unit over and over. Running a race or knitting a scarf both take perseverance to complete. Practice is essentially repetition and revision to hone a skill. How do you get faster at running? You run sprints, interval train, and hustle up hills. With effort and practice you conquer longer distances at greater speed with more ease. How do you get better at knitting? You practice the knit step over and over again, you learn to purl, you knit in the round, and you try different combinations of stitch patterns. With effort and practice you make more complex projects, sometimes without even looking at your work (shout out to my mother who knits lace patterns, in the dark, while watching Game of Thrones!).

Initially, repetition can be frustrating and challenging. After the basics are mastered, repetition may promote meditative or flow states. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described flow as “-a state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity.” During flow states, a sense of time and emotional problems seem to disappear. Colloquially, people describe flow as being “in the zone.” Flow states arise from the enjoyment of using our strengths and skills to rise to challenges. Csikszenmihalyi has interviewed people from many cultures across the world and observed that flow states share the following eight components:

1. We confront tasks we have a chance of completing

2. We must be able to concentrate on what we are doing

3. The task has clear goals

4. The task provides immediate feedback

5. One acts with deep, but effortless involvement, that removes from awareness the worries and frustrations of everyday life

6. One exercises a sense of control over their actions

7. Concern for the self disappears, yet, paradoxically the sense of self emerges stronger after the flow experience is over

8. The sense of duration of time is altered

Flow is related to, but not the same as, peak experiences and peak performance. Maslow describe peak experience as “moments of highest happiness and fulfillment.” They are categorically more meaningful and intense than our usual experiences. Another word for peak experience is ecstasy. The term peak performance refers to performing to our greatest potential and exceeding our typical behavior. When you are performing at your peak you are your most creative, strong, intelligent self. This is not always accompanied by enjoyment, however, as can be observed by the incredible acts of bravery and strength people perform during a crisis situation.

While it might be tempting to create a simple equation for flow, such as peak performance + peak experience= flow, this definition is incomplete. Research about these related concepts suggests that peak performance, peak experience, and flow can be experienced in isolation or in various combinations. Listening to music is a common trigger for peak experience, while sky diving and sex have been cited in the literature as combining elements of both peak experience and flow. Responding to a crisis is a common trigger for peak performance, while artistic achievement or placing well in a running race combine elements of both peak performance and flow. The example of “joyous, superior running or painting” is an example of experiences that are peak experiences, peak performances, and deep flow. From this we can extrapolate that one of the characteristics of peak experience is joy, of peak performance is superior functioning, and flow is fun.

TED talk of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discussing flow. Once our basic needs are met, more money or material goods don’t increase our happiness or well-being. We need reasonable challenges to enter optimal, flow states.

Collier’s research described a similar flow state specific to fiber arts which she calls textile rejuvenation. Fiber arts may promote a combination of flow, mood repair, and self-realization of values. This combination often results in a feeling of being “restored, renewed, and ready to start anew” which continues well beyond the immediate participation in textile activity, and it is this emotional state that is captured by the term textile rejuvenation.

Research in the field of athletics suggests that there is a sub-type of flow called clutch performance. While flow may be experienced with open-ended goals such as “I’m going to use good form on my morning run today,” clutch performance occurs with specific, close-ended goals such as “To win the race I need to run the last 500 meters in under 90 seconds.” It remains to be seen whether clutch performance is an independent concept or more closely related to peak performance.

Four tips for promoting flow states at work: focus, freedom, feedback, and the four percent challenge.

Knitting Groups

Social isolation is a problem that has been highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but has arguably been a worsening part of the modern condition. Research suggests that social isolation poses significant risks to our well-being is “as strong a risk factor for morbidity and mortality as smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and high blood pressure.” Perceived isolation (loneliness) creates feelings of emotional pain. Like physical pain, the emotional pain of loneliness can be adaptive. Physical pain is a signal of the body that something is wrong and needs to be avoided or stopped. Touching the stove is painful because getting burned by something hot causes tissue damage which threatens health and well-being. Similarly, loneliness is a signal that our social connections may be deteriorating and need reinforcement. Loneliness encourages us to reach out to our friends, family, mentors, and community for support and comfort.

Therapeutic groups, particularly fiber arts groups, provide another avenue for reducing isolation and promoting social connections. Yalom observed that participants in group therapy not only benefit from the guidance of the therapist but they also make connections with and learn from each other. Based on these observations he identified specific factors that are addressed through group psychotherapy (listed below).

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While all of these factors are important, therapists facilitating groups may emphasize some factors more than others depending on the population they are serving and their goals. In my practice I have had the opportunity to facilitate groups for art therapy graduate students, social workers and psychiatrists in their workplace, and adults with mental health conditions in both clinical and community-based settings. The infographic below highlights which factors I emphasize when working with each population. Groups with students are primarily didactic, they are there to learn how to be art therapists. They are also balancing multiple demands including rigorous coursework, internship or field work placements, and developing a new work/life/school balance. With this in mind, the factors that are most important are imitative behavior (learning from modeling by the teacher/therapist and from peers) and imparting information (learning new skills, processes, and theories). Mental health professionals in a self-care group need opportunities to connect and reduce stress. The factors that are important for them are group cohesion (creating a sense of togetherness within the group) and altruism (shifting the focus from one’s own stress and problems to give back to others). Adults suffering from mental health connections are often isolated from social support networks, work, and avocational opportunities. Group factors that are important for these individuals are socialization (practicing social skills and making connections with others) and existential factors (finding meaning in life and finding a purpose).

As much as these groups differ, they also have commonalities which can be addressed in fiber arts groups. Goals for all of these groups include stress reduction, development of positive coping strategies, creative expression, and having a sense of normalcy. Yalom’s factor of universality also applies to fiber arts groups. Traditionally this refers to group members coming to understand that they are not alone or unique in their suffering. In this case, universality also means connecting to larger traditions of fiber arts across time and culture.

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Corkhill described how fibers arts help to promote social engagement. She described how participants can feel more at ease with their social interactions in fiber arts groups because touching the materials and modulating eye contact creates a sense of comfort. Participants may also feel a sense of belonging through shared interests, being able to both give and receive support, learning from one another, and identifying with the fiber artist role. These lay the groundwork for other positive experiences including easy banter, raucous laughter, friendship, and sense of community. Eventually, a sense of safety is created which allows for experimentation and exploration.

For more information, check out the recording of my 2020 AATA conference presentation here.

Sources:

Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Norman, G. J., & Berntson, G. G. (2011). Social isolation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1231(1), 17–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06028.x

Stitch Links Equation

Yalom, I. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy. Basic Books; New York, NY.

Book Review: Knitting for Good

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the winter holidays are only a few short weeks away. While this year's holiday season  maybe unlike any other due to  social distancing guidelines and travel restrictions from COVID-19,  the need for connection, gratitude, and generosity remain. In the spirit of the season I will be reviewing Knitting for Good: a Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change, Stitch by Stitch Betsy Greer. 

Greer described her path into knitting as one with unexpected roots. She was an active child  drawn to sports and skateboarding. As a young adult, she became involved in the Riot Grrl feminist movement as an activist. The do it yourself ( DIY) ethos of the movement is ultimately what brought her to craft. The values of DIY include permission to make mistakes, a democratic approach to learning, and self-sufficiency.  Greer writes, “The notion that I could do something and screw it up without apology was novel and liberating. Being given the okay to get messy and dive into the learning process was what I needed to hear all those years ago, and it has stuck with me fiercely ever since.” In this way, making something handmade, even if it isn't perfect, is an act of empowerment.

While knitting’s connection to domesticity initially challenged Greer’s feminist ideals, learning to knit changed her perspective. The work early suffragettes,  feminist, and other activist paved the way for women to  make choices about entering the workforce or staying at home. Knitting, for many, has become a leisure activity of choice rather than a necessity or expectation. 

The rest of Knitting for Good  approaches knitting much like a spiral,  with the individual at the center moving in larger social  circles outward toward the greater good. We're right about how social connections sometimes start with the common language of knitting. In other words, conversations may start by visible shared interest, “The ease of conversation prompted by craft houses connect with others beyond our own racial, economic, or social backgrounds, allowing everyone involved to learn about someone new and foster a sense of belonging.” This may be a first step in connecting with people in your community beyond your existing social circle. Activities like knitting in public, starting a crafting group, where yarn bombing your hometown are always to make knitting more visible and  create a sense of community.

The Social Circle widens when we consider knitting as a form of activism and inclusion. This can take the form of teaching children, the elderly, or disenfranchised groups how to knit, making knitted items to donate to charity, or selling handmade items are you donating the proceeds to worthy causes.  If you are a knitter or crochet and are interested in getting involved in this way click this link for a list of charities currently accepting items. As Greer writes, "It's not about who writes the biggest check. It's about wanting to help others feel special, cared for, or simply warm. Those of us who knit can use our needles and yarn stashes as a way of working towards change.” Finally, Greer writes about the use of crafts for activism also known as craftivism. This is the use of craft for consciousness-raising and social justice. 

Wherever you are on your crafting journey, whether just starting out or looking for inspiration for your next project, Knitting for Good offers suggestions, encouragement and patterns to get you started. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

“While some people are meant to donate large sums of money, others are meant to donate their time, knowledge, or skills.”

-Betsy Greer

Book Review: The Comfort of Knitting

After listening to an interview with Carol Caparosa, founder of project Knit Well (linked below), I knew I had to read the book The Comfort of Knitting: a How-to-Knit Guide for Caregivers and Family. Project Knit Well is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in teaching  patients receiving treatment for severe illness, as well as their families, loved ones, and professional caregivers, how to knit. They recognized the therapeutic benefits of knitting and seek to share instructions and materials with those who can benefit.

What I appreciate about this book is the recognition that caring-giving, while an act of love and kindness,  can take an  emotional toll.  Oftentimes the strain of caring can go unnoticed, particularly in a medical setting where the emphasis is on the identified patient. Caregivers are at greater risk or depression as well as burnout and compassion fatigue. This can manifest as feelings of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness, difficulties sleeping, and loss of interest or enjoyment in activities. 

The book nicely summarizes in plain terms some of the current research about the potential benefits of knitting for emotional and physical health. Cognitive benefits of knitting may include the lower the risk of memory impairment and delayed onset of dementia. Emotional  benefits may include reduced depression,  greater feelings of relaxation, a sense of accomplishment, and feelings of satisfaction. The structured,  purposeful, and repetitive nature of knitting can also impart a sense of control which is particularly important for caregivers who may feel they have lost control over their lives due to their responsibilities and obligations for others.

“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”

Elizabeth Zimmerman

The Comfort of Knitting also provides step by step knitting tutorials with photographs of each step. There are even seven easy projects for beginners. You are looking for a basic, introductory, brief text about knitting or self care this is a good place to start. If you are interested in the studies cited in this book you can find those in the links below:

The Benefits of Knitting for Personal and Social Wellbeing in Adulthood: Findings from an International Survey
Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders with Knitting (Free Full-Text)

Engaging in Cognitive Activities, Aging, and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Population-Based Study (Free Full Text)

The Impact of a Knitting Intervention on Compassion Fatigue in Oncology Nurses (Free Full Text)