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