Maybe you are a complete beginner or an accomplished knitter. Perhaps you haven’t knitted for many years and would like to get back into practice. Or maybe you would just like to know more about it. There will be something here for everyone.

In this blog let’s focus on the fantastic benefits that this wonderful craft provides

The mindful and relaxing aspects of knitting as a creative hobby have been much discussed in recent times. Along with the possibility of creating beautiful items for yourself, your home, and gifting, go the wonderful benefits expounded by Tom Daly and a variety of health care experts. 

Some of the Benefits of Knitting

• Lowered blood pressure
• Reduced depression and anxiety
• The slowed onset of dementia
• Distraction from chronic pain
• Increased sense of wellbeing
• Reduced loneliness and isolation

Amazing right? There is quite a bit of research into these knitting advantages and another great paper to look at this week is: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.4276/030802213X13603244419077

The Benefits of Knitting for Personal and Social Wellbeing in Adulthood: Findings from an International Survey. By Jill Riley, Betsan Corkhill, Clare Morris.

See the Conclusions in the Abstract below:

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that engaging in creative and meaningful occupations can impact positively health and wellbeing. Much of the research in this area has concentrated on general occupational categories and less is known about the benefits of specific occupations. This study aimed to identify the benefits of knitting for individuals’ personal and social wellbeing as a prerequisite to investigating its therapeutic use.

Results: Respondents came from a virtual community of knitters. The majority were female white adults and frequent knitters, who commonly reported knitting for relaxation, stress relief, and creativity. The results show a significant relationship between knitting frequency and feeling calm and happy. More frequent knitters also reported higher cognitive functioning. Knitting in a group impacted significantly perceived happiness, and improved social contact and communication with others.

Conclusion: Knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to wellbeing and quality of life. As a skilled and creative occupation, it has therapeutic potential — an area requiring further research.