Knitting and Crocheting are so widely popular and not just with the over 65 crowd. It’s actually cool now! A lot of us knit or crochet (or both) because we have a family or personal connection. Mothers and Grandmothers worldwide pass down crafts of all kinds to new generations. The tide is changing to now to include more men! How awesome is that! In fact, crafting of all kinds is seeing a huge surge in popularity in the past decade. From home DIY to jewelry making to fiber arts, people are holding up their creations and yelling “I made this!” Knitting and Crocheting are no exception. But did you know that there are mental and physical benefits of knitting and crocheting that go beyond Instagram likes and Pinterest fame.

Lets be honest, though, knitting and crocheting aren’t always easy hobbies to get the hang of and master. You have to understand hook/needle size, yarn choice, tension, and so much more to make sure you garment looks great. Knitters and crocheters are in it for the long-game. It’s a practice makes perfect world!

So why do so many people people stick with it?

I think a lot of people would say they just love it. Totally valid! Seriously though, there may be more behind that statement than just a love of the craft. Why do we love it? Whether you are only thinking about taking up a fiber craft or skilled enough to make Martha Stewart jealous there’s a lot of reasons to pick up some yarn. Lets dig into the mental and physical benefits of knitting and crocheting.

Physical dexterity

Both knitting and crochet require manipulation of the needles/hooks and the yarn. If you are a newbie you may not even realize there are different ways to hold yarn and needles. Yeah, it’s a thing. I won’t get into the different styles here but it’s all about handedness and how you feel comfortable looping the yarn to make a new stitch.

The most dexterity work that most people get day to day is probably typing on a keyboard. The muscles in your hands can benefit just as much from a good workout as your quads or biceps. The movements in knit and crochet are essentially a workout for your fingers and forearms. Even after years of knitting my fingers still sometimes get sore after a marathon knitting day! The real benefit here comes from the motion of your fingers gripping and moving the needles and the manipulation of the yarn to create stitches.

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone looking to improve or retain dexterity. In our grandmother’s time smaller needles and hooks were most prevalent. The breakout star of the recent knitting resurgence is chunky knits. This is really large needles and hooks and super fat, squishy yarn. Arm knitting is also a great option. Yep, use your arms and needles! If you are interested in knitting as a way to improve dexterity, try starting here and see where you can go!!

Check out Lauren Aston Designs if you want some amazing chunky knit inspiration!

Disclaimer: Information in this post should not be used as a substitute for medical or professional advice. Always seek a doctor’s advice before determining if a new activity is beneficial for you.

Relaxation

Now I know repetitive motions have gotten a bad rep, but stay with me. Many people find knitting and crocheting to be relaxing. For me personally, the repetitive stitches help me zone out. Focusing on a task can help lower stress levels and keep our minds positive and productive.

Let’s check out some of the different ways you might find some relaxing benefits from knit and crochet.

• Are you a multitasker or someone that can’t sit still while watching TV? Try a pattern that has repetitive stitches or rows. An easily remembered pattern will allow you to do other things at the same time and keep your hands (and mind) occupied.
• Do you like to get totally immersed in projects? Try a more complicated pattern to keep yourself engaged. Color work, cables, and lace work are great for those that concentrate deeply on what they are doing.
• Where are my worriers and anxious people? I know all about this one. When you feel those nagging feelings start to build up, pick up a project. Give your brain something else to focus on.

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone!! Just give it a try! My advice if you are new to this, pick an easy pattern with only one stitch type (knit stitch or single crochet are great beginner options). Let yourself learn at your own pace you’ll find your yarn zen soon!

Then try different types of patterns and see what works best for you! And hey, who says you can’t have more than one project going at a time!! Have a few WIPs (work in progress) so you’ve got options!

Need some inspiration? I love Ravelry and Pinterest to help me find different patterns and ideas.

There are even some test groups out there that have studied knitting as a way to help people stop smoking or deal with eating disorders. Talk to your doctor if you think knitting or crocheting could help with a diagnosed condition.

Mental Sharpness

Okay, so I know this sounds like the opposite of Relaxation. Let’s think of it this way, learning new things increases cognitive function and brain activity. Bonus! A new skill and a bigger brain! Each new stitch you learn and new pattern you try increases your mental sharpness. Smart is the new sexy! There is even evidence that knitting and crocheting can help keep our brains sharp as we age.

One of the huge benefits of knitting and crocheting is pattern and stitch recognition. As you become more comfortable with the basic stitches and reading patterns you will start to understand how different stitches work together to create a specific design. This is completely different way to use your brain, concrete vs abstract thinking skills.

Reading a pattern and executing the stitches is Concrete Thinking, focused on what you can touch and see. It’s a physical and literal way of thinking. Recognition of the stitch types and how to use those stitches to get the look you want is Abstract Thinking. This means being able to think about and visualize what’s not physically there. It’s understanding how a pattern will turn out even before you create any stitches.

Over time, you might even be able to visualize and create your own patterns!

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone!! No matter what you skill level is, just learn something new. Learn a new stitch. Start a pattern that you find challenging. Try those tiny needles you thought would be intimidating. How about adding some color work into your repertoire?

Our Marilue Cowl incorporates both knit and crochet techniques. Perfect for someone that is new to both or if you know one technique and not the other.

Memory

You got this one, right? All those new stitches and patterns help improve your memory, too. As you become more comfortable with patterns it becomes easier to commit the patterns to memory. The brain is a muscle, the more we exercise the better it performs.

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone!! Same advice as improving your mental sharpness… keep challenging yourself. If you’re new, just the act of learning a new skill will improve your memory. After that, keep learning new things and practicing new patterns!

Burns calories

Knitting burns, on average, 100-150 calories an hour. Not exactly a high intensity spin class, but also beats sitting on the couch watching TV! In certain cases, working with your hands can help curb mindless eating as well.

Who Can Benefit?

Well, this one’s a no-brainer.

Remember, every person is different and has a different version of what Healthy means to them. Always pay attention to your own body. Eat and exercise according to what is best for you.

Do It Anywhere

This may not sound like a benefit at first but portability is one of the keys to making knitting and crocheting accessible and easy for lots of people to do. Most projects are small enough to throw into a bag or backpack. That means the benefits of knitting and crocheting can go just about anywhere you do. Knitting needles and crochet hooks are allowed on airplanes. I used to feel self-conscious knitting in public but the growing popularity means more crafters in coffee shops, on public transit, an other public places. So grab your needles and hooks and head out there!

Who Can Benefit?

It’s true that knitting and crocheting are sometimes seen as solitary activities. It’s a great option when you’ would normally be sedentary like when watching TV. Add in some knitting to burn some extra calories! If you like to get out more, check out local knitting groups or head to a coffee shop and see if you meet a fellow knitter!

Have knits, will travel? Not without some way to transport yarn and needles. Yeah, you could stuff them into your purse, backpack or a plastic bag. However, if you want something more stylish, check out Jimmy Beans Namaste collection.

Pride in accomplishment

There is nothing like finally weaving in that last end on a project and calling it DONE! Large or small, finishing a project can feel amazing! As your skill grows a bit your projects can get more and more impressive. There’s nothing like wearing something you’ve made and having someone notice and compliment you!

People love getting handmade gifts. Seriously. Long gone are the ugly gifted grandma sweaters. There are tons of beautiful (+ simple and easy) gift ideas out there. Admiration and thanks from grateful friends and family feels so amazing.

Who Can Benefit?

Anyone! Remember, if you are new , start small. Don’t expect to take on a color-work sweater on size 3 needles if you aren’t comfortable with that yet! Start with something you can accomplish and let your skill set grow from there. The only rule here is to wear your new creation with pride!

The key here is to allow yourself to feel proud. No self-deprecation allowed!! Never undermine how long something took. Own the accomplishment. When someone compliments you, smile and say “Thanks, I made it myself.” They’ll be impressed.

Feeling of giving

Okay, if you’ve been crafting for a while you know this one. Eventually you don’t need any more hats or sweaters. And you start giving pieces to friends and family. This is an amazing way to let someone know you care enough to take time to to make them a handmade gift!

Who Can Benefit?

Once you’ve got the basics down, start creating pieces and gifting them! Just do it! It makes holiday shopping less stressful, too. You can even branch out from gifting to family and friends and look into gifting for charity. There are groups that create shawls and blankets to donate to hospitals. Make hats for cancer patients, nests for orphaned baby birds, or an octopus for a premie.

Interested in making something for other people? Check out Hat not Hate, a Lion Brand Yarn initiative to stop bullying.

So there you have it. There are tons of benefits of knitting and crocheting. I’m sure there a lot more not even listed here. What’s your favorite thing about fiber crafts? Got any additional benefits? Let us know in the comments!