If you are anything like me, when the weather starts to turn colder, you spend more and more time inside. If I could hibernate the winter away, I swear I would. Please don’t tell me I should get involved in winter sports because that would make me enjoy it more. No, it wouldn’t. I can’t wait till my hubby retires and I never have to see a snowflake again.
Anyway, the best way I find to widdle the winter away is by knitting or crocheting. It is almost as cozy as sitting in front of a fire. It makes me feel all warm inside.
Keeping my fingers and my mind moving has so many positive benefits, it is no wonder that celebrities like
- Christina Hendricks,
- Catherine Zeta-Jones,
- Ryan Gosling,
- David Arquette,
- Scarlett Johansson,
- Sarah Jessica Parker,
- and Julia Roberts, to mention a few, have taken up knitting.
Knitting and crocheting is so easy to learn and it is never too late to start! And if you think you don’t have time to knit, think again. I bet there are tons of moments in any given day where you waste time just sitting around and waiting. At the doctor’s office, picking up your kids or grandchildren from school, or on your bus or train ride to and from work. Instead of using that time to browse the internet, why not make something pretty and reap the health benefits.
5 Knitting Health Benefits For Seniors
1. Relaxation. The repetitive nature of knitting and crocheting can be equivalent to meditation and yoga. A relaxed state lowers your stress levels and reduces your blood pressure and heart rate.
2. Helps with depression and chronic pain. The rhythmic movements can distract thoughts about the past, present or future and make you concentrate on the task you are doing.
3. Keeps your hands out of cookie jar. Don’t gain winter weight, knit! Keeping your hands busy can also help you quit smoking.
4. Stave off dementia. Research has shown that the back and forth eye movement required for knitting keeps the brain active and improves memory.
5. Feel good. If you are having health issues, or you are unemployed, you can make yourself feel useful and purposeful by knitting. Knitting is a great habit that yields you a sweater or scarf! And, you will have something positive to post to your Facebook timeline.
Knitting is such a wonderful distraction too. For the two years that my mother was in and out of hospitals, I knit and crocheted a lot. It was a great way to pass the time at her bedside while she napped. My mother loved to watch me and discuss my progress. I kept the projects very simple because I knew that I had to be able to drop what I was doing and be able to pick up where I left off often. I believe I knit 3 sweaters and several blankets over those two years.
Here is one of the blankets I crocheted:
Sometimes a new hobby can be expensive or maybe beyond your physical capabilities. Knitting or crocheting is neither one of those things. I encourage you to give it a try. It won’t take long for you to reap the benefits of this new found skill.
Do you like to needlework or craft and what have you made lately?
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Instructions for how to make this blanket:
- Using colour A, chain stitch for a length of 4 feet.
- Turn and double crochet, back and forth, till you reach desired length.
- Using colour B, double crochet around the edge, creating a border for 6 inches.
- Change back to colour A and continue border for one more inch.
- Cast off.
These are the exact Crochet Hooks and yarn I used to make this blanket.