The benefits of braiding

Why should one start knitting? Are there any benefits? And, if so, what might they be? Is it a hobby that you will soon get bored of?

Although knitting started as a hobby for women, mainly for mothers to take care of and keep their family warm, today in 2023 knitting is also very popular with men, although in eastern countries it is still considered taboo.

But let's see what knitting can offer us:

1. REDUCES STRESS

According to a study by the University of Wollongong's Department of Medicine, knitting helps calm and relax the mind which helps reduce anxiety and stress. For many people, like me, crochet is psychotherapy. It relieves me from the problems, tension, stress of everyday life and calms me down.

2. CONTRIBUTES TO THE PREVENTION OF ANAEMIA

Something you may not have thought about is that knitting helps prevent dementia. And I'm here to tell you that the more you knit, the more times you count to get the pattern to work, which activates the brain, thus slowing down Alzheimer's and dementia (they don't cure it).

3. ELEVATES OUR SELF-ESTEEM

Is there a better feeling than the one you get when you've completed a knit? Is there any greater joy than making gifts for your loved ones with your own little hands? Is there greater satisfaction than ̈ pulling off ̈ a difficult project?
The answer, of course, is no. Unfortunately, in our daily lives we all come up against negative thoughts or even worse negative people who bring down our self-esteem. Crochet works therapeutically and helps us build a positive view of ourselves. It makes us feel that we can do it, that we can believe in ourselves. After all, my motto is I CAN'T BE, I CAN'T BE, I CAN'T WANT TO

 4. HELPS WITH ARTICULATION

Many orthopedists recommend that people with joint, wrist and hand conditions should exercise their hands with a crochet hook. Of course, as long as we have a problem we try to knit with soft yarn to avoid aggravating the condition.

Is it a hobby you might get bored of?

Since I have also gone through different phases in knitting, I have to tell you some tips to avoid getting bored:

Α. Don't overdo it. Knit because you love it, not to make a profit. The more you push yourself, the more tiring it will seem and you won't feel like it.

Β. Take short breaks. Say, for example, that this weekend I won't knit at all, and you'll find that on Monday you'll be craving knitting, and that will keep your enthusiasm alive.

Γ. Start by setting small goals, i.e. with knitting that can be finished quickly, because I am sure that if you start with a project that is longer or more difficult you will get tired and give up. As time goes on, you will find that you can master the most challenging projects by knitting at a much faster pace.

D. Do not compare yourself with others. Another one of my Motos is the phrase NO ONE WAS NOT BORN KNOWING HOW TO GET AWAY FROM THE EYE OF THEIR MOTHER
What makes you a good knitter? Only the time you have and the love you have for it.
In the 7 years I've been teaching knitting , I've seen girls who didn't know how to hold a crochet hook and now can't really believe how many things they've managed to knit ... Because, quite simply, they simply did NOT give up
And I have seen girls who had talent, but because they gave up quickly, they no longer knit.

Ε. Don't start too many knits at once , I know, I know, you like them all and want to knit them all, and so do I, but in the long run this will
create stress which is something we don't want .. Don't forget that you started knitting to reduce your stress.

Ζ. Find the right time and place to knit , like when you read a book , you want a calm environment that will allow you to enjoy it. Do the same with knitting. Most students tell me that the evening hours are the best , that is when the children have gone to bed , the house is tidy and there is peace and quiet , at the same time they may be watching their favorite show.

H. Make your family love knitting, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. But why should your family love knitting? Your husband and children?
If knitting doesn't take time away from your family and at the same time makes you calm and relaxed, then your family will surely want to see you like this every day, so they will support you to buy yarn.
But if he sees that you burned the food because you knitted or were late picking up the child from the tutorial? Then what image will you give them?
And when you want to teach your kids to knit? So think about what's most important to you? One is the word BALANCE and not OVERLOADING as in all things in our lives.

Θ. Don't knit the same patterns over and over again. Why? Think if you ate the same food over and over again every day, even if it was your favorite? Believe me, surely, there would come a day when you would hate it .Yes as strange as it may seem , we always want variety in our lives. And if you want to find ideas for designs, go to my YouTube channel "Thread Kilkis“.

Try these tips and I am sure you will benefit from knitting and keep your love for it, but you will also grow into a very good knitter.
Tells you a knitter who learned crochet at 30 and I'm 45 now , I learned needles at 7 from my grandmother.

Good luck in whatever you do