Home > Monthly Topic Archive > Knitting Your Stress Away
Knitting Your Stress Away
According to a research done at the Harvard Medical School Mind/Body Institute they found that when an individual is knitting their heart rate can drop by about 11 heart beats a minute. The repetitive action of knitting and crocheting created a relaxation response.
It is also believed that most doctor visits are for conditions related to stress. Regular knitting can be a good way relieve your stress. So if anyone ever tells you you're knitting to much, tell them you're doing it for the sake of your health.
And if you believe that "Men don't knit" or that "Knitting is a woman's hobby", think again. There are Men's Knitting groups in the United States, even in New York City. Check out our links below on a CBS News article on male knitters, and famous men knitter. The CBS News article quoted a Chicago yarn-store owners:
"I see it a lot with men who are doctors. I also see musicians and, believe it or not, stockbrokers," Parisi says. "They claim it relaxes them."As the Men Knit site's motto stated : "Man Enough to Knit; Strong Enough to Purl". Strong, healthy mind and body for both men and women!
Links
http://www.prurgent.com/2007-08-17/pressrelease3269.htm
PR* Urgent article: People Who Knit and Crochet May Be Happier and Healthier
http://www.mbmi.org/about/history.asp
Massachusetts General Hospital: Benson-Henry Institute For Mind Body Medicine
http://www.knittingforcharity.org/knitting_and_stress_the_path_to_healing.html
Knitting for Charity: Easy, Fun and Gratifying / Blog by Nellie
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/04/national/main671644.shtml
CBS News article: Men & Boys Knitting Up A Storm
http://www.menknit.net/history.html
Men Knit: The partial history of male knitting
http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/FEATtopten.html
Knitty Online Magazine: Top 10 Men in Knitting
http://www.learntoknit.com/
Craft Yarn Council of America: Learn to Knit & Crochet
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/patterns.php
Knitty Online Magazine: Free Patterns. Also check out their archive for past issues and then click on the pattern link of each issue for more free patterns.
Books
Bag style: 20 inspirational handbags, totes, and carry-alls to knit and crochet / by Pam Allen & Ann Budd
Beyond Basic Knitting: Techniques and projects to expand your skills / Leigh Ann Berry, editor; Anita J Tosten and Missy Burns, knitters and consultants; photographs by Alan Wycheck; illustrations by David Bienkowski
Big Book of Knitting / Katharina Buss
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee casts off: the yarn harlot's guide to the land of knitting / Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
A close-knit family : sweaters for everyone you love / Melissa Leapman ; photographs by Jack Deutsch.
DVD / Videos
The Art of Knitting: stitches, color, fashion [videorecording] / TriCoast Studios; St. Clair Vision
Clear visual program demonstrates the intricacies of knitting for a beginner or an advanced knitter
The Art of Knitting & Crochet 2 / [videorecording] TriCoast Studios, c2005
Instructors, Carla Scott, Jennifer Wenger, Nancy Brown, Nancie Wiseman, Karen Krajzynski.
Knitting Workshop / (DVD) [videorecording] Schoolhouse Press 2007
A 12-part series shown on PBS-TV, start with the basics by knitting a hat, to a seamless yoke and drop-shoulder sweater, to more advanced techniques including shaping, lace patterns, Arans, Guernseys, and Fair Isle designs.
View Topic of the Month Archives