Becky Stewart

Want to knit more often? Design your environment to support your goals:

• Create a cozy knitting spot
• Keep your knitting visible - in a basket nearby
• Make it more inviting - add candles, music, plants.

When your space is welcoming, you'll naturally spend more time there.

Knitting is highly regarded for its portability. This is one of the key advantages as both a hobby and a therapeutic tool.

A small project can easily fit in your bag, so you can take it wherever you go! Hospitals, planes, or even on the bus - it's always there when you need it!

Some advice just never gets old.

Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either.

— Elizabeth Zimmermann

This was true 53 years ago, and it’s still true today.

Slow crafts like knitting can reduce symptoms of depression.

It's not a cure but a therapeutic tool worth having in your wellness toolkit.

Knitting helps create comfort, joy, and tactile connection through dark moments. 🧶

Knitting is mindfulness you can take on the go.

Public transit.
Waiting rooms.
Work breaks.

Knitting is mindfulness in motion. 🧶

Dopamine is a natural, necessary neurotransmitter—you can’t detox from it.

But you CAN:

• Reduce screen time
• Practice mindfulness and self-reflection
• Practice calming activities, like therapeutic knitting 🧶
• Seek meaningful connection with yourself and others.

Dopamine isn’t the enemy.

It's essential for motivation and pleasure. But if you're nervous system is constantly overstimulated, it can lead to burnout, anxiety, and depression.

A digital slowdown helps, but mindfulness and meaningful connection is the real medicine.

The secret to consistent knitting? Have something already on the needles ready to go and keep it in view. 🧶

Make it easy to pick up and knit. Future you will thank present you for removing all the friction.

Daily knitting should feel effortless instead of overwhelming.

Hope is the antidote to despair and helplessness.

Hope restores clarity and fuels action when everything feels impossible.

With hope, we are resilient. We rise.

Hope is the will AND the way.

Feeling burned out? Try knitting. 🧶

The repetitive motion calms your nervous system. It lets you rest without guilt. You’re sitting still, but it's creative and productive.

Learn to slow down, one stitch at a time.

What has helped you recover from burnout?

Recovery from ME/CFS takes patience + gentle persistence. My top 3 strategies:

1) Pacing: stay within your energy limits to avoid push/crash cycles
2) Nervous system care: practice daily relaxation and stress management.
3) Proper energy in: hydration, nourishment, and sleep.

3 common myths about CFS/ME that cause harm:

1. CFS/ME is psychological, caused by mental stress, depression, or anxiety.
2. CFS/ME is just extreme tiredness that can be fixed with rest or a good night’s sleep.
3. Optimism, willpower, or “pushing through” can overcome the illness.

The therapeutic benefit of knitting lies in daily practice. Set your sacred hours (same time, same place) and enjoy the meditative, restorative power of each stitch.

If you enjoyed these, jump back to the top so you can:

• Bookmark it
• Share with others
• Reply to let me know which pattern you want to try first!

Then hit follow → @knitom.bsky.social for more curated knitting pattern threads.

6) The GAP-tastic Cowl by Jen Geigley

Another stylish and simple knit, perfect for absolute beginners. Knit entirely in seed stitch, this is another good pattern for learning to read your work and understanding knits and purls.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gap-tastic-cowl

5) The Big Hat by Davina Choy

Start learning how to knit in the round with this pattern. Davina provides a free step-by-step tutorial and is an excellent knitting teacher! Give it a go!

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-big-hat

4) Beginner Mitts by Dani Sunshine

In this simple pattern, you'll explore stockinette stitch and start learning how to "read" your knitting and recognizing the front and back sides of your work.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beginner-mitts-2

3) Traditional dishcloth by Staci Perri

Dishcloths are quick, easy and practical knits. The one is good for beginners. Knit corner to corner, you'll learn the basics of shaping - increasing and decreasing your stitches.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/traditional-dishcloth

2) Beginner's Stitch Sampler Scarf by Kristina Tucker

Another simple scarf featuring different stitch patterns - perfect for an absolute beginner just learning the basic stitch combos.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/beginners-stitch-sampler-scarf

1) The Wheat Scarf by Tin Can Knits

Part of Alex and Emily's learn to knit series, this simple scarf is perfect for beginners.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wheat-4

There are currently 370,792 free knitting patterns on Ravelry.

Finding a good, beginner-friendly pattern can be overwhelming!

Here's a round-up of 6 of the best FREE beginner knitting patterns for you to try:

Want the most therapeutic benefits from knitting?

Do it every day.

Designate your sacred hours same time, same place and let the rhythm of the needles melt away your stress and soothe your spirit.

A gentle reminder to pick up your knitting today:

“Knitting is meditation. The steady click of the needles is a rosary, a mantra, chanting monks. This unprofitable chore is therapy worth $60 an hour. I can not afford not to knit.”

— Cris Carusi

If you're struggling with depression, knitting can be a comforting self-care tool:

• Knit low-effort, "mindless" projects
• Choose yarn you love: sensory pleasure matters
• Knit daily: aim for 10 minutes. Consistency is key.
• Add social connection when ready

Make knitting part of your daily routine. Scheduled sacred hours and a dedicated space turn stitching into a calming, restorative ritual.

When we procrastinate on important things, we assume we need "more discipline".

Lack of discipline isn't the problem. What we actually need is a habit. And just enough discipline to make it stick.

Choose the RIGHT habit and success will follow naturally.

Success requires taking a moment to identify your priorities, then letting those priorities guide your daily actions.

High achievers consistently operate with a clear understanding of what matters most.

TIP # 2: Tension your yarn between your fingers

Tension and hold the yarn close to the tips of the needles so that you can pick or flick it more easily by wrap the yarn around the pinky finger and up and over your index finger.

TIP # 1: Switch to “Picking” or “Flicking”

If you currently wrap your yarn in the “throwing” style, you might want to change it up for a more efficient method. I recommend trying either Continental style (“picking”) or American Flicking style (“flicking”).

If you want to learn how to knit into Flow, here are two ways you can improve your knitting technique.

Not only will these tips help you knit more rhythmically, but you will also find that you can knit faster and more efficiently too!