The comfort of knitting can nourish our personal wellness and nurture community. At Project Knitwell, we create a tight knit community through the rhythmic craft of knitting. Knitting can serve as a metaphorical doorbell to open doors to new friendships and opportunities for connection. Read more below, and check out part 1 of this series, Knitting as a Tool: A Series of Metaphors on Why Knitting Is Beneficial.
KNITTING AS A…
DOORBELL
When we knit in public, it frequently draws attention and opens conversations with those around us. It could be a simple icebreaker to mention how the yarn is beautifully textured or the color harmony is pleasing. Your new friend may share their experience with knitting, stories about someone they know who knits, or their desire to learn.
SHOW AND TELL
Small children are given opportunities to share their work and favorites with others. As adults, knitting can provide an opportunity to share our favorite yarn colors and the final projects we worked hard to create. The sharing can be a way to build a common bond over creative work.
BIOGRAPHY
Learning more about what makes those around us tick can help build strong connections. It can be refreshing to share with each other the sentimental stories of who taught you how to knit and stories of finished items that you knit at certain times in your life.
MEMORIAL
The finished items that are shared through generations can be valuable keepsakes. The memories of shared hand knits can be a celebration of someone’s past. Some may knit traditional “prayer shawls” or use each stitch as a chance to reflect. Every stitch is accompanied by a thought or word you’d use to describe the person you may give the handknit. This can be a comforting way to add to the sentimental nature of your gift.
