Mini Christmas Wreaths

Twelve Days Of Christmas Ornaments.
Day Three: Mini Christmas Wreaths.

Knit a Christmas ornament for your tree! This mini wreath is 3.5 inches  (9cms) across and it's a quick knit for a cute holiday decoration.

Materials - Small amounts of red, green and white double knit type yarn.
 size 4 US (3.5 mm) double pointed needles.
Make three 9.5" (24cms) long pieces of I-cord, one in each color, leaving at least a 6" tail of yarn hanging from both ends of I-cord.

To make I-cord:
Cast on 3 sts.
Knit across.
Without turning, slide the stitches to the other end of the needle, put the needle in your other hand, pull the yarn firmly across the back. You are ready to knit the next row.
Continue knitting, sliding, and pulling the yarn across the back until I-cord is desired length.

Knot the three together then braid the three strands of I-cord, then tie into a circle using the loose ends of yarn. Knot firmly, then tie into a bow. Trim ends of yarn.

Add a hook or loop for hanging.
Makes a wreath about 3.5ins in diameter.

The Meaning of the Chrismas Wreath.

Much symbolism can be attributed to the Christmas wreath. The shape of a circle has no beginning and no ending. This may represent the eternal nature of a god's love, or the circle of life. Evergreens are used to represent immortality and the victory of life through darkness and challenge. The fact that evergreens live through winter signifies the strength of life.

The decorative value of wreaths is believed to have been derived by ancient tradition. In the way that we use house numbers today, wreaths featuring different floral arrangements were used to identify different families and houses.

Also attributing to the wreath lore is the Roman use of wreaths as signs of victory. It is believed that victors of battles would hang wreaths upon their doors to advertise their status.

Today wreaths are a wonderful decorative touch, both year round and at Christmas time. It is a sign of faith in humanity and life and of victory over life's challenges. Whether you hang a wreath on the door to welcome visitors, or on the wall to complete a room's decor the splash of color on a cold winter's day is sure to add a feeling of warmth, building excitement for the coming season

Poinsettia Tree Ornament

A whole set of these poinsettia ornaments on your Christmas tree would look wonderful.

Gauge:
Not vital

Materials:
 Red, green and gold or colours of choise double knit type yarn
This makes flower approx 4.5 inches 11cms
Needles appropriate to yarn


Instructions : Petals Make 6 red and 1 green
Cast on 3 sts
Row 1 and all alternate rows Purl.
Row 2 Knit front and back in all sts -6 sts

Row 4 *K1f&b, k1; rep from * to end—9 sts.
Row 6 *K1f&b, k2; rep from * to end—12 sts.
Row 8 *K1f&b, k3; rep from * to end—15 sts.
Row 10 *K2tog, k3; rep from * to end—12 sts
Row 12 *K2tog, k2; rep from * to end—9 sts
Row 14 *K2tog, k1; rep from * to end—6 sts
Row 16 *K2tog; rep from * to end—3 sts rem.
Cut yarn. Thread tail through rem sts secure and sew up seam.

 Berries make 4
With gold, CO 1 st.
Row 1 (K1, p1, k1, p1, k1) all in same st—5 sts.
Row 2 P5.
Row 3 Pass 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th sts over first st—1 st rem.
Cut yarn and pull tail through st to fasten off.
Tie two yarn tails tog.

Sew core of poinsettia tog by taking one of the yarn tails from a petal and weaving it through the bottom points of all petals. Weave in all ends. Sew berries to the middle of the poinsettia. sew leaf behind and between two petals. make loop for hanging and attach to tip of petal.





The History of The Poinsettia.
Christmas is a sacred time to the faithful of Mexico and people often celebrate by assembling and decorating life size nativities at the front of their churches. On Christmas Eve, parishioners are invited to bring a gift of thanksgiving to the manger at their church.
On a very special Christmas Eve, a little boy quietly walked to his church. Despite his desire to celebrate Christmas, he drug his feet a little as he walked, embarrassed that he was too poor to buy, or even make, a gift to take to the manger.
Abruptly, the great light of an angel appeared to him on the road, instructing him to pull weeds from the side of the road, and to take them as his gift to Jesus. With shaking hands, the boy did as the angel instructed and ran with his weeds the rest of the way to church.
When he arrived, he held his head high as he stepped to the front of the church. Laying the weeds in the manger, he knelt and began a prayer of thanks. As he prayed, his weeds transformed into magnificent, star shaped flowers of bright red, pink and white.
These Poinsettias, or “Flor de la Noche Buena," (the Flower of the Holy Night) amazed everyone in the church that Christmas Eve. Today, people around the world bring Poinsettias into their homes and churches at Christmas to remember the star that led the Wise Men, and a little boy in Mexico, to the most wonderful manger.
The Poinsettia was introduced into the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1828 while he was a minister in Mexico. It became a part of American Christmas tradition in the early 1900s when it was promoted by Californian Albert Ecke.
Sourced from: http://www.billpetro.com/HolidayHistory/hol/xmas/poinsett.html

Santa Tree Ornament.

Twelve Days Of Christmas Ornaments.
Day One. Santa Tree Ornament.


 For the next 12 days I will be giving you a different Christmas ornament pattern each day. Whether you want to knit Christmas decorations for your own home or to give as gifts, these Christmas knitting patterns will allow you to show off your holiday cheer and your favorite craft.

This pattern works up very quickly. It's about 8" tall depending on yarn used.

Gauge:
Not vital

Materials:
White, pink and red double knit type yarn
Needles appropriate to yarn

Instructions

Front
With White, CO 3 sts.

 Knit 1 row.

Work in garter stitch (knit every row), inc 1 st each end every other row 5 times - 13 sts.

 Knit one row.
With Pink, work in St st and dec one 1 st each end.

Work 3 rows even.

 Inc 1 st each end next row.

Work even 3 rows.

Dec 1 st each end next row.

Work 1 row even.
With White, knit 4 rows, inc 1 st each end on first row.
With Red, work 4 rows St st.

Dec 1 st each end next and then every 4th row 4 times - 3 sts.

K3tog and fasten off.

Back

With White, cast on 13 sts and work 14 rows garter stitch

With Red, work 4 rows St st

Dec 1 st each end next and then every 4th row 4 times - 3 sts.

K3tog and fasten off.

Finishing
Weave in ends.

Make two Frech Knots for eyes and one for nose. Use a running stitch to make mouth and eye brows.

Sew back and front together with right sides facing leaving beard edge open and turn rightside out. Stuff with cotton wadding . Sew seam across top of beard.

Make a loop from point of hat on back for hanging.
Make small pom pom for end of hat or glue on small ball of cotton with fabric glue.

Happy Holiday Knitting!

No Knit Knitted Soft Toys

I decided to do something a little different for this post. This is a knitted soft toy without any knitting!
There is a craft book I've had for sometime, but hadn't got around to attempting anything from it until this week when i decided to give it a go. The book is called Happy Gloves and is by Miyako Kanamori. She has created the most beautiful, cleanly designed and easy to follow instructions for making soft toys out of gloves. Although the book only has 21 items to make (actually, that's quite a lot really isn't it ?), it gives you the instructions in such a way that you can easily take off with the idea and make many more variations of your own.

Here is the Elephant that i made for my granddaughter, for this you actually need two gloves but there are many in the book that only require one glove these are ideal and fun projects to do when you've lost one glove, and are too attached to the other to throw it away.    

Happy Gloves is different from most of the other craft books out there. This book begins like a children's storybook with a photos of every project and a little story about a fat chipmunk.

After a short story that includes photos of the various projects, there's a sewing overview that explains the different stitches you'll need to know, what sort of gloves to use, how to stuff and knot, etc. The hand-drawn illustrations that accompany this section are adorable!

Next comes the step-by-step how-tos. There is a clear set of chronological photos on how to make the chipmunk. From then on, you use those basic steps to complete the other projects. There is a set of illustrated instructions that show you the pattern (where to cut the glove) and specific variations for each project. The diagrams and instructions are extremely easy to follow! The book ends with instructions on how to stitch on the faces.

I'm loving the simplicity of both the book and the projects. My favorite projects are the elephant, the tiger, the rabbit, and the banana (yes, I did say banana)! Oh, and the teapot and cup are pretty cute too. The photos and illustrations are lovely, making this a good coffee table book. Alternatively, the story-telling makes this book appealing for children. Speaking of children, I bet they'd enjoy making their own glove animals and the projects are simple enough that they could do it with a little help.

These softies are cute and sweet and cost nearly nothing to make! All the gloves used in the book are solid color, which works well in showing shapes and details such as fabric appliques and embroidery. And once you master the techniques, you can branch out and use all sorts of gloves. I can already picture old Fair Isle or other colorful gloves used in creative ways.

This is a great book Because who doesn't have a few odd gloves lying around-and who couldn't use another quietly cheerful little friend?

                                                                  

Christmas Tree Rug Mug

Keeping in tune with the holiday theme, these are subtle.

This is not your standard square and the fringe finishes the pattern making it very much like a mini-rug for your mug. . It's perfect for using up your left over sock yarn. The mug rug (coaster) works up fast and a few tied together with a ribbon or wrap would make a great little gift for a friend or would make a perfect Christmas gift exchange gift for a co-worker, or even make a few for yourself.


1 pair size 7 US (4.5mm) knitting needles

B2= border 2 knit stitches beginning and ending of each row

Cast on: 19
Knit border for 5 rows then begin pattern
Row 1: B2, k7, p1, k7, B2
Row 2: B2, p6, k1, p1, k1, p6, B2
Row 3: B2, k5, p1, k3, p1, k5, B2
Row 4: B2, p4, (k1, p2) x2, k1, p4, B2
Row 5: B2, k3, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k3, B2
Row 6: B2, p2, k1, p2, k1, p3, k1, p2, k1, p2, B2
Row 7: B2, k1, (p1, k2) x4, p1, k1, B2
Row 8: B2, p3, k1, p2, k1, p1, k1, p2, k1, p3, B2
Row 9: B2, (k2, p1) x2, k3, (p1, k2) x2, B2
Row 10: B2, p4, (k1, p2) x2, k1, p4, B2
Row 11: B2, k3, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k3, B2
Row 12: B2, p5, k1, p3, k1, p5, B2
Row 13: B2, k4, (p1, k2) x2, p1, k4, B2
Row 14: B2, p6, k1, p1, k1, p6, B2
Row 15: B2, k5, p1, k3, p1, k5, B2
Row 16: B2, p7, k1, p7, B2
Row 17: B2, k6, p1, k1, p1, k6, B2
Row 18: B2, p15, B2
Row 19: B2, k7, p1, k7, B2
Row 20: B2, p15, B2

Knit remaining border rows then BO and weave in ends and fringe.

Each tassel of fringe is made with two strands of yarn, attached to the edge of the coaster with a crochet hook, and trimmed to an even length. Cut approximately 50 strands of yarn, each about 4.5 inches long. Take two strands held together and fold them in half to make a loop. Insert the crochet hook behind the selvage stitches at the end of the row, and then through the loop you have created. Pull the loop through and leave it on the crochet hook (the ends of the yarn should still be in your hand). Continuing to hold the yarn taut, wrap all of it around the crochet hook and pull it through the loop, attaching it to the edge of the coaster. Pull the strands taught. Repeat this along the side of the coaster. When you have placed fringe on two sides of the coaster, use scissors to trim it to an even length.

Lace Christmas Bookmark

 Make a bookmark for yourself or someone special.

 Bookmarks are so fashionable these days that they come in a variety of styles and mediums. From cloth to paper, bookmark creations are a great gift for the readers in your life. With super fine yarn, and a little ingenuity, this simple bookmark can be made by anyone. There are no fancy stitches needed for this project, this lace pattern is very easy but effective so you don't have to be an expert to finish it. The finished project will resemble a miniature scarf.
I chose a gold colour with a shiny gold thread running through it but knit in any color, this is a great and useful quick project.

Size 3.25mm Needles
Cotton type yarn.
Gauge: 8 sts = 1inch St st on 3.25mm needles
although gauge is not essential for this project.


cast on 19 sts and work 8 rows knit.

Begin Pattern:
Row 1.  (RS) knit
Row 2. and all wrong side rows K3, P13, K3
Row 3.  Knit
Row 5. K7, K2tog, yo,K1, yo, ssk, K7
Row 7. K6,K2tog, yo, K3, yo, ssk, K6
Row 9. K5,( k2tog, yo,) twice, K1, (yo, ssk,) twice, K5
Row 11. K4, (K2tog, yo,) twice, K3, (yo, ssk,) twice K4
Row 13. K3, (K2tog, yo) three times, K1, (yo, ssk) three times, K3
Row 14. K3, P13, K3
These 14 rows form the pattern repeat 6 or 7 times to rquired length

Shape Top:
Row 1. Knit
Row 2. (K3, K2tog) 3 times, K4 (16sts)
Row 3-5 Knit
Row 6. K2tog twice, K8, K2tog twice (12sts)
Row 7-9 Knit
Row 10 K2tog twice, K4, K2tog twice (8sts)
Row 11. Knit
Cast off.

Finishing:
Fringe bottom edge as desired.
Press or block.

"ssk" means "slip, slip, knit"--that is, slip 2 sts one at a time as if to knit, put left needle through the front of these two sts, and knit them together through their back loops.

I hope you will enjoy knitting this little project as much as  I did.

Happy Knitting...Enjoy!

Modern Miss Baby Cardigan

 This cardigan was knitted for this very special little princess, my grand daughter Gracie Emily Gibson and was inspired by a dress that i'd bought for her just after her birth.

                                         The size knitted here is newborn
SIZES
Directions are for infant’s size Newborn (3 mos). Changes for sizes Small (6 mos) and
Medium (9 mos) are in parentheses.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest (closed) – 19(21-23)”
Length – 9(10-11)”
MATERIALS
3(4-5) x 50 grs baby soft double knit type yarn.
Straight knitting needles, sizes 7 (4.50 mm) and 9 (5.50 mm) OR SIZE TO OBTAIN
GAUGE
Crochet hook, size 4.50 mm (G)
One 1” button
GAUGE
18 sts = 4”; 24 rows = 4” in St st on larger needles

2/2 RIBBING
Row 1 (RS): K2, * p2, k2, rep from * across.
Row 2: P2, * k2, p2, rep from * across.
Rep these 2 rows for 2/2 Ribbing

BACK
With smaller needles, cast on 50(54-58) sts. Work even in 2/2 Ribbing for 2”, end on
RS. Change to larger needles and p the next row, dec 7(6-6) sts across – 43(48-52)
sts. Work even in St st until piece measures 4 1/2(5-5 1/2)” from beg, end on WS.
Mark beg and end of last row for beg of armholes. Work even until armholes measure
3 1/2(4-4 1/2)”, end on RS. P the next row, inc 5(6-6) sts across – 48(54-58) sts.

Work even in k1, p1 ribbing until armholes measure 4 1/2(5-5 1/2)”, end on WS. Bind
off.
LEFT FRONT
With smaller needles, cast on 30(34-38) sts. Work even in 2/2 Ribbing for 2”, end on
RS. Change to larger needles and p the next row, dec 3(2-2) sts across – 27(32-36)
sts. Work even in St st until piece measures 3 1/2(4-4 1/2)” from beg, end on RS.
Shape Neck: Next Row (WS): Bind off 6(9-10) sts, p to end. Knit 1 row. Bind off 4
sts at neck edge once, 3 sts once, then 2 sts twice, end on WS – 10(12-15) sts. AT
THE SAME TIME, when piece measures 4 1/2(5-51/2)” from beg, mark end of last WS
row for beg of armhole.
Dec Row (RS): K to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 – 9(11-14) sts. Rep this dec every RS row
twice more – 7(9-12) sts. Work even until armhole measures 4 1/2(5-5 1/2)”, end on
WS. Bind off.
RIGHT FRONT
Work to correspond to left front, reversing all shaping. Bind off for neck at beg of RS
rows. Mark for beg of armhole at beg of last WS row. Work neck decs at beg of RS
rows as k1, k2 tog, k to end.
SLEEVES
With smaller needles, cast on 32(32-34) sts. Work even in k1, p1 ribbing for 1”, end on
RS. Change to larger needles and p the next row, dec 4 sts across – 28(28-30) sts.
Work in St st, inc 1 st each side every 1/2” 6(8-10) times – 40(44-50) sts. Work even
until sleeve measures 5 1/2(6 1/2-7 1/2)” from beg, end on WS. Bind off.

FINISHING
Left Front Neckband: With RS facing, using smaller needles, beg at shoulder, pick up
and k34(38-42) sts along left front neck edge. Beg with Row 2, work in 2/2 Ribbing for
1”, end on WS. Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 1/2”, end on WS. Bind off in ribbing.

Right Front Neckband: Beg at right front edge, work same as left front neckband.
Sew shoulder seams. Sew on sleeves between markers. Sew side and sleeve seams.
Buttonloop: With RS facing, using crochet hook, join yarn in left front edge at beg of
left front neckband with a sl st. Ch 6, join in left front edge 1/20” below with a sl st.
Fasten off.
Lap left front over right front and sew button under buttonloop. I decided to make a button by knitting i-cord and coıling it then sewing into place.

As I said at the begining this was inspired by a dress I bought and here is a photo of the complete  ensemble: the dress, this cardigan and from previous posts on this blog roll brim baby beret and mary janes. I am so looking forward to seeing Gracie wearing these! Will post a photo later so you can see.









While it is my pleasure to be able to share these patterns with you free of charge, I ask you to spare a thought for the Syrian refugee children. LILY- Love In the Language of Yarn is a non profit organisation I founded in the memory of Lily my grand daughter, we provide blankets and warm clothing to orphans and Syrian refugee children. If you could make a small donation to help towards transportation of these items it would be greatfully appreciated. Thankyou.

Knitting To Block Pain

Photo of Bed-ridden wounded, knitting. Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, D.C ...







 Many knitters say you can 'forget' pain when you knit, even those suffering from severe pain say it's effective. There are many studies trying to understand the intriguing relationship between the physical and cognitive aspects of chronic pain and how these interplay and intertwine to change the amount of pain you actually feel. Research has shown some fascinating facts about your brain and pain in recent years. The signals that travel up to your brain from an injured area do so as pain inducing signals, these have to be interpreted by your brain before you actually feel pain. Now comes the interesting bit. Researchers have also found that your brain can't concentrate on two things at the time. So if you occupy your brain with an activity that is absorbing enough to cancel out the pain signals, then your brain won't interpret those pain inducing signals. As a result you'll feel less pain and in some situations none at all! Knitting can quite literally take your mind off pain.

This process is called Distraction and can be effective for blocking out pain and other troubling thoughts. It can also help people to manage the feelings of nausea following chemotherapy. To add to this researchers have also found that signals passing down from your brain to an area of your spinal column called the Pain Gate can influence the opening/closing of this gateway. If it is open, all the pain inducing signals will pass. If it is partially closed, or closed, only some or none of the signals will pass. Your attitude and mood are significant in influencing this. So by making you feel good and raising mood your knitting could be helping you manage your pain in this way too!

Many suffering from long-term medical conditions say that before discovering knitting they felt out of control of their lives and worthless in society. Often they'd wander through their days aimlessly, feeling isolated and lonely. The discovery of knitting changes all this. Suddenly they find they can do something and do it well, it gives them purpose and structure to life. They begin to plan forwards, set goals, self esteem rises and they begin to feel worthwhile in society again. The ability to give gifts and knit for charity increases self esteem further. Enforced rest periods become enjoyable - they're no longer seen as 'lazy'. Knitting enables them to regain their identity and enables them to feel special as individuals once more. Forgotten feelings such as excitement and anticipation are rekindled. These are emotions that can get drowned in the mire of chronic illness. Life becomes worth living again. Importantly they find they belong to a community of knitters. Feeling you belong somewhere is vital to wellbeing. You don't have to be ill to feel lonely or isolated. You can feel lonely surrounded by crowds as you commute to work - inner city life can be very isolating. Similarly mothers of young children can feel isolated as do many elderly - they can be isolated from society simply by not being able to negotiate their front door step!

Knitting is an effective therapy because it deals with the mind and body as a whole. As such it is the perfect complement for all medical treatments. Traditional medical treatments tend to treat the body and not the mind, but research has shown that a person's attitude can be more important in how they manage their condition than the severity of the pain or illness they're suffering from.

Knitting can change negative thoughts and attitudes into positive ones. It encourages people to move forwards. Confidence, self esteem, motivation and mood improves. It gives people a vehicle by which to make social contact and, in so doing, keeps their world open.
For those of us who are fit and healthy, knitting is an effective stress management tool that we can take into the workplace.

And of course knitting in groups brings a whole different set of benefits, both in real face-to-face groups and those on the internet.

Knitting with Arthritis

Knitting can help the arthritic person.

Arthritis is a painful disease which attacks the joints in our bodies. People who have arthritis notice swelling and stiffness in these areas. Due to this discomfort, many think they need to give up activities that are loved, such as knitting. Even when joints are inflamed it is important to keep moving. Knitting is one way to help keep the fingers moving in a gentle way. Keep in mind that if you are in pain, you can put the knitting aside until later.

If you are having a hard time knitting, try a different kind of needle. Working with bamboo or plastic are lighter options in weight and are warmer to the touch than aluminum needles are. Use circular needles instead of straight needles to help move the weight of the material to the lap instead of the hands and wrists.

Knit with wool or wool blends. These materials are more flexible than cotton or other fibers which is easier move around and places less stress on the joints.

Wear compression or fingerless gloves when knitting. Compression gloves add stability to the joints while still allowing the fingers and thumb the ability to move. Opt for fingerless gloves if compression glove are not comfortable, the warmth on the joint will help with the pain.

Use a knitting loom or knitting machine instead of needles. These still allow the knitter to do their craft, just in another way. Use of a knitting loom still requires some dexterity, but it is a different movement that may not aggravate the joints. Push the shuttle across the board to make stitches with a knitting machine; if a variety of stitches are involved, there is some manipulation required.

Staying active has value beyond meeting physical needs. Because people who have arthritis are likely to experience depression, becoming involved or continuing hobbies is important for well-being.

Managing Pain

If knitting causes pain, there are ways to minimize it. Do your knitting immediately after you take your pain medication or at a time of day when you feel better. Also using a heat treatment before the activity and taking frequent breaks to stretch your hands and fingers can help.

There are also some knitting aids available on the market such as:

Clamp-It ... an adjustable craft tool holder designed for use by individuals with use of only one hand, arthritis, or fine motor or physical disabilities. Clamp-It is mounted on four suction cups, and can be used vertically or horizontally to hold an item in a fixed position.






Knit-One is another knitting Aid designed for use by individuals with use of only one hand. The unit clamps to a table or a suitable chair arm. The user adjusts the top to the desired knitting angle and slides the needle into position for knitting. The device holds the stitches in position on the clamped needle. The yarn can easily be moved along the needle. The kit comes with an instruction booklet, 1 clamp and 3 pairs of handmade steel knitting needles.  

 

Helping Hands Knitting Aid. The new and inventive solution for knitters seeking that extra little ‘Helping Hand'. Its simple and effective design lets you remain in control of your knitting. Padded support for your wrists whilst you knit. Let go of your needles and they stay where you left them. End of the row? Simple, turn Helping Hands over once and your needles swap.

Pen & Pencil Cushion. Helpful for arthritis or other dexterity challenges.Builds up the pen/pencil for improving the grip comfortable to use with knitting needles, too. Helpful in relieving the pain of arthritis, use the Pen/Pencil Cushions when you need a little extra help grasping the knitting needles.

Square Knitting Needles keep your hands from hurting during long knitting sessions they are easier on your hands if you have arthritis, stiffness in fingers, or even carpal tunnel syndrome and are ergonomically a better fit for the human hand. 

Susan Bates Luxite 14-Inch Jiffy Knitting Needles are knitting designed for use by individuals with arthritis. These extra-thick, brightly-colored single-point needles are made from Luxite plastic, and are lightweight, durable, and warm to the touch.

Pain isn't the only limitation. Problems with strength, grip, and range of motion are important factors also. But if you're willing to modify your activities and learn to use adaptive devices, experts say the benefits are worth it.

Is Knitting Theraputic?

Knitters across the world say it's simply the best therapy, but why? Is there any substance to these claims?
Knitting forums are full of comments about the therapeutic benefits of knitting and we all know that knitting makes us feel good, but have you ever stopped to wonder why?

It's thought that stress can cause or exacerbate up to 90% of medical conditions. Up to one in three of us will suffer from depression at some stage in our life. 7.8 million people in the UK live with chronic pain - only 14% of those ever get to see a pain specialist. So there is an urgent need to find an effective, easily accessible self help tool, not just in the UK, but throughout the world. It's believed that knitting can be one of those tools, so what is it that makes knitting different and how can something so simple fill that need...?
It's already known and accepted within the medical profession that occupied people feel less pain and depression, so that's a good start. However, the large amount of anecdotal evidence suggests that knitting has much more to offer. It isn't simply about keeping people occupied with an activity they enjoy. It's not just 'old fashioned' occupational therapy either. There's a lot more to knitting than initially meets the eye!

The rhythmic repetitive movements of knitting are important - quite how, is not absolutely certain yet, but there are many theories. Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests that they induce a form of meditation very similar to Mindfulness. Recent research has shown that Mindfulness can be very effective in treating depression and chronic pain. It can also help those who are fit and healthy to combat stress and to manage life's downs. It helps you to put into perspective any traumatic issues that would normally dominate your waking thoughts helping you to find a stable balance between problematic events and feelings and more positive, pleasant sensations within the current moment. It's a state of mind where you're not mulling over the past or fretting about the future.

Rhythmical repetitive movements are interesting in another respect. Research by Dr Barry Jacobs of Princetown University in the States has found that repetitive movements in animals enhance the release of serotonin. Serotonin levels are low in depression, it's an analgesic, it's calming and low levels of it decrease pain thresholds. So it could be that the repetitive movement of knitting is causing the release of this chemical and could explain why knitters feel less pain, feel calm and report improved mood.

Many knitters say they use their knitting to manage anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and conditions such as asthma, where calmness is important. Of course the portability of knitting means you can carry your calming remedy around and use it when and wherever you need. This portability makes knitting, along with some needlework projects, unique in the craft world.

The automaticity of knitting is important, too. It occupies some areas of your brain, whilst freeing up others. Many find that this enables them to 'zone out' to become 'mindless'. This gives your mind a mini break from any problems, enabling you to escape into the sanctuary of a quiet mind. This brings down stress levels and breaks into negative or ruminating downward thought cycles.

It is believed that the mild addictiveness of knitting is important because it enables it to take the place of other addictions. Many knitters use their craft to lose weight, prevent binge eating, to stop smoking, conquer alcohol cravings and prevent self harm. It can also improve the constant checking and rechecking symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Sufferers are replacing a destructive addiction with a constructive, beneficial one and this makes breaking the link with their addiction and the transition back to normal life much easier. Knitting also occupies the mind and hands which is an important aspect as it physically stops some addictions such as smoking.

Of course the end product is important and although other activities and crafts have an end result too, the advantage that knitting has is that it can be achieved without requiring an iota of artistic talent and without mess or expensive tools. It can be done from an armchair or wheelchair without leaving home. This all makes knitting an ideal craft for all abilities and age groups in most situations - in hospitals, schools, workplaces and in bed if you have problems sleeping. It also cuts across class, culture, language and intelligence providing a universal tool that can be used as a key to motivating and improving quality of life and raising self esteem.

Knit A Poppy For Remembrance

You might have noticed that in November each year many people wear bright red paper poppies. What are the poppies for? And why November?

The First World War finally ended after four long and bloody years of fighting, on November 11 1918. The guns stopped on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
Millions of people were killed in the war and millions more were injured. In the years since 1918, even more people have died in wars around the world including, of course, World War Two.

November 11 was chosen back in 1919 as the special day each year when we would all think about and remember those who had died. To this day, almost 100 years later, at 11am on November 11 many people across Britain stay silent for two minutes to think about those who died. At first, November 11 was known as Armistice Day because 'armistice' is the word used for an agreement between enemies to stop fighting. These days it is more usually called Remembrance Day or Poppy Day. Why poppies? The story begins back in 1915, during World War One. A doctor called John McCrea, who was working to help soldiers in France, wrote a poem in 1915 about the poppies growing on the graves of dead soldiers.  In Flanders' Fields In Flanders' fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place: and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders' fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe; To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high, If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders' Fields. John McCrae, 1915. An American poet called Moina Michael read the beautiful poem. It gave her the idea of using poppies to remember the dead but also to help the living at the same time. Moina bought real poppies and gave them out to friends. She also sold some poppies and gave the money to surviving, needy ex-soldiers. The first official Poppy Day, organised by a charity called The Royal British Legion, was held in 1921. How to Knit A Poppy To Remember Size 3.5mm needles Double knit type yarn A-red, B-green, C-black Petals (make 4) Using A, cast on 7 sts. 1st row (RS) K. 2nd row Kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. 9 sts. 3rd row As 2nd row. 11 sts. 4th row As 2nd row. 13 sts. 5th–8th rows K. 9th row Ssk twice, k to last 4 sts, k2tog twice. 9 sts. 10th–12th rows K. 13th row As 9th row. 5 sts. 14th–16th rows K. 17th row K1, sk2po, k1. 3 sts. 18th row K. Bind off. Center Using B, cast on 16 sts. Bind off. Finishing Sew petals together in pairs, then position one pair over the other in a cross formation and secure. Coil center into a tight spiral and sew base to the center. Using C, work a ring of straight stitches radiating from the flower center, then work French knots around the outer edge of the stitched ring. Maintain the petals in a cup shape with a small stitch behind pairs of petals. Stitch Explanation: Sk2po - Slip 2 stitches as if to knit together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over Ssk - Slip stitch then knit 1 and pass slipped stitch over.