I’m so jealous of your progress! I started knitting last February and within a week got a repetitive wrist injury that didn’t get better with switching methods. I’ve been trying to heal it all year but it’s rebounded! All the while, I’m obsessively wondering when I can return. Your sentence about obsessively thinking about yarn so resonated with me. I still think about it, yet have no experience. For ref, I have pots, cfs and easily hurt my joints but apparently don’t have a hypermobility disorder according to doctors. My life story aside, I’ve noticed that the different methods of knitting feel different in my body. English feels like poetry and flows while continental feels oppressive, like I’m a machine or somehow fighting the movement of my soul. Portuguese is lovely, and the one I want to return to because it contains poetry and dance, like English, but was easier on my hands. Anyway, I love where your thoughts are headed on this. Looking forward to more
That sucks, it’s so frustrating to have to stop for a long time! I love what you’re saying about the different styles, my favorite so far is Portuguese because it feels the best for my hands too, and I like how putting the yarn around my neck makes me feel like my whole body is part of it.
I’ve never been able to grasp knitting/crochet but machine sewing, cross-stitch, embroidery? Absolutely. I’ve finally gotten to the point I can hold a conversation while doing any of those and I feel amazing about that.
I started learning to sew last year too!! But then my machine broke 😩sort of hoping if I leave it alone long enough I will turn it back on one day and it will have fixed itself… 🤞
Depending on the model, sometimes that’s it! But as someone with four vintage sewing machines… your best bet is usually dusting it, checking the tension, then adding a teeny (so teeny!) bit of sewing machine oil in parts the model will allow (sadly the places are not universal or consistent amongst brands). But do that on a day you don’t intend on using it, just give yourself some time to say hello again and listen to it.
It also made me think (sans knitting needles, I'm afraid)...
Ancestrally, any cognitive problem-solving likely also involved physical activity.
Hunting and foraging have both mental and physical components. Even social conversation (a cognitive activity) likely took place alongside other physical chores, for the sake of efficiency.
Maybe our brains evolved such that cognition *needs* complementary motor action – a way to balance nervous system inputs.
And you've naturally found a way to restore that balance and quieten some of the unnecessary mental inputs.
Love the brain explanation for why I love knitting and beading. Multitasking impossible. Conversation welcomed. Silence and alone just as yummy when needed. And having “third place” ? I had to look it up. Used to be church, or bowling, or sports gathering. A place to belong. Lovely. Thank you. 🧶Cynthia
i am one of a 4th(known..) generation of female crafters with adhd and i feel like i've been waiting for this article for my entire life.. you made sense of something i have ali am one of a 4th(known..) generation of female crafters with adhd and i feel like i've been waiting for this article for my entire life.. you made sense of something i have always known deep down but not yet articulated, thank youways known deep down but not yet articulated, thank you
I have a long going project which I take on train or coach journeys. It is a simple triangular shawl. I knit it, starting with 5 stitches, increasing at the start of each row with a wrap round after the first stitch, then knitting to the end of the row. Using multi coloured yarn produces stripes of increasing depth as the triangle grows larger. I knit until it is large enough to warm shoulders and back, then cast off, and decide either to donate to the next local summer or Christmas fair, or give it as a birthday present. Progress is slow, they can take months, years even, and I refer to them as everlasting shawls.....I've knitted in meetings to indicate my irritation at wasted time and boredom, I've knitted in A&E to subdue
This is so cool! I've also gotten into different fiber arts in the last few years. I really love making pot holders on a loom and darning -- both very simple under-over weaving patterns. Similarly, sashiko-style stitching (which is very tiny, and very repetitive.) It's what I do if I am listening to a podcast or audiobook, or having a long conversation on the phone.
I love the idea of attention being CREATED by what a person's hands and eyes are doing. The whole concept of the mind extending outside the brain to include the hands, actions, environments, and tools is AMAZING.
As an autistic person who went through an intense crafting phase recently, this really registered. My favorite mix was sewing while listening to an audiobook. It was a peak level of stimulation.
about this you should read about the soviet philosopher and psychologist evald ilyenkov, watch the “talking hands” documentary on YouTube, they developed the concept of thinging long before it started to become relevant in the west https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WFuQVZhCiAA&pp=ygUodGFsa2luZyBoYW5kcyBldmFsZCBpbHllbmtvdiBkb2N1bWVudGFyeQ%3D%3D
I am a doodler- many annoyed managers etc have been left in my wake from doing this in meetings.
Absolutely loved reading this & looking forward to deep diving into the concept more, thank you so much for writing this!
I’m so jealous of your progress! I started knitting last February and within a week got a repetitive wrist injury that didn’t get better with switching methods. I’ve been trying to heal it all year but it’s rebounded! All the while, I’m obsessively wondering when I can return. Your sentence about obsessively thinking about yarn so resonated with me. I still think about it, yet have no experience. For ref, I have pots, cfs and easily hurt my joints but apparently don’t have a hypermobility disorder according to doctors. My life story aside, I’ve noticed that the different methods of knitting feel different in my body. English feels like poetry and flows while continental feels oppressive, like I’m a machine or somehow fighting the movement of my soul. Portuguese is lovely, and the one I want to return to because it contains poetry and dance, like English, but was easier on my hands. Anyway, I love where your thoughts are headed on this. Looking forward to more
That sucks, it’s so frustrating to have to stop for a long time! I love what you’re saying about the different styles, my favorite so far is Portuguese because it feels the best for my hands too, and I like how putting the yarn around my neck makes me feel like my whole body is part of it.
Loved this. Knitting gives me something to do when I am sitting still that stops me from picking my skin!
I’ve never been able to grasp knitting/crochet but machine sewing, cross-stitch, embroidery? Absolutely. I’ve finally gotten to the point I can hold a conversation while doing any of those and I feel amazing about that.
I started learning to sew last year too!! But then my machine broke 😩sort of hoping if I leave it alone long enough I will turn it back on one day and it will have fixed itself… 🤞
Depending on the model, sometimes that’s it! But as someone with four vintage sewing machines… your best bet is usually dusting it, checking the tension, then adding a teeny (so teeny!) bit of sewing machine oil in parts the model will allow (sadly the places are not universal or consistent amongst brands). But do that on a day you don’t intend on using it, just give yourself some time to say hello again and listen to it.
Great article. I love your creations.
It also made me think (sans knitting needles, I'm afraid)...
Ancestrally, any cognitive problem-solving likely also involved physical activity.
Hunting and foraging have both mental and physical components. Even social conversation (a cognitive activity) likely took place alongside other physical chores, for the sake of efficiency.
Maybe our brains evolved such that cognition *needs* complementary motor action – a way to balance nervous system inputs.
And you've naturally found a way to restore that balance and quieten some of the unnecessary mental inputs.
This tracks. My way too fast brain needs to talk about knitting and then to do some actual knitting.
Love the brain explanation for why I love knitting and beading. Multitasking impossible. Conversation welcomed. Silence and alone just as yummy when needed. And having “third place” ? I had to look it up. Used to be church, or bowling, or sports gathering. A place to belong. Lovely. Thank you. 🧶Cynthia
i am one of a 4th(known..) generation of female crafters with adhd and i feel like i've been waiting for this article for my entire life.. you made sense of something i have ali am one of a 4th(known..) generation of female crafters with adhd and i feel like i've been waiting for this article for my entire life.. you made sense of something i have always known deep down but not yet articulated, thank youways known deep down but not yet articulated, thank you
nerves and concern.
I have a long going project which I take on train or coach journeys. It is a simple triangular shawl. I knit it, starting with 5 stitches, increasing at the start of each row with a wrap round after the first stitch, then knitting to the end of the row. Using multi coloured yarn produces stripes of increasing depth as the triangle grows larger. I knit until it is large enough to warm shoulders and back, then cast off, and decide either to donate to the next local summer or Christmas fair, or give it as a birthday present. Progress is slow, they can take months, years even, and I refer to them as everlasting shawls.....I've knitted in meetings to indicate my irritation at wasted time and boredom, I've knitted in A&E to subdue
This is so cool! I've also gotten into different fiber arts in the last few years. I really love making pot holders on a loom and darning -- both very simple under-over weaving patterns. Similarly, sashiko-style stitching (which is very tiny, and very repetitive.) It's what I do if I am listening to a podcast or audiobook, or having a long conversation on the phone.
I love the idea of attention being CREATED by what a person's hands and eyes are doing. The whole concept of the mind extending outside the brain to include the hands, actions, environments, and tools is AMAZING.
YES!!! This is awesome. People don't get why I have so many many hobbies but you make it make sense with this. Also your knitting is beautiful!!
As an autistic person who went through an intense crafting phase recently, this really registered. My favorite mix was sewing while listening to an audiobook. It was a peak level of stimulation.
I wrote about craft and cognition recently from a different angle, as a preverbal mode of creating. I’d love to hear what you think: https://www.strangeclarity.com/p/passing-from-words-to-matter
Fascinated by this, I recently picked up crochet as a person with anxiety and ADHD and have had the same experience as you