Which Is More Meditative?
When it comes to yarn-crafts, which is more meditative? Knitting? Crochet? Spinning? Weaving? Tatting? Macrame?
I’ll Say Which Is More Meditative For Me
Given all the crazy shit happening with our government, the country is in dire need of healing. Lots of healing.
I find meditating to be a useful tool for personal healing. I also think that personal healing helps in more widespread healing. My general theory is simple. Greater clarity always brings more serenity. Even when it’s clarity about a tough issue. Greater clarity brings lets me understand what I can do and what I can’t. It clarifies important next steps. It also brings me a lot more peace when it comes to letting go of the things I can’t change.
Now to the question at hand. The most meditative yarn-practice is definitely not knitting for me. I often say that knitting feels more like a competitive sport to me than a meditative activity. I like that aspect of it. Spinning, on the other hand, has a certain rhythmic quality that brings me into a meditative space. Occupying my hands and my feet, and paying attention to the feel of wool moving between my fingers frees up a part of my mind to intuitively work through issues and worries.
But I’ve also found crochet works in the same way.
I don’t crochet as well as I knit. It requires more attention than knitting for me. I have to look at my work a lot more when I crochet. The combination of focus on stitching and the rhythmic nature of crochet definitely occupies the “monkey brain” for a while. It lets me wander into ruminating over what’s important. It lets me meditate.
How about you? What works best for you?
Current Crochet
I have to admit, there was an entire day where I took no joy in doing anything. I just wanted to stew in my own shitty thoughts. Kind of reboot. When I forced myself to pick up my current project, I was able to make some progress.
The April Showers Shawl has a two-row repeat for each row of “raindrops.” And each two-row repeat reduces the number of raindrops by one. I started at 59 raindrops and I’ve done 32 rows (or 16 row repeats), so I’m down to 43 raindrops.
With any luck and with hopefully a lot more healing meditation, I’ll have this gem finished sometime soon.
Spinning and simple weaving are both very calming for me.
Either knitting or crochet allows me to let go of what’s around me.
I won’t say you’ve “won me over” but your words combined with knitting a baby blanket that turns out to be a unforgiving monster, I have come to really appreciate the end being in sight.
So, I’ve downloaded April Showers. I’ve even thought about yarn.
Amen, I too have been in a fog lately. Knitting is my “make the voices stop” choice. However, the project controls how much silencing I need. Lace and Colorwork require focus, and don’t work when the voices or runaway thoughts are competing for processor time. For times when my thoughts are in control, it’s still knitting but something more mindless like one of my Beer Mitt coozies, a beanie, or rows and rows of stockinette scarf.
When I can find selfish silence and my mind is in a more relaxed and less tumultuous state, colorwork is my new passion.
I don’t want to think about any stuff going on. But something that is making me pretty chill this minute is seeing your gorgeous kitty!
Spinning and knitting socks. I’ve knit so many socks that now it is a matter of how long do I want to make them, and do I want to do any embellishing or let the yarn do the ‘heavy’ work.