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Practicing Self-Care (with yarn!)

Writer's picture: Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)

Updated: Jan 18

I have been thinking about self-care practices in general, and observing people as well as self-reflecting for many years. This blog post is intended to be a helpful addition to any self-help journey you may be on - with or without (gasp!) yarn.

yarn, hearts, knitting, crochet, garland
Picture found here: A Wonderful Thought

I had the great good fortune to have spent a lot of time in my early years with elderly relatives. I had grandparents, aunts, uncles and even several great-grandparents with whom I spent time on a regular basis. Being in healthcare professionally, I have also met many elderly folks at various stages of their lives. Since entering a phase that I am referring to as my "non-youth years" I tap into those years and people for wisdom, advice and guidance on thriving in this new (to me) normal. One thing I have noticed - as have many others - is that it is not unusual for people to experience isolation as they age. To help us avoid isolation in later years, I recommend beginning to create "patterns of participation" that will become familiar over time, making it easier continue them as we get older.

Patterns of participation

Some of us enjoy being a part of large groups of people, and regularly participate in activities with groups in which we belong. Others of us, however, are more solitary. Neither is "right" or "wrong" but if we align more with the "solitary" description, we should recognize that we may have more prep-work to do in our early "non-youth" years to ensure that we do not wind up living in isolation, later in our lives. When it comes to participation as a prescription, it helps to remember that variety is the spice of life! In the crochet and knitting world, there are MANY options for participation. I will list a few, but my list is not exhaustive. I am certain that there are a lot of opportunities out there that I haven't come across yet. Let's explore a few of the ones I know about, and if you know of others, please post in the comments!

In person

The opportunities for in-person engagement will vary based on where we live, and the resources available. If there is a LOCAL YARN SHOP around, that's the first place to look. If that's not an option, ask/look around for knitting or crochet circles that gather at local coffee shops, the public library or in a church, mosque or synagogue. The therapeutic benefits of simply being with a group of knitters and crocheters should not be underestimated! Since there are generally no required goals or tasks, this is as low-pressure as it gets and can be a wonderful first entrance into more socialization. Another option similar to these groups is taking a class. We can ALWAYS learn something new - even if we consider ourselves to be an "expert" in something. As a college faculty member for almost 25 years now, I can report that every year, in every class, I learn SOMETHING from my students. We're NEVER too old/skilled/smart to learn something new. PLUS, it's good for our brains to keep learning! The options for seeking out a class also apply to finding a crochet/knitting circle, and a local "big box" craft store (think Michael's or Joann) may also offer classes. Yarn Crawls are another way to get out and about. These offer a bit more distance if we are not ready to hang out, up close and personal, with people we don't know (yet). We can visit local yarn shops, chat with people we may - or may not - know, see the latest trends in yarn and boost our brain health. Another positive factor of a yarn crawl is that stores are ready and waiting for people to stop by. They are energized and welcoming - especially during these events - which can ease any awkward feelings if we are just dipping our toes in the "getting-out-and-about" waters. AND,...we may even find a crochet/knitting circle, class or other yarn-themed social outing to put on our calendar. Did you know that even brief interactions with people are beneficial to our health? According to decades of research on social interactions and health, "...having a diverse network of strong and weak ties is physically and psychologically protective." Strong ties are close friends and family while weak ties are defined as those casual interactions we have with people with whom we are not close. Weak ties can be as brief as a fellow shopper we chat with while standing in line at the grocery store, or the barista we see every morning when we pick up our Cafe Latte or even the fellow knitter or crocheter we meet on the Yarn Crawl! The combination of regular interactions with people we know AND brief chats with people we meet in our day-to-day travels is the magic mix that boosts our health; and to achieve this magical benefit, we have to get out and about!


Online/virtual

The forward march of technology has opened many avenues for connecting with people who live in our communities, across the globe and everywhere in between. These options are wonderful and kept a lot of us sane - especially during the early months of the pandemic when it seemed that everything was closed and hanging out was risky. Thankfully, the virtual offerings did not disappear once the virus was tamed, and we have CHOICES: in person, virtual or a combination! As with the in-person options, there are online CLASSES and crochet/knitting groups that meet over video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Teams, etc.), There are also Crochet-A-Longs (CAL) and Knit-A-Longs (KAL). Some of these are MYSTERY CAL/KAL events, where you know very little about the project until the start of the event. Others are less mysterious and more tailored toward group interaction in the completion of a project. I'm signed up to participate in a make-a-long that begins on Monday (November 6th). I've secured the yarn to make the PONCHO (crocheted). This is not billed as a mystery CAL/KAL (knitters are making a sweater), and promises to get us through the majority of the poncho in 3 weeks! The much-loved Marly Bird is hosting this, and you can learn more here. ALSO,... it's FREE! Other online options include participating in groups (think Facebook) dedicated to crochet or knitting. Again, the research on social interactions have shown that even the "weak ties" of online community contacts serve an important role in combatting the detrimental effects of isolation. Additional research on this topic has ALSO shown that establishing and maintaining contact with diverse networks (strong ties and weak ties) "...may influence our physical health" for the better. Some yarn shops host virtual gatherings that are not a CAL/KAL or class, but an hour of yarn-socialization with a purpose. Longmont Yarn Shoppe in Colorado began Fiberside Chats back in 2020, and they've continued to be popular and well-attended. There are certainly MANY other online/virtual happenings, and I'd love to hear about any that I have not mentioned. Leave a comment or send me an email!

Start small


If you want to start getting out more, don't overwhelm yourself by taking on too much at once. Start with 1 activity in a location or venue where you're comfortable - online or in-person. See how that goes, and check in with yourself: what did you enjoy? Ask yourself if you'd go again. If so, make a plan. If not, think about the reasons, and plan a DIFFERENT venture. Don't give up and go back into your cave. Some of you may be scratching your heads and asking how any visit to a yarn activity could be anything but AWESOME. All yarn shops have a personality. Most are welcoming and warm and wonderful, but in a handful of others, there is a definite sense that their preference is for knitters/knitting. For the timid crocheter, on a day when they may be feeling vulnerable, the energy of "Oh,... you're a crocheter" may be enough to send them running for home, thinking that this getting out and about was a TERRIBLE idea. As someone who knits and crochets, this makes me CRAZY! Knitting and crochet are BOTH fiber arts that require skill and perseverance to learn and practice. One is not "better" or more "worthy" than the other. SO,... if you have the misfortune of stumbling into a shop where this energy is in the air, it's not you - it's them. Shake the yarn scraps off your sandals and find another shop where you will be welcomed and valued. Thankfully, the shops where we are all valued outnumber the other ones. Lastly, self-care requires that we be intentional. It doesn't just happen. We're coming to the end of 2023, and before any of us is ready, the New Year will be upon us. The New Year season is a great time to start a new habit. Look at your calendar, and be honest about what you can do in terms of time and resources. Then, make a commitment to yourself to do at least 1 yarn-themed event each month. Some of these will be simple, online interactions (join a Knitting or Crocheting Facebook group!) while others may require getting out and going somewhere. This isn't a marathon and no one is keeping score. This is for YOU! We are responsible for our own health and well-being. While there are no shortcuts or quick fixes, there are many paths to a better place, sprinkled with bits of yarn, and like-minded fellow travelers. Give yourself the gift of a habit that supports your overall health and well-being: add more social steps to your yarn journey! The options are almost endless, and when yarn is involved - they're always fun!

 

(C) 2023 Stitch 'n Dish



NOTE: While my recommendations are specific to knitting and crochet, the general advice can be applied to just about ANY creative pursuit.


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