Apr
24

Stitch Away Stress: A Mindful Approach to 3 Knit & Crochet Patterns

Stitch Away Stress with Mindful Knitting Patterns

Stitch Away Stress: A mindful approach to 3 stitch patterns.

This week on Ask Me Monday, I teamed up with my friends at Clover Needlecrafts in support of the Craft Yarn Council‘s #StitchAwayStress initiative. Our focus is how by approaching a few simple stitch patterns in a more mindful way, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the meditative state of knitting and crochet. Here are 3 exercises for mindful stitching.

Materials

Any yarn 

Clover Takumi Bamboo Needles (for #1 & #2) — Warming bamboo is good for the soul!

Clover Amour Hook (for #3) — Cushioned handles makes for a comfortable experience.

Exercise 1:Breath in, knit out.

Rib Stitch (Knitting)

CO a multiple of 2 + 1.

Sitting comfortably and focusing on breathing in and out with each stitch, begin knitting while chanting (either in your head or out loud) as follows:

Knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1…

Repeat until the end of the row, turn piece and resume meditation. Since we added that +1 stitch, there won’t be a break in your “knit 1, purl 1” mantra as you’ll end the right-side row with a “knit 1” and resume on the wrong-side with a “purl one”.

Exercise 2: Open Stitch, open heart.

Lace (Knitting) 

CO a multiple of 3.

Sitting comfortably and focusing on breath and an open heart, begin knitting while chanting (either in your head or out loud) as follows:

Knit 1, yarn-over, knit two together; knit 1, yarn-over, knit two together…

Repeat until the end of the row, turn piece and resume meditation.

Stitch Away Stress with Vickie Howell's Exercises for Mindful Knitting & Crochet!

Exercise 3: 

Half-double Crochet (U.S. term)

Chain any number + 2. 

Set-up row: Hdc in the 3rd ch from hook and across. Turn.

Since the construction of crochet stitches is more complex than a knit stitch, it’s helpful to focus on the individual moves within the stitch for purposes of meditation. For that purpose, I’ve written out the half-double crochet (hdc) stitch mantra in moves.

Sitting comfortably and focusing on breath, begin knitting while chanting (either in your head or out loud) as follows:

Chain 2, in next stitch: [yarn-over insert hook, yarn-over pull through 1, yarn-over pull through 3], [yarn-over insert hook, yarn-over pull through 1, yarn-over pull through 3]…

VARIATION:  [yarn-over insert hook, yarn-over pull through loop, yarn-over pull through loops], [yarn-over insert hook, yarn-over pull through loop, yarn-over pull through loops]

Watch the mindfulness approach to these patterns explained in this episode of Ask Me Monday!

 

Breath in; craft out.

xx, Vickie

filed under Clover, Knitting/Crochet.

6 Responses to “Stitch Away Stress: A Mindful Approach to 3 Knit & Crochet Patterns”

  1. Renee Johnson

    Hi Vickie,

    I’m so GLAD that you post your “Ask Me Monday” show for people like me that don’t always get to watch and interact with your Live show. I really like your Live show on Facebook because it helps me so much to be a Better Knitter & Crocheter. I learn a lot from you, so Thank You so much for providing such an Awesome outlet from some of life’s overwhelming issues. The Mantra that really helps me a lot to stay focus is just sitting down with yarn & needle in hand and turning on one of your informative tutorials/ videos to knit or crochet. I’m very excited about the Kick-Start project & pray that it all works out. Keep up the Great work that you do, God has you here for a reason! Thank you Vickie!

  2. Maureen

    Hi— I saw only part of your show on WDSC in Central Florida. I turned on the TV and missed the name of your guest. She was explaining her “mindfulness” way of knitting by taking it seemed 8 different color skeins of yarn, which she arranged by light color to dark color — they did not have to be in the same color family. Then she used a half-linen or linen stitch and started with the lightest color for two rows then switched to the next color etc.

    At least that is what I thought she said. You both referred to a book she authored which I believe contains the pattern.

    Can you give me the book’s name or the correct pattern. I just want to make a scarf in that type pattern, I am intrigued by the entire concept. Thanks very much. Maureen

  3. Mary ann

    Pattern for pink shawl worn on show aired May 17th.

    • Mary ann

      Pattern for pink shawl worn on show aired May 17th