The Power of Knitting

Our grandmothers were onto something with knitting and crocheting. It appears that the repetitive nature of needlework can induce a similar relaxed state to meditation and yoga, and the stress relief that comes with it is one of the major reasons it’s becoming so popular among younger American women, according to the American Craft Yarn Council. The Council says its surveys have revealed that up to a third of women aged between 25 and 35 now knit, as they discover the delights of the craft thanks to social media and craft-oriented sites such as Pinterest and Etsy. In a recent tracking study of more 3,100 crocheters and knitters, the Council found out why: it provides a sense of accomplishment (93 percent of respondents), it reduces stress (85 percent), improves mood (68 percent) and raises self-confidence (56 percent). When you look at the large amount of supportive science behind knitting, it becomes obvious the health benefits have been known for a long time. Knitting does everything from staving off brain function decline, to improving memory. But it’s taken a new, younger generation of women discovering its delights by social media to dispel its association with growing old.