Knit Together Workshop

My story with knitting … started before I knew it started. There are many photos of me dressed in the knitted hats, matching top and pants made for me by my grandmothers. Their carefully knitted garments kept me warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and oh my, I looked oh so cute.  (Wool is a fantastic temperature regulator!) I was surrounded by knitters from a very young age. 

My more conscious memories of me knitting are as an undergraduate in college. I was stressed, anxious and overwhelmed with my responsibilities (as many young adults are) and I needed a new avenue aside from swimming – which was my primary go-to – to cope. I needed something to help me cope with what felt out of my control (a lot). I asked my mom to re-teach me. She did, and by virtue of doing so, I made many scarves for my family and friends in college. Something happened in me by being able to see in front of me some kind of progress – even if it meant having been able to complete a row without having to ask my mom for help, and better yet, see that kind of progress worn by someone else. Providing someone in my life with a handknit garment – like my grandmothers had done for me. Knitting came to me then as a retreat and release. 

Later in life, knitting came to me in moments of grief – of losing those close to me and of change. I have often picked up yarn in these moments. In grief, it is hard to focus on just about anything. When I knit, I am able to focus on the knitting – on the pattern that I am trying to follow, on the way the yarn feels against my fingers … And yet, my mind and body often wander momentarily. I am in a flow. And sometimes, the yarn takes me on a journey of remembering. Remembering those who are no longer with me (and that’s okay too). 

My relationship with knitting has evolved through the years: both as I have become more confident in my knitting abilities, and as I have experienced grief, change and growth. It has been a constant source of calm for me and of connection. Often when I am knitting in public spaces, people approach me to tell me about the projects that they are working on, that they’ve always wanted to try, yet the practice feels too daunting, or that there is someone in their life who knits or crochets. Fiber connects us. 

I invite you, in whatever it is that made you look once or twice at this flyer, to step into this practice with curiosity, an openness to try (and try again), and embrace the power of knitting together. 

A few articles that talk about the benefits of knitting:

https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/the-health-benefits-of-knitting/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/jan/02/purls-of-wisdom-the-wellbeing-benefits-of-knitting-and-crocheting

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/26/opinion/knitting-healing.html

https://www.nursingtimes.net/education-and-training/therapeutic-knitting-as-a-strategy-to-reduce-anxiety-in-nursing-students-31-03-2025/

And for those who are interested in the science of knitting, here are some peer-reviewed articles:

Meehan, C., Nair, J. M., & Schlamb, C. (2025). Therapeutic knitting as a strategy to reduce anxiety in nursing students. Nursing Times, 121(4), 32-35.

Nordstrand, J., Birgitta Gunnarsson, A., & Häggblom-Kronlöf, G. (2024). Promoting health through yarncraft: Experiences of an online knitting group living with mental illness. Journal of Occupational Science, 31(3), 504-515.

Wolyniec, M. (2020). Knot Without You: Crafting in Social Groups and Subsequent Mental Health Benefits. Journal of Vincentian Social Action, 5(1), 10.