I have to admit, I am always attracted to articles that share the science behind what I know deep down to be true: the work I do with my hands is good for my soul. I know that sitting down with needle and thread calms me, gives me the same reflective mood that mediation can, helps me get into a “zone” that almost nothing else in my life can. Sometimes, this is hard to explain to those who are not stitchers.
I have a somewhat standard line. “Needlework in my life is what gardening or yoga or time with kids is for other people.” And something about the words “gardening” or, especially, “yoga” and more people in the world get it, even if they don’t do those things themselves. Needlework? Not so very often.
Recently, I came across this article titled “How craft is good for our health.”
I appreciated the links that led me in a number of directions (i.e. more articles about this topic). Here are a few sentences from the article that really clicked with me:
Crafts such as knitting, crochet, weaving, ceramics, needlework and woodwork focus on repetitive actions and a skill level that can always be improved upon
What unites almost all of these studies, is that while the practice of craft, especially those such as knitting, quilting, needlework and woodworking, may at first appear to be relatively private activities, the benefits also substantially arise from the social connections craft enables.
One of the strengths of craft practice, especially as a contributor to well-being, is precisely that it can be both solitary and collective, and it’s up to the individual to decide
While there’s much more work to be done here, it’s clear craft continues to play a key role in enhancing the quality of life of those who participate in its practices.
Perhaps you’ll enjoy this as well.