Benefits of Knitting

Yarn Therapy: The Great Benefits of Knitting

When we hear the expression “knitting”, we often imagine the classic image of an elderly lady working with balls of yarn to make a sweater for a loved one… In reality, this image is far from the truth. Today, knitting has become a real social phenomenon, offering great benefits for both physical and mental health.

In this article, we would like to invite you to discover all the benefits of this traditional, creative and at the same time magical hobby. What do you say—shall we pick up the needles?

Why Is Knitting Good for the Brain?

One stitch to the left, one to the right, choose this colour of yarn, pass it over… Knitting is not easy and cannot be learned in just a moment. It requires rhythm, mental agility and constant hand movement. It is not only about the satisfaction of seeing a finished colourful scarf or gifting a sweater to a loved one, or even creating a unique bag that no one else has.

Knitting has become a social phenomenon that many call “yarn therapy”: an activity with countless health benefits and recommended for everyone—adults, children, young people, seniors, men, women, people with behavioural or motor difficulties, and stressed individuals.

Below you will find all the information you need about yarn therapy.

Stimulates Both Hemispheres of the Brain

The simple act of passing the yarn from one needle to the other greatly improves our brain coordination. Depending on the complexity of the pattern we are working on, mental dexterity increasingly strengthens rhythm and coordination.

Surprisingly, knitting is also therapeutic for those who suffer from motor disorders. It has also been shown that the mental health of children with disorders improves when they are encouraged to concentrate on a specific activity such as knitting. For this reason, teaching this wonderful art to children is highly valuable. It is certainly no longer just a “grandma’s hobby”!

Reduces Stress

Many people meet up in parks to knit together. They sit on benches, take out their colourful yarn and needles, and knit while relaxing and chatting, or simply focusing on their hands and reflecting on their thoughts and worries.

Knitting is relaxing. This simple manual activity and the level of concentration it requires promote a peaceful state of mind that improves the wellbeing of stressed or anxious people.

Improves Mood

As mentioned before, many people come together to knit and talk while they work. This helps with socialising, making new friends and relaxing… But you don’t even need to leave your home to enjoy knitting. Even on your own, you can quietly enjoy your thoughts and increase the production of endorphins that help you relax and experience a wonderful sense of wellbeing.

Improves Manual Dexterity

At least once, you have probably been amazed watching your grandmothers knit with such agile hands while creating beautiful handmade works of art with yarn and needles. Perhaps they suffer from arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome, yet their hands and fingers move with remarkable ease.

Knitting forces us to keep our hands moving, preventing stiffness and rigidity. Moving the hands warms them up and reduces pain. Ideally, we should knit for at least one hour a day. This way, arthritis pain, for example, would not be as intense.

In children, it has been proven that knitting improves fine motor skills. It also helps improve handwriting and makes them more skilful.

Boosts Self-Esteem

Surprised? How can such a simple activity as knitting improve our emotional wellbeing so much? Knitting is not just a pastime; it also involves setting a goal: finishing a pair of gloves, a sweater or a fashionable jacket. Reaching your goal and completing a project is extremely rewarding—it means setting a target and achieving it.

This comes in addition to the joy of giving someone you love a handmade knitted item. It is much more than a simple gift: you are offering the time you invested, your imagination, your creativity and all the feelings you stitched into every single centimetre of fabric.

There is no doubt: knitting is no longer just an old-fashioned activity practised by grandmothers. It brings generations together and is a tradition with powerful therapeutic benefits. We often talk about the benefits of a daily half-hour walk or a glass of warm lemon water. Today, however, we have a new piece of advice for your health: start knitting!