mindfulness – Sycamore Cove Knitting

The Rhythms of Knitting – Patterns Are Not Just For Show

January 7, 2024Cynthia Coe

Recently, I found myself happily knitting in a 1-2-3, 1-2-3 pattern. I had been a bit down in the dumps, but knitting in this simple pattern actually made me feel better.

In the world of knitting, there’s more to those numbers in your patterns than meets the eye. Beyond the stitch counts and repeats lies a fascinating realm of numerical rhythms that not only enhance the aesthetics of your creations but also contribute to a sense of calm and mindfulness.

Knitting has long been celebrated for its therapeutic qualities, and the incorporation of numerical patterns adds another layer to this experience. Engaging in rhythmic and repetitive activities, like following numerical patterns in knitting, induces a relaxation response. This effect is akin to the calm achieved through meditation. The focus required to execute a pattern, combined with the tactile experience of working with yarn, creates a meditative state that eases stress and fosters mindfulness.

The beauty of the rhythms we experience in knitting lies not just in its visual appeal but in the comfort it brings to the knitter. The predictability and order of this sequence provide a structured flow, allowing the mind to enter a state of relaxation. As you navigate through your project, the rhythmic counting becomes a soothing mantra, transforming the act of knitting into a mindful practice.

Whether you’re a seasoned knitter or just starting, exploring the world of numerical rhythms can add a new dimension to your crafting experience. So, the next time you find yourself immersed in the rhythm of your pattern – whether a simple 1-2-3, 1-2-3 or something far more complex – know that you’re not just creating a beautiful piece – you’re also weaving a tapestry of calmness and mindfulness.

Blessings on your knitting, Cindy

Cynthia Coe is the author of The Prayer Shawl Chronicles, a collection of interrelated short stories about knitters and those they meet through knitting and sharing prayer shawls.

Be sure to check out my newly published A Prayer Shawl Handbook: Inspiration and Resources for Your Prayer Shawl Ministry, now available in paperback and e-book editions and included in Kindle Unlimited.

For an easy 1-2-3 pattern like the one described in this blog post, try the “Trinity Moss Stitch” pattern in my new book!

Confessions of a Hand Knitter: I Still Wear Store-Bought Sweaters

September 14, 2023September 14, 2023Cynthia Coe

“Did you make that?” Someone asked me recently, admiring a new cardigan with intricate cable work, made of tiny laceweight yarn. “Uh, no,” I replied sheepishly. My admirer gasped. “YOU bought a sweater at a STORE?!”

Yes. I, an avid knitter and maker of pullover and cardigan sweaters, still buy sweaters at stores.

It all goes down to eyesight. I’ve worn glasses since I was seven years old, moving from nearsightedness as a nerdy child with her head in a book, to a middle-aged woman needing “progressives” to see up close. Knitting with the fine weight yarns I prefer to wear has never been a good fit for me.

Then there’s the time factor. In my experience, knitting a large garment using fingerling or lace weight yarn takes FOREVER. Between the frustration of squinting to see stitches and the difficulty of correcting mistakes while using threadlike yarn, I’m usually done with dealing with such yarns as the project extends beyond several weeks.

But I do admire fine weight knitted fabrics, intricate patterns, and complicated cable work. I admire buttons sewn on just-so with an abundance of sturdy thread, ribbon backings on the button bands and perfect pockets. Could I make these garments with such advanced techniques myself? Maybe not. There’s a reason people started manufacturing sweaters, right?

Just last week, I bought a cardigan sweater at a well-known retailer while traveling to New Haven, Connecticut for my son’s wedding. I spied a cream-colored cardigan with abundant bobbles along the sides of the button bands, crisp ribbon facings, elegant gold buttons, and cables that would make me pull my hair out if I attempted to knit them myself. It fit perfectly and felt oh-so-luscious on my arms. So heck yeah, I bought it!

As a knitter, I confess I am primarily a meditative knitter. I knit to zone out, to find a place and space of calm and peacefulness. I knit to keep my fingers from fidgeting when I want to think or pray or just take a break from the busy-ness of real life.

And I also confess to buying great knit pieces at the store…especially when they’re on sale and look terrific on me!

Peace, Cindy

Cynthia Coe is the author of The Prayer Shawl Chronicles, interrelated stories about knitters and those for whom they knit and love. The sequel to this book, The Knitting Guild of All Saints, has been released! Available in paperback and on Kindle, included in Kindle Unlimited.

Knit A Prayer Shawl For Yourself – Take Care of Your Own Soul

February 28, 2023March 2, 2023Cynthia Coe

A couple weeks ago, while taking a class at a local yarn shop, I spotted some blush pink, wool yarn with tiny black flecks spun into it. The yarn spoke to me – the soft pink reminded me of early springtime here in Southern Appalachia, with the soft pinks of cherry trees soon making their appearance. The black flecks reminded me of the black ashes I would soon have traced in the shape of a cross on my forehead for Ash Wednesday.

After hearing a call to personal growth during the Ash Wednesday service last week, I decided to make a prayer shawl just for me with this pink and black flecked yarn. I had made numerous prayer shawls for others this past year, but I reminded myself that my soul needed attention, too. Those of us active in our churches tend to find ourselves very busy ministering to other people. We serve as greeters and lectors, pack up Christmas gifts for the homeless, attend committee meetings and generally lend a listening ear or a warm hug to those in need in our communities. Lent is a time not to forget all those tasks, but to remember that you need to work on yourself, too.

My personal prayer shawl, like those I make for others, uses a simple pattern I don’t have to think about. I’m using a triple moss stitch – 3 knits, 3 purls, repeat – so that I can both zone out of day-to-day life but still stay alert enough to think and focus on my spiritual issues. We all need a fairly simple pattern for our lives, I think. We need structure and a pattern that doesn’t overwhelm us, one that keeps us from veering into chaos. But we need to keep ourselves alert and at least a little challenged as well.

This Lent, as I sit quietly knitting my pale pink prayer shawl, speckled with the black ashes of Lent, I think about how far I’ve come since becoming widowed 2 years ago. I also think about the challenges and personal growth I still need to work on. Like the progress on my personal prayer shawl, I’ve made much progress, and I’m developing into a recognizable shape. But I’ve still got a good bit of work in front of me. With God’s help, each day this Lenten season, I’ll spend a few minutes each day in quiet knitting and prayer. I’ll work on the fabric of my life, watching it grow and stretch into something complete and whole, one stitch at a time.

With Blessings for a Holy Lent, Cindy

Knitting and Mindfulness

September 13, 2019Cynthia Coe

Take a deep breath, take a seat, and just knit. As knitters, most of us know the secret to winding down, tuning out, and experiencing a deep sense of calm.

Many people call this experience “mindfulness.” It’s something crafters have known and practiced for hundreds if not thousands of years. If you do a Google search for the definition of “mindfulness,” you find this: “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”

Sound familiar? Knitting allows you to put everyday cares aside, focus simply on the movement of your hands, and truly live in the moment of whether you need to be knitting or purling at this specific second of your life. Some of us need an intricate pattern to accomplish this. Others of us use a simple pattern we know by heart. It all accomplishes the same thing, the state of mind we now call mindfulness.

Hope you’re having a wonderfully calm day of knitting and mindfulness, Cindy