The Importance of Crafty Friends
Knit night or crafting nights with crafty friends can be a fulfilling part of life.
Have you ever gone to an event or meeting where the other people in the room share your interests? If you have, you know how welcoming it can feel.
Why is being with a group of people who share your crafting interests is so important? What is so important about fiber arts that they have endured centuries of fads? To start off I would like to share my "joining a knit group" story. I would like to share the reasons fiber buddies are so important to me.
Story Time!
When I was 24 I had my first child (to be joined later by his wonderful sister). He is amazing, of course. I fell in instant love with this little ball of joy, even though I was getting no sleep. Every one of my waking hours was spent with him. I crocheted with him sleeping in a bouncy, learned to knit in between feeding him, playing with him, and changing his diaper. My world was my husband, my son and my dog.
I was so happy that I had my little family, but something was going on with me. I was emotional, overwhelmed. Although I didn't know it at the time, I was suffering from postpartum depression. (And it took me years to figure out that I suffered from postpartum depression way back then) After one particularly trying day, I handed my son over to my husband as soon as my husband walked in the door, and then shut myself in my room to cry. My husband noticed how I was feeling and asked me if I would like to join some kind of knit group.
I took his suggestion to heart and found a knit group on Ravelry called "EW Knits" and decided to meet up with the North Spokane Knitters of the group. I stalked the thread for a little while, and then finally decided to go to a meet up. It was scary before I went in person. It felt a little bit like trying to jump in during double dutch jump rope.
Joining In
I had no idea what to expect, having not known anyone in the group in person. Up until then I had only jumped in the forum to say that I was going to head to "Chairs" (our old meeting place). Feeling nervous and excited, I walked in the door and introduced myself.
From the very first knit night I was hooked. The women were all wonderful, and amazing, and supportive. Conversation flowed because we all had common interests, and laughter and shenanigans ensued.
I know that everyone is different, but I personally started to feel less emotional at home. I was able to take a breath and feel centered. Going to knit night had broken through my postpartum depression. It helped me get back to myself. Crafty friends helped me out of my funk.
Our "knit night" group is still together more than 9 years after I joined. We do more than just knit. Among us, we cover a whole slew of crafts from crochet, embroidery, spinning, felting, and sewing. We support each others' new interests. We meet at the shop on Tuesday nights. Esther gave us a new home at The Hook and Needle Nook.
We have picked up members along the way and still love members who we see less often. It is an ongoing support system where we are more than just friends who like to knit and crochet together. We are important to each other and each of my knit night friends are vital in my life.
Mental Perks to Crafting with Others
My story is not the only one out there in which groups of amazing people with common interests has helped to enhance life, so I checked out the benefits of such groups. Here is what some of the research is saying about the mental benefits knitting/crocheting/crafting and having a common interest with a group of people.
To start with, fiber arts are great to help lower depression and anxiety. This is in part due to the social nature of working with fiber arts, and in part attributed to the act of creating. It is a stress reliever, and can heighten your good mood. Sometimes, if you get stuck on a pattern and you are alone, you can feel a little bit flustered, but if you craft in a group, you have help. You have someone to hold your hand and make you feel better if you have to rip rows out, or find your mistakes. You have emotional yarn support so to speak.
There are new studies to suggest that crafting can reduce or postpone things like Dementia and Alzheimer's. If you have ever done a complicated stitch pattern, you can see how the elasticity of your mind is tested, and this helps to keep your mind sharper longer.
Fiber art friends also reduce the feeling of isolation and loneliness. This one is kind of a no brainier and the reason for the article. You would not believe how much having someone to talk to about something you love makes you feel supported. No matter how many friends you may have, you can always use more.
At knit night, we find ourselves crafting away and talking animatedly about the great things and not so great things that happen in our lives. Sometimes we can help offer solutions to our friends, and sometimes it just feels good to talk about it and get it off our chests. Sometimes we get rowdy and laugh until we cry, and that is something essential to life as well.
Physical Differences
Yarn crafts can help with chronic pain. It may seem counter-intuitive, but there is a measurable physical relief that people get from knitting, crocheting or spinning. People with Rheumatoid Arthritis are often told by physicians to try and take up knitting for a certain amount of time each day, and I know a couple of people who greatly benefit from these positive effects.
How to Find and Meet up with Like Minded People
If all of this sounds amazing to you, but you have no idea where to begin, start with us! EDIT: (added for COVID) We are currently hosting a Zoom on Thursdays and Saturdays from 1 - 3 pm. We know that it is hard for people to not be together at a time like this and our Zoom conversations are fun and productive. Not to mention, if you have any questions we can help you! If you would like the meeting ID and PW Just send an email to Thehookandneedlenook@gmail.com with the subject line "I'd like to Zoom". We will send you all the information you need and get you all set up. We also have a sweater knit along coming up starting October 20th.
You do not need to be from a certain area or do a certain craft. We have fun with some knit-alongs, but it is not required!
Another way of finding a group to join is to check Ravelry for Groups. You can look at specific area meet ups, or you can find people who have the same interests as you! You can even find meet ups in your area (when the world is ready for meet ups again that is).
Loose Threads
All in all, if I ever had advice for anyone in life, it would be to find your crafting tribe. Find them and learn, and grow, and reap all of the benefits these amazing people can give you, and that you can give them. The other bit of advice that I would have is to be sure that you are in a group that fits you. No crafting group is quite the same, but you can be sure that there is one local to you that will fit your personality and style! I know I found mine and my life is all the richer for it.
Go forth and craft with fantastic people, and if you're in our area, come craft with us!
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