Book Review – Mindful Knitting

Knitting is a relaxing and calming activity that can help reduce stress and soothe the mind. The repetitive motions of knitting and the focus it requires can help to absorb attention and distract from unwanted thoughts. The book “Mindful Knitting: 35 creative and calming patterns to reduce stress and soothe the mind” offers 35 meditative knitting patterns that use color, repetition, and texture to enhance the calming effect of knitting.

These patterns are specially designed to incorporate calming repetition and different textures, as well as mood-boosting bright colors and soothing pastel shades. These projects are suitable for beginners through to experienced knitters. As you knit, you can focus on the present moment, letting the click of the needles and the rhythm of the stitches help you to be in the moment, bringing you calmness and a sense of wellbeing.

Many of the projects in the book make ideal gifts, bringing you satisfaction and positivity as you knit them for other people. There are also homewares included such as a mandala pillow and a meditation garland that you can create to inspire your environment, as well as cozy accessories and garments to allow you to focus on yourself. All the techniques and stitches you will need are explained with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step artworks.

In summary, knitting is a meditative activity that can bring calmness and a sense of wellbeing by requiring focus, incorporating calming repetition and different textures, as well as mood-boosting colors. The book “Mindful Knitting: 35 creative and calming patterns to reduce stress and soothe the mind” offers 35 such patterns that you can use to destress and unwind.

Get it here: Mindful Knitting: 35 creative and calming patterns to reduce stress and soothe the mind

A few years ago I wrote a post that was full of patterns for knit mushrooms, but I don’t think I ever did a post that was knitting patterns with mushrooms on them, so today’s the day.

I love the Fungi Beanie from Jacki Bean, which calls for worsted weight yarn and uses duplicate stitch to add the mushrooms and other details. I think the colors she used for the design are tonal/multicolor so it doesn’t use as many colors as it looks like, but you can use whatever red, green, brown and white yarn you have in your stash for those details.

How about some mushroom socks? The Magic Toadstool sock form Stone Knits includes a ring of mushrooms around the leg, contrasting heel and toe and a little more colorwork at the toe for extra cuteness. As shown it uses four colors and comes in three sizes.

Or there’s the Fairy Ring Socks from Katie Green, which have mushrooms of two sizes on the legs, plus a bit of wavy grass. They have a contrasting cuff, heel and toe and some colorwork flecks in the body of the sock as well. This one is available in eight sizes to fit everyone from a baby to an XL adult.

This trippy cowl from Hunt Hand Knits looks like a lot of fun to knit. The Fungus Among Us Cowl is shown using four colors of DK weight yarn, though you can do it with as few as two if you’d rather.

Stitch some mushroom mittens with this cute pattern from Holly C Watson. This design uses three colors, and it’s shown with a self-striping yarn on the mushroom caps, which makes the colors change without you having to do any work. The pattern is charted but it’s a pretty easy repeat. The mittens are one size.

If you don’t feel like knitting mushrooms but still want to give your project a touch of the forest, the Toadstools Cardigan from Julie Taylor may be what you’re looking for. It’s stitched as a plain cardigan worked in DK weight yarn and sized for newborns up to 4 years old. The mushrooms are added with embroidery and the pattern includes the design, which you can trace onto water soluble stabilizer to stitch the mushrooms onto your sweater. Or anything else you want. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

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