Knitting

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Using Knitting to Relax During Finals, Holidays

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University of Cincinnati provides craft activities during finals week to calm students. Those of us who have been out of school for a while might not remember very well the stress of finals, end of term papers and other stuff that might be happening this time of year along with the holidays.

For some reason I quit knitting when I was in college — I guess I felt like I was too busy with other stuff — but it probably would have done me good, because, as most of us know, it’s a great stress reliever (at least once you’re comfortable enough with the basics not to be constantly frustrated).

The University of Cincinnati, at least, has people who understand the value of crafts like knitting in stressful times. They’ve set up craft tables for students to partake in painting, knitting, coloring and other playful pursuits to help students destress.

It’s part of the Stress Less Fest, a week of activities designed to calm students during finals week. I say it’s brilliant, and more schools should do things like this to help students deal with stressful times. Heck, more workplaces should do it, too.

Do you use knitting and other crafts to help when you’re stressed? I’d love to hear about it.

[Photo by Madison Schmidt via the News Record.]

Comments

  1. I have knit and crocheted for over 45 years. Many years of relaxation but also keeps the fingers nimble and the mind sharp. You’ll never catch me without a project in my purse.

Have you read?

Adorable Ghost Knitting Patterns

Adding a bit of knitting to your fall decor is a lot of fun, whether it’s knit pumpkins or a bunch of adorable knit ghosts like these.

Knit ghosts can be super simple like this free ghost knitting pattern from Trixie Zynch on Ravelry. Using about 50 yards of worsted weight yarn, they’re worked from the bottom up and are super cute as a pair. 

This fuzzy little ghost from Forest Knitting Toys is holding a pumpkin and wearing a witch hat, though of course the accessories are optional, as is the fuzzy yarn. The main yarn is chunky and the ghost measures about 10 cm/4 inches tall. It’s worked in the round. 

Another fuzzy ghost in more of a Pacman style is this ghost plushie form South Stitch Girls. It’s worked in the round with bulky yarn and includes a sweet little bow you can make in whatever color you like. 

The ghost doll from Edith Grace Designs has little arms and a curl at the top of its head. The body is worked flat using DK weight yarn and you could also work it in glow in the dark yarn for extra fun. The body and head are worked in one piece with the arms knit separately. 

The Grim Grinning Ghosts from Susan Claudino are super cute and you can knit them in any yarn and gauge you like to make ghosts of different sizes. These are worked in the round with the body done in one piece and the arms are knit separately. The ghosts shown were knit in sock yarn, DK and worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Make a ghost with funny striped legs with this ghost shelf sitter design from Claire Fairall Designs. It’s worked in three colors of DK weight yarn, and the letters spelling out boo are made with strips of garter stitch sewn into shape.