5 ways to add knitting and crochet to your daily ritual

Like every person dealing with the stresses of modern life, knitting and crocheting provide a way for us to chill out and relax. For me, knitting is more than a hobby: it’s a form of meditation, my own mindfulness practice and a soothing balm for my mental health. I can tune everything out — the barking dogs, the demands of a busy household — and just be. I crave that calming ritual every day, and I've realized that in order to make knitting part of my daily routine, it’s perfectly fine to pick up a vanilla sock or an easy repeatable pattern.

Sometimes, I am up for the challenge of following a complex pattern and focusing to make sure I don’t lose my place. But more often than not, I just want to sit on my back porch, stare out at the lake, enjoy the breeze and the wind chimes, pick up my yarn, and mindlessly stitch away.

If you want to make knitting or crocheting part of your daily relaxing ritual, here are five simple ways to add it to your day:

 Put it on your calendar.

Just like any important appointment, schedule a specific time for crafting. Maybe it’s early in the morning or in the quiet of the evening. Having a set time each day makes it more difficult for you to cancel on yourself. I tend to like to knit in the morning, before it gets too hot outside, and enjoy my first cup of coffee.

Create a knitting nook.

Find a cozy spot where you can sit comfortably and be at peace. This could be a corner with your favorite chair facing the garden or just a quiet spot with all your project bags and crafting tools at hand. Make this your stitching haven. For me, it’s the rocking chair on my back porch.

 Make your phone off limits

Easier said than done — amiright? During your knitting time, try to keep digital distractions away. Turn off your phone, keep it in another room or put it on Do Not Disturb mode. This helps keep your knitting time interruption free.

If you use your phone as a row counter, try using removable stitch markers or chain row counters so you can rely less on your device. I try to put my phone on Do Not Disturb for 30 minutes so I have a set time to unplug. 

Pick an easy pattern

Choose projects that don’t need a lot of focusing on the pattern rows. A simple scarf or (believe it or not) a simple top-down raglan sweater makes for hours of relaxing knitting while binging your favorite shows (hello Season 3 of Bridgerton!).

Enjoy small knitting victories

Set small goals, like knitting a row or finishing a section of the pattern each time you sit down. This will help keep you motivated and also makes your crafting time feel like a rewarding escape. I place stitch markers to follow my progress — seeing another inch of progress feels like a big achievement.

Yarn crafting should bring joy into your life, leaving you relaxed, calm, and peaceful. Try integrating these simple steps into your routine and see how even 30 minutes a day can improve your mental health and help you reconnect with what makes you, well, you. The next time you feel overwhelmed, remember that it’s okay to block out the time, pick up those needles, and stitch your way to inner peace.

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