How are Meditation and Knitting Related?

It has now been scientifically proven and confirmed by various studies that knitting has the same effects on mental health as mediation and yoga. The repetitive movements and sequences trigger the same effects in the brain as with meditation. As a result, knitting and mediation are very closely connected and hardly differ in their effect. We also like to say knitting is the new way of mediation. But the great thing about knitting is that you can take it with you anywhere, including doing it on the bus, in the waiting room, or during a long drive, unlike meditation.

Both when knitting and when meditating, your body releases less of the stress hormone cortisol, which is why your blood pressure drops and your pulse slows down. Through the regular movements of your hands, you will notice that your thoughts get wings and just wander away. This is particularly advantageous in the case of anxiety or mental illnesses, as acute situations, anxiety and problems can be forgotten for a moment.

Your concentration and memory will also be trained, just like with yoga. When knitting you have to memorize patterns or count the stitches and that is a real concentration training for your brain.

Motor skills also benefit from this diverse hobby, as the hands are constantly in motion. Another connection between meditation and knitting is that both can curb addictive behaviors. Bad habits such as smoking, alcohol or eating out of boredom are often treated through meditation. But you can also achieve this with knitting. By keeping your hands and fingers busy at work, you reach for a cigarette or bag of chips less.

If, similar to a meditation, we dive into knitting and forget the world around us, this can also be used for pain therapy. The happy hormones that are released when knitting help to reduce the sensation of pain.

Would you like to start doing something good for your soul and body? Then you will find the best tools for a mindful knitting experience in our Mindful Collection. Our stainless steel knitting needles each come with a mindful word to help keep you motivated. Our knitting needles sets are packed with the most beautiful accessories in great cases and are a great tool for your mindfulness.

"The little things? The little moments? They aren't little." Jon Kabat-Zinn

These small knitting moments with our Mindful Collection Knitting Needles are great precious moments that will improve your mental and physical well-being in the long term. Take these moments and allow Mindful Collection to accompany you.

Do you like this Mindful Blog? If yes please check our similar blog by clicking here.

How to Crochet in Back Loop

 Many crochet patterns speak of certain loops, such as the front loops, the back loops, or it is described that both loops should be crocheted. Depending on the patterns, different stitches are given and occasionally you will find the patterns as an abbreviation blo (back loop only) or flo (front loop only).

But where are these loops exactly? Here in this article we will show you the different types of the loops, where they are exactly and how to crochet into them or how to crochet the different techniques such as flo or blo.

If you look at the crochet stitches from above, you'll see that they look like a cross V. The arm of the V that is in front is the front loop and the arm of the V that is in the back is called the back loop. By the way, this fact doesn’t change for left-handers, no matter which direction you crochet, inside stays inside and outside stays outside. You will notice that in this case we can insert our crochet hook into a wide variety of loops in a stitch.

Why is that important?

In most cases, the stitches are crocheted through both loops, or rather the crochet hook is inserted through both loops, respectively through both arms of the V, yarn is pulled and a stitch is crocheted.

That only the back loop is used could be due to the following reasons.

Pattern

By crocheting in the back loop, you get a different stitch pattern, keeping the front loops in front creates an interesting "line" at the bottom of the stitches, giving your project that certain something.

Shape

Another possibility is that by crocheting into the back loop, a certain shape is achieved, as is often the case with amigurumi. This results in different “corners” and “edges”.

Different use

The last variant why only the back loop is crocheted is that the front loop is still needed later. For example, a different colored yarn is docked into the front loop and crocheted a dress for your amigurumi doll or a collar for your bunny.

How to crochet the back or front loop step-by-step

Insert your crochet hook into the back loop of the stitch, or rather the back arm of the V.

For the Stitch Flo you have to insert your crochet hook in the front arm of the V.

Bring the thread through this stitch.

You now have two loops on your crochet hook.

Get the thread again and pull it through both loops.

Your stitch "Back loop Only" is ready

For the very best crochet hooks and kits for your next crochet project visit Knitterspride. Take a look around and discover your favorite Crochet Hooks and Accessories.

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." -Shunryu Suzuki

Now we wish you as Knitterspride with the newly learned ability many great ideas and projects.