I got another one of those knitting fits that strike me now and then. In the last few years I noticed that I experienced the knitting itch not only when I had pleanty of free time but surprisingly also when I felt I had no free time at all. For example this last one came when the boarder line between work and free time was getting so blurred that I was practically working nonstop. At some point when I was in the city area running some errands my feet brought me into a knitting supply store. I had no plans for and did not think I had the time to knit anything but as I entered the store and my eyes took in the colors and textures of yarn from different corners of the world I knew this was what I had to do and that it was about something more than an enjoyable way of spending time.

And for the last few evenings knitting I did for at least 20 minutes no matter how busy I thought I was.  I would remind myself that the to-do list can never really be exhausted, then I would shut down the laptop, pick up the started knitting project and let my hands do the work, my mind go blank. This was a survival mechanism at work, it appears.

Neuroscientist Kelly Lambert offers a well-grounded in scientific research explanation to why crafts are important for our mental health in her book  “Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist’s Hands-On Approach to Activating Your Brain’s Healing Power”. (An interview with her can be heard on “To the best of our knowledge” in the 2008 December show “Re-considering crafts” and devoted to this particular issue).

Kelly Lambert’s conclusions draw on the findings in the fields of anthropology, neuroscience and psychology. Her theory is that physical effort directed toward  producing something with our hands and seeing the end result “activates particular regions of the brain and builds resilience against the emotional emptiness and negative thinking associated with depression”.

In other words,  using both hands on projects like knitting or pottery is as good to the body as taking anti-depressants! Intuitively I found the way to retain or regain mental balance by resorting to knitting as a natural anti-depressant.

From the Product description on the Amazon: “Whereas most therapies emphasize the importance of mental activity, Lambert reminds us of the importance of physical activity in establishing control in a fast-paced culture that is focused more on the prospect of immediate gratification than savoring the fruits of our labor.”

It took me a couple of hours to knit this winter hat by one of the Swedish designers. My knitting style is loose and the final product always looks more “relaxed” than the one featured on the picture of the project description but what do I care? I have developed my own style even in knitting,  I now have a trendy winter hat, my head is well-protected against the cold Swedish winter and I feel great

I believe that it is most of the time in our power and that it is our responsability to learn to recognise the signs of mental imbalance and signals of depression by observing our reactions to the daily situations (by keeping in touch with the body) and taking both preventive and restorative measures before turning for quick fixes.  “Happiness is an inside job” becomes more than a catchy phrase. We’ve got to figure out what drives us and makes us feel better. Nobody else will. (With this in mind I make the mental note of keeping the promise to myself to sleep at least 6 hours every night.)

I now consider taking a course in welding but that has to wait till summer. 

Posted in Books and Ideas, brain, Handmade, Mind, Response Tagged: brain, copying, crafts, Kelly Lambert, knitting ]]> http://appropriateresponse.wordpress.com/2009/01/21/copying-by-way-of-crafts/feed/ 0 understandingcat tools knitted-hat knitted-hat_1 http://appropriateresponse.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/remedy-for-boring-linen-pants/ http://appropriateresponse.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/remedy-for-boring-linen-pants/#comments Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:40:07 +0000 understandingcat http://appropriateresponse.wordpress.com/?p=237 ]]>

Yet another garment purchased – who could say no to a pair of linen pants in the middle of a hot summer? As it goes there is always place for improvement and alternations. Gray is the color that I can only tolerate as a background for something else.

The source of inspiraton this time is one of a Hokusai’s prints from 1834.

At this stage (the reflexes from the camera made it more shiny than it is and hide the details of the bid work and the color shifting):

I can live with that. I declare the project finished in time for putting them now more lively pants on and heading for the train.

A sudden fit of creativity made me start painting a flower on this otherwise very ordinary dress but after that I got stuck and didn’t know in which direction to go until one day I started playing with a thick colored thread I picked up at the local hobby shop, standing over the dress and letting the thread fall onto the garment in a free and haphazard manner, not thinking of anything in particular. I saw a strange pattern getting formed, liked it, pinned it up and stitched it to the dress.

After this the door was open and ideas started coming in. As often I only needed to drop the thinking and judging and the thing sort of started creating itself. Through me.

More painting, screen printing, stitching and embroidering.

It was hard to know when to stop so … I just did.

One thing is for sure: I will not be able to put anything in those pockets now.

Butterflies found their way into this whole arrangement. Lots of butterflies.

Even symbols that looked like butterflies…

…and letters that looked like butterflies.

I actually wore this outfit to work once but because of its cut it is not a very practical garment to wear for someone who walks a lot and fast: it is quite tight and does not allow one to climb onto the bike. This I discovered shortly before I was supposed to get on one to go to work. Other than that – I can live with it.

I said to the wanting-creature inside me:
What is this river that you want to cross?
There are no other travelers on the river-road, and no road,
Do you see anyone moving about on that bank, or resting?
There is no river at all, and no boat, and no boatman…
There is no towrope either, and no one to pull it.
There is no ground, no sky, no time, no bank, no ford!

…

And there is no body, and no mind!

(Kabir, translation by Robert Bly)

Memories and words to describe the actual experience – none of this is real, none of this is the truth. So why open the mouth again and again? As soon as a word is spoken, THIS is no longer there.

A month or so ago I got this urge to do something with the hands. A friend sacrifices her old sweaters and… sweater massacre begins. A pair of homey foot wear seems to be a good idea in face of the coming winter. I cut out a pair of soles out of wool first

and a couple more for extra support out of soft grey skin.

Put the wool soul on top of the skin sole and stitch together, same with the second one. Next I cut out the upper part of the shoe and stitch it up to the soul. Then I get loose and saw up beads, threads, a crochet flower, another flower cut out of skin with a dew drops of gold paint on it… The hard part is to know when to stop.

The shoes are not identical and I like it.

I found inspiration and some very useful ideas in the Do Redo Project book (the book is in Swedish and so is the site but the pictures talk for themselves and all one really needs is some old wear to destroy to give it new life, a pair of scissors, a needle, anything one can think of as being used for decoration and yes, some time.

I cut off the lower part of the arms on another sweater and do the same thing: stitch beads and threads to the surface. I end up with my personal wrist warmers.

Now I know better than throwing old clothes away saving them for future projects and try to actually use them. More projects are on the way (these can actually make good Christmas presents!) and more pictures to come.