About Healing and Knitting (post # 112)

Crafting to heal

I have been quiet for the past month, grieving the death of my Mother-In-Law and the missed opportunity of one last visit which was scheduled for this July/ August.
Although miles away in England, she has been much of a mother to me during the past 34 years and I miss her dearly.  She is leaving a big void not only for my husband and children, but for me, too.
I could talk about her, there are so many memories.  Mum was always there without meddling, showing interest without trying to control; she walked that fine line ever so well.  Her favorite charity was Muscular Dystrophy as she had lost her eldest grandson to the disease and she had asked for donations to that charity at her death. I could share to try and paint you a picture of the person she was, but instead I want to talk about how I am coping during this past month.
Over the past years I have posted several articles (mostly on my facebook page)  on how the act of knitting improves brain function and mental health.  I can testify to this.
Knitting has helped me.
Following Mum's death I felt tightly wound and afraid to unravel.  Trying my best to help Tony and our children through their grief and gaining comfort by spending time with family and friends.
What helped me at least as much however was simply to sit down and knit, focusing my mind on the task and forcing my hands to oblige, creating something tangible, something beautiful...
There were the harder projects which forced me to focus, especially since I was changing the pattern to suit my taste and there were the easier projects when I could let my thoughts go and memories came flooding while my hands rhythmically did their work and let me find some inner balance.
There were a few lessons during which I focused and shared and took care that the pattern was understood.
So I am slowly finding my Inner Balance and Equilibrium...
I want to thank all of you for cutting me some slack during this time and thinking of me and my family (love is a great healer).

Here are some of the things I knitted during this past month (Click on the links to find more information on pattern name, yarn used and project notes).

Codex

 

Hitofude

Kuscheldecke

Turkish Bed socks

A project of another kind

I also made this little pillow as a gift to my son's Mother-In-Law who just got her US Citizenship:

Materials needed (all available at AL Stickles) 

• 1 pillow insert 15" x15"
  • 1 bandana
    • a couple of star shaped buttons