I know knitting helps me in all sorts of ways. So it was fantastic to be able to take part in a piece of research being run out of the University of Cardiff to help provide evidence with scientific credibilty.

From the Stitchlinks research page:

When we first began researching the therapeutic benefits of knitting and cross stitching, our initial thoughts were that they could provide an effective way of ‘occupying’ people from the arm chair or hospital bed which could be deliverable in kit form.

As our investigation of narratives progressed, however, the benefits appeared to go a lot deeper with possible physiological, neurological, psychological, behavioural and social changes.

The question is, though, how to tease apart - or independently test - the various mechanisms that might be involved in the beneficial effects, as they are all intertwined. For this reason our research projects will be centrally coordinated and share information.

The skills and feelings experienced whilst knitting and stitching could also, potentially, be used to facilitate the learning of techniques, such as meditation and relaxation, taught on pain management courses, or in the treatment of depression. This could make their benefits available to a wider population.