Brain Training

Friday 21st September 2018

Tags:

We all know about the benefits of exercising our bodies but these days, scientists are telling us more and more about the benefits of keeping our brains active. Many of us will have tried brain training games or apps but both knitting and crochet have lots to offer as well.

Simply using both of your hands to make something is firing all kinds of neurons in your head with even the simplest of patterns, but here are a few more ways knitting and crochet are helping you.

Remember back when you first started your craft and tried to read a pattern?  It was full of strange abbreviations that you had to learn like k2tog and htr.  You have had to learn a whole new language that we bet you can read completely fluently now.  Your brain is instantly translating for you as you go.

Tension squares are a real marmite subject but, by making one that is a bit bigger than 10cm you then have to do quite a bit of maths to work out whether you are hitting the tension - a good workout for your brain.

What about if you want to substitute a different yarn in a pattern?  You have to work out the meterage of both yarns to calculate how many balls to buy, which stretches your maths muscles.

What about learning a new technique or stitch? Puzzling your way through how to use your needles or hooks and how to count the stitches or rows is a cortex stimulating exercise.

So whenever and wherever you knit or crochet, remember it is keeping your brain wonderfully active.

If you want to have a bit of fun, why not try our ‘Spot the difference’. We will also be posting these on our Facebook page if you want to give your answers.

   

Archives