"Where'd you get your hat?"

She stopped me and asked while I washed my hands in the public bathroom at The Commons on Western Washington University's campus.

Mind you, my roommate, Toni had just taught me how to knit over the past few weeks. Night after night, listening to Tori Amos' 1994 Cornflake Girl on repeat, we'd sit side-by-side while she taught me the ins and outs of this new technique.

Being a fiber and fabric nerd, I never learned to knit despite years and years of my young life crocheting Barbie clothes. My life was made complete when I learned to make stretchy fabric with two needles (as opposed to chunky-weight fabric made with one hook).

"Can you make me one?" she pressed on.

"Act natural, Maggie," I coached myself, as best as possible, when commissioned in a public bathroom for a custom handmade accessory.

We discussed colors, sizes, and styles right there in the bathroom doorway. I zoomed to the yarn store that day, probably knit the hat the next day, and met up again to deliver the goods soon after, hopefully not in the same bathroom, but I don't remember that detail!

Learning to knit answered a calling I didn't even know I had.

Creative practice

Happily settled into my identity as an artist and pursuing a degree in textiles, knitting became a part of my everyday activities.

The rhythmic motion settled my restless nervous system, counting stitches gave me something to do with my anxiety, and the repetitive patterns helped me focus during long lectures.

That was 25 years ago.

Knitting has been part of my daily routine longer than it hasn't.

Knitting has become a reliable bridge to get me into creative flow.

Have you ever noticed how time slows down or expands when you're lost in a creative act? There's something almost magical about these moments of creative flow.

I've found that creativity isn't just about making things – it's a gateway to mindfulness and self-discovery.

When we knit, for example, the rhythmic movement of needles becomes a meditation.

In fact, in response to a required meditation class as part of my Master's degree at Naropa University (a Buddhist-affiliated school in Boulder, CO), I advocated for knitting as my meditation method instead of sitting straight-backed in a lotus. I lost that petition and had to log the time on the cushion, but I never found sitting meditation as beneficial as quietly knitting a simple repetitive pattern.

Each stitch anchors us to the present moment, a gentle reminder to breathe and be present. The same happens when we allow ourselves to play with color and shape in art-making without worrying about the result.

When navigating a major life transition (like life after inauguration day 2025) or processing a relationship ending, traditional self-care advice like "just meditate" can feel impossibly hard. Sitting still with racing thoughts? Not always helpful.

Sometimes, the opposite!

And so…

I love introducing my clients to mindful creating - whether through process-oriented art-making or rhythmic activities like knitting. These practices offer a gentle "back door" to mindfulness:

• When your mind is spinning with self-doubt, the steady rhythm of knitting can quiet mental chatter

• When emotions feel too big to process, focusing on the textures of yarns can help release what words can't express

• When you're rebuilding trust in yourself, the simple act of creating without judgment helps strengthen your connection to your intuition

What about us neurospicy gals?

For women recently diagnosed with ADHD or autism, these practices can be especially powerful - offering a way to regulate overwhelm through tactile engagement and repetitive motion without the pressure of "getting it right."

I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until age 44!

No wonder I found knitting so profoundly helpful when I was in college. And grad school. And all the required yet dull staff meetings. And every television show and movie I've ever watched so that I don't bite my cuticles until they're raw.

Knitting has helped me stay in my seat!

Literally and figuratively!

Coming up…

I will be starting a monthly Mindful Knitting group at the MAC (Spokane's Northwest Museum of Art and Culture) this summer. No experience is needed - this isn't about making perfect stitches. It's about finding your way back to yourself, one creative moment at a time.

If you’d like to get more updates about my creative offerings, sign up for my newsletter HERE!

Bonus laughs and inspiration!

PS. Listen to this fantastic clip from Ram Dass when he meets someone who likens crochet to spiritual practice! I feel so validated for my desire to use my knitting practice as meditation in grad school!

This was originally sent out to my newsletter on January 20, 2025. If you’d like these kinds of inspiring stories in your inbox too, sign up HERE!