Mention knitting and most people picture a gray-haired grandma sitting in a rocking chair. Am I right? Well, it’s time to change that stereotype, since people of all ages are knitting now and have been for some time. For anyone who is interested, there are so many ways to get into this creative and relaxing hobby. There are knitting stores all around the country where customers can get instructions and companionship along with their yarns and needles. There are knitting blogs, knitting books, knitting magazines- it’s actually quite a community. There are plenty of websites to visit for instructions and no shortage of videos on YouTube so you can learn basic and more complicated stitches to knit up scarves, sweaters, hats, and anything else you might want. Knitting is a great way to relax- something about the repetitive motion calms the nervous system; in fact, they say it might have as similar effect to yoga and meditation, and focusing on the activity is a good distraction from thinking about things that cause stress. There is evidence that crafting is a very effective way to ease anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. For a while now, neurologists have recommended doing cognitive activities, such as crossword puzzles, to keep the brain young and sharp, and they now think that working on complex knitting patterns might help too. Since knitters  tend to congregate in yarn shops or form knitting circles, the social element is very nice and can also inspire creativity for those who participate. And of course, there is the feel-good bonus you get from the satisfaction of completing a beautiful object with your own two hands. In our fast paced world of instant gratification and electronic equipment, it can be nice, sometimes, to enjoy the old fashioned sense of accomplishment from a hands-on project that took some time. If you knit for yourself, you can enjoy wearing a unique garment. If you knit for gifts, there is a great feeling when you give a loved one something special that you crafted just for them. There are also many charities for hand-knit projects that go to soldiers, preemies, hospital patients, and other groups of people in need, so you can enjoy the emotional and cognitive benefits of knitting and know that you are helping someone else out at the same time. If you have never tried knitting, I strongly suggest you try it one of these days; if you are already a knitter, you are in great company!