ADD and Knitting

[Geoduck]

Just wondering, how many of us have turned to knitting as a tool to help with ADD?

I started knitting a few years back. This helped me greatly during long, boring meetings. It seems that with my hands busy on a simple project, my brain was able to focus a little more on what was being said during meetings.

Now I’m in a knitting group and I swear half these women have severe ADD. No kidding! One of these ladies in particular: you can have a conversation while she has her needles moving, but once they stop, forget about it. She can’t focus, spaces out, constantly changes the subject and interrupts (there’s a reason we’re great friends. We’re a lot alike). But when she has the needles moving, she’s lots better at listening and follows the conversation better.

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[memzak]

I crochet instead of knit. I started out knitting back in Jr. High. I liked it but I could not attach a specific reason. I just always had to have something to do with my hands. I got tired of the constant counting of the stiches so I switched to crocheting. Yes you count but it is in small patches not huge areas. I used to try to knit sweaters. I dont think i ever finished one. I tried crocheting a vest once but i never finished it. That thing about counting again. I was guessing at measurements instead of taking the time to measure and remeasure. My latest two project for crocheting were blankets, one for me and one for my daughter so I would have something to do for the year I took my husband three times a week for therapy on his foot. I tried to read while waiting but I couldnt concentrate at all. I found myself restless without something to do with my hands. I actually got the blankets large enough to use, barely before they got too big to carry around and i gave up on them. I also need to do something with my hands when watching tv or a movie at home. If not crocheting its card games. I even got really ambitious once. I was in a craft store and saw a needlepoint kit on sale and on inpulse I bought it. My grandmother did some wonderful needlepoint projects that are now family treasures. That was 2 years ago and it is about half finished.

I got in trouble with my ADD boss at work once while i was training. I was watching training videos and I was having trouble concentrating so I started playing card games. I was able to listen and really hear what they were saying but my boss took a dim view of this practice. I used to play card games at one job while I was on the phone waiting for technical help. and believe me I spend a lot of time on the phone with techs. I knew at the time that if I tried to do anything else while wating i would forget what i called them about. This was 12 to 15 years ago. I got diagnosed last summer.

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[DistractedCindy]

Thank Geoduck for this topic. I love to knit and crochet! I enjoying sitting in front of the t.v. and creating something with my hands and keeping busy while sitting on the couch. I’ve just been diagnosed this past March and until reading this topic, I never thought about knitting helping with ADD. I just know it is relaxing for me. I sometimes bring my project to the doctors office to work on while I’m waiting. It helps me relax and not be so nervous or anxious about waiting to see the doctor. I’m just beginning to learn a lot about ADD and ways I’ve come up with coping skills throughout my life without realizing it.

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[Geoduck]

Hey! There’s a ravelry forum! For those not “in the know” ravelry is facebook for knitters. The forum is addyarn. I so knew I wasn’t the only one.

What’s really hard for me now is that I’m inundated with Girl Scout stuff, as I’m over-volunteered with that organization, and I haven’t been knitting or spinning. I’m in the middle of crocheting this huge thing, but I’m not enjoying it. The counting thing, like memzak says, is getting me down. Plus, if i make a small mistake, it’s visible. It’s long going, and I’ve been working at this thing for a year, but I’m only about 1/3 done. Grrr! I think I’m just going to have to put it down and pick up a mindless sock. I can knit and talk/read/do tv, but I can’t crochet and do anything else, yet. Ah, I need a good pair of camping socks, anyway. Got Girl Scout day camp coming up.

There’s another topic…add and over-committing/can’t say no. LOL! Check that out…I’m so ADD, I’ve just tried to change the subject.

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[shutterbug55]

Ravelry is great. I use knitting to help me with the hyperfocus thing, and the Dyslexia for pattern recognition.

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[veronica]

i’m a knitter/crocheter. i use it more so to keep me away from going outside and smoking cigs, rather than helping learn to focus on completing a project. in fact i have a ‘never ending scarf’ project…. it’s the scarf i knit when i’m stressed. ha!

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[Anonymous]

Knitting is my life saver! It’s the ‘something has to keep moving” syndrome. I am a lawyer and when I was in-house cousel for a major bank I would be stuck on conference calls that would last for hours. I would pace and pace and pace. Finally, I just started bringing my knitting.

It also works when I need to get “unstuck.” If I find myself starting to hyper-focus on something that will derail me from what I really need to do, I pick up the needle for a few rows.

But on the other hand I was up to 2 a.m last night because I just had to finish that sleeve………………………….

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[nellie]

Well I’ve tried knitting – (BTW Geoduck, learned it in Brownies!) but I’ve never finished anything. I’ve mainly attempted scarves but eventually it seems to take too long and I Iose interest. The counting and tracking thing used to drive me nuts so I gave up trying to attempt a sweater – even bought a book to learn but following the instructions became tedious. However, now that I started meds wonder if I can sustain it. Will have to experiment. Maybe it can be one of those “are the meds working” tests I did find it calming and enjoyable though.

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[Anonymous]

I’m mostly a knitter, but have crocheted in the past. I need my hands busy – especially when I watch TV. But, I was having troubles finishing what I started. So, I have found smaller things to make – hats for preemie babies! They can be done quickly and easily and I can donate them to the neonatal unit at the hospital. That way I keep busy and don’t end up with things I don’t need. I still accumulate piles of hats, but I know where to take them . . . when I can get around to it!

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[quizzical]

Somewhere at home in my old bedroom my parent’s house is a drawer which contains a half-finished cross-stitch kit, a half-finished embroidery sampler kit, a half-finished woven potholder, a half-finished macrame bracelet, etc, etc. The one thing I *might* have finished was a knitted mitten, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t….and I’m most definitely sure I didn’t ever make the other mitten to complete the set.

As one who is still in the “do I have it?” category of ADD, I find this all knitting chat sort of interesting. Before reading this thread I would have pointed to that drawer as an obvious clue: Look! I never finished anything!…

Now I have to wonder if it just means I didn’t like crafts so much.

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[Geoduck]

@quizzical…the bane of any knitter, but especially the ADD knitter: UFO’s (unfinished objects). I have only a couple left in my knitting pile, but my spinning and sewing pile, including an alpaca fleece that needs a second round of carding before I can spin it, have completely exploded. I’m drowning in furry stringiness! Oh, and it is so hard to do that second sock or mitten! I save those projects for knitting group, so they can encourage me onto sock #2.

I ran the alpaca through the carder without looking at the instructions, so now I have to do it again. Another sign of ADD (or high genius), I’m sure. I always try to put together or and use stuff without looking how to do it, first.

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[laddybug3]

Knitting has help with stress and help me socialize more. That said, I can only do one project at a time. If I do more then one project at a time, I lose the pattern, forget about it, and talk myself out of it.

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[nellie]

Quizzical,ha ha, think you’re gonna get off the ADD hook that easy ?

Probably not want you wanted to hear but I have so many unfinished crafts I’ve lost count. The stuff I didn’t finish though is the stuff that requires patience and follow through. Paper crafts for some reason I can finish. I have trouble with stuff that requires a pattern or specific steps like Needlepoint, knitting, cross stitch etc.Card making or scrapbooking on the other hand that is kind of free style I don’t have so much trouble with. However the massive quantities of supplies purchased twice and what not is another story!

Little bit, I dug out my knitting needles and yarn and downloaded a preemie hat pattern. Sounds like fun and decided to try knitting again to see if I can stick with the pattern instructions as a result of meds. Going on vacation and packed in my suitcase. Wish me luck!

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[nellie]

Ok, back from vacation. Here’s the report: yes I was able to follow the instructions for a change but my knitting looked so bad that I decided to unravel it and start over. Only I didn’t start over though Some things never change I guess…..

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[Ivriniel]

I’ve tried to learn to knit, but I have graphomotor issues, and just can’t get the motion down.

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[Author]

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