Happiful August 2019

How
can support your mental health
Unpicking the craft of needlework; how it can help you switch off, improve your
mental health, make new friends – and even save the planet
Writing | Lydia Smith Illustrating | Rosan Magar
Most of us can feel
overwhelmed by the
relentless demands
of the digital world.
Endlessly scrolling
through social media, replying to
emails, and checking apps, can
make it difficult to switch off.
Mindful practices are a popular
antidote to this. And sewing, as
well as knitting, is increasingly
recognised as an effective way to
help with anxiety and depression.
The concentration these demand
not only helps to calm the mind,
but learning to repair clothing
helps tackle the environmental
impact of fast fashion, too. Here’s
a quick look at why you might
want to explore the world
of needlework.
1 SEWING IS MINDFUL
Engaging in a mindful activity like
sewing can help us pay attention to
our thoughts and feelings, which
can improve our mental health.
“Being creative is incredible for
your wellbeing,” says Aliss Oxley,
a sewing lover who set up the
Workshop Sewing Cafe, in Leeds.
“It gives you an outlet to
focus energy, but can also give
you an enormous sense of
accomplishment, which is a great
way to support your mental health.
“People say sewing can be almost
meditative. You concentrate on
what you’re making, and the
process of your construction,” she
says. “It means your focus is solely
on the activity
of stitching.”
2 A DISTRACTION FROM
NEGATIVE THOUGHTS
When you’re crafting, you’re giving
your mind a break, too. One study,
which introduced knitting to the
lives of patients with anorexia,
found 74% of participants
described feeling distracted or
distanced from negative emotional
states, as well as more relaxed.
James McIntosh began to knit
when he was struggling with
depression. He recently wrote a
book called Knit and Nibble, which
explores knitting, cooking, and
mindfulness.
“The fear,
anxiety, panic
Starting to sew
• Search #memadeeveryday or #selfishsewing
on Instagram for ideas.
• Visit thefoldline.com, which offers a database
of patterns, and try YouTube and Pinterest
for tutorials and inspiration.
• Try sewing classes, such as Sew It With
Love, in London, or Ministry of Craft, in
Manchester. There are sewing schools all
over the UK.