Students Practice Mindful Knitting

Jackie Bohrer, Religion Teacher
April 10, 2017

Psalm 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

For the past nine years, the 11th grade religion elective called “Women’s Spirituality” has been knitting for their first assignment in the 3rd trimester.

Teacher Jackie Bohrer stated that the purpose of this assignment was threefold. First and foremost, although the end product is valuable, it is the process of knitting that really matters.   As in life, the journey is more significant in transforming ourselves than reaching the destination.

Knitting can build community and invites students to help one another in and outside of class.

Finally and most essentially, it can become a prayer and a form of calming meditation. This year, there were 90 women who finished either a scarf or a few headbands for their class project.  Rumor has it, some may even become Mother's Day gifts.

Comments about the Knitting Project from Women’s Spirituality 2017

• I don't usually take quiet time to really think and be quiet - and knitting helped me to do that. It was a great stress reliever, very peaceful.
• I feel like my knitting especially was a metaphor about life.
• It really taught me patience and that hard work pays off.
• I was surprised that I could be sitting in complete silence as long as I was knitting.
• I would go and hang out with my grandma and knit with her after school.
• Knitting connected me to my Mom and my Grandma.
• Knitting helped me reflect on myself and my relationship with God.
• It felt awesome to know that I can make something with my own hands.
• I really appreciated how this process allowed me to unplug. I found myself getting my knitting out rather than my phone.
• I would light candles, listen to music and knit and it was such a stress reliever.
• I knit so much my mom had to take it away from me one night so that I would do my other homework.
• Knitting was therapeutic for me because it took my mind off of everything and helped me be in touch with myself and I would look forward to returning to at the end of my day at home.
• Knitting helped me slow down because I have a busy mind and it helped me quiet
• down.
• This project helped me to feel close to my Grandma who died 5 years ago.
• Knitting was a good way to connect with others because I enjoyed talking to others and starting conversations. It built community.
• I didn't care as much about the end product as I did the process.
• I found that I am less of a perfectionist than I thought.
• I learned that I get really angry when I don't get something right away
• In reference to Psalm 139 God created us stitch by stitch. Just as we took the time to knit our piece one stitch at a time.
• When you try to pull the knitting apart it holds together just as God made us - with strength.
• Knitting this scarf kind of knit me together.