stix-n-stitches

Knitters have a tendency to want to share their zeal and love of knitting by giving holidays gifts that involve their favorite craft. Sometimes, this leads to our downfall. One of our customers in her first year of knitting gave friends and family each a handmade scarf (it totalled around 18). When we imagine giving all these gifts we can sometimes forget all the time the gifts may require and thus the birth of marathon knitting sessions.

If you knit for a whole day and for some people an afternoon then you are marathon knitting. Marathon knitting can lead to physical pain in your fingers, wrists, or hands which over long periods of time can lead to carpal tunnel.

We want to highlight preventitive measures:

Avoid marathon knitting/crocheting sessions.

Take frequent breaks.

Debra recommends taking a break every 30 minutes and stretching your fingers, hands, and wrists.

Click here to see exercises recommended by Berroco. When you take your break, don't forget to stretch your hands.

Sunday recommends working on several projects. The projects should be in a different gauge or different size needle. The variety will be good for your hands.

Sit in a comfortable chair where good lighting is available (take care of your eyes).

A few of us at stix oftentimes recommend circular needles and one of the reasons is that they take the weight and bulk off your hands and wrists (the weight of the project will fall on your lap).