The Cognitive and Mental Health Benefits of Knitting and Crafting

Democracy Dies in Darkness

The Optimist

Knitters and other crafters often find that keeping their hands busy helps calm their minds. Experts now believe that these activities also offer cognitive benefits.

October 25, 2026 at 5:00 a.m. EDT | 17 minutes ago

Attendees at a knitting circle engaged in conversation earlier this month at Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia. (Photo by Allison Robbert/For The Washington Post)

Coping Through Craft

Kerstin Amezcua turned to crocheting after returning from an Army deployment as a doctor in Kuwait. She shared, “I was not in a good place coming back.” Amezcua, aged 35, who returned to the United States about five years ago, explained, “All of my previous coping mechanisms stopped functioning.”