Labor:
i really don't feel like knitting is a labor it is an activity, something i do by choice, to relax. Although the history of french knitting may well have been a labor to create clothing for warmth.
Craft:
Jacobs (2009) explains craft as "An object usually made by hand using tools and skill." (p.58) I view this as creating something tangible something aesthetic to touch, play with, made my hand using a combination of skills. I feel as though french knitting is a tribute to my granny who tourght me everything i know about art and craft. My Granny she spent the time to teach me french knitting as a child, and many other types of knitting this reinforcing a great relationships in my life. I enjoy craft the process and action of creating something from nothing. Also usually enjoy the process and the result the tangible item i have created.
Pacing of the activity, it is a long term commitment to create enough meters to turn it into a scarf the end activity. Here i am also creating/ training my patience a good skill for Occupational Therapists
I also use this activity to capture a moment of thought.
creating something for gratification of completing a task.. as i am known to start things and never finish them.
Plays:
According to Jacobs (2009) Play is "Any spontaneous or organized activity that provides enjoyment, entertainment, amusement, or diversion" (p.193)
I personally treat this activity as being light hearted, an activity that does provide enjoyment, entertainment and a diversion.
Its a generic need to be satisfied and this activity is satisfying my need to be occupied and to use my time wisely. This recreation gives us a break from our every day maindain life.
References:
Jacobs, K., & Jacobs, L. (2009). Quick Reference Dictionary for Occupational Therapy (fifth ed., p. 58-193).
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Thursday 29 September 2011
The last time i did french knitting...
It was a Monday night, I was lying on my bed quite relaxed looking at my knitting that had ended up in some sort of spiral knit mess. I tied off the last strand and started the process again, this time it wouldn't end up spiraling around itself.. i don't know how it ended up doing that in the first place but it wasn't going to make a nice scarf so i started fresh. Continuing with the white wool i knitted for about an hour. During this time i had my laptop on my bed listening to my music. My mind was trailing off i was thinking about my mums birthday coming up, what i was going to get her, what was i going to do for her. I have been quite stressed about what i am going to do next year for accommodation and what i am going to do for a summer job to afford this accommodation. I was coming up with options and ideas and adding them into my notes on my laptop beside me. I was using this knitting time to think logically and practically about next year's options. I was enjoying myself, getting some very productive thinking done, and letting time fly buy, although all of a sudden i realised it was 6.30pm and it was Friends time.. good buy knitting. :)
Thursday 22 September 2011
Aesthetics, Spirituality, History and Health
Aesthetics:
All french knitting comes out the same but the beauty is creating and turning it into something new and individualistic from this raw knit. loom knitting is something i would like to look further in to something that could take my french knitting aesthetics further.
Spirituality:
Since beginning my study as an Occupational therapist, the word 'Spirituality' and my understanding has been constantly evolving and changing. I assume for the rest of my life and carrier as an Occupational therapist it will continue to change as spirituality is, and changes with the individual.
Jacobs (2009) describes spiritual activities as "Religion- or spirituality-based tasks." and spirituality as "the personal quest for understanding and answers to ultimate questions about life, about meaning, and about religion-ship with the sacred or transcendent, which may or may not lead to or arise from the development or religious rituals and the formation of community" (moreira-Almeida & Koeing, 2006, p.844)
With the risk of sounding far to complex i also found a simpler definition which i think i can relate to. Also stated in Jacobs (2009) Spirituality is a "Pervasive life force, manifestation of a higher self, source of will and self-determination, and sense of meaning, purpose and connectedness that people experience in the context of their environment" (p.249)
Spirituality is also Inter-subjective, how the world influences us and how we influence the world. With regards to the final simple quote this french knitting provides me with a 'connectedness' with my family. Bringing back memory's of me as a child, at Christmas, receiving this unusual wooden block with nails for Christmas. what is this? and also the memories of sitting in front of the t.v with the rest of the family, sitting on the floor very content and happy with my own creation that i could own. I have the self-determination to do such an activity as it provides me with a sense of meaning I dont think this is because of a higher force or manifestation of a higher self but is an experience of spirituality none the less, I like the joy and rhythm of such a peaceful activity.
History:
Creativity has always been my thing, expressing myself in a creative way, defiantly evokes my sense of self. I have been bought up in a supportive family who believed that i would 'make it' as an artist, that i was different and no one else thought and created like me. My granny has been my tutor for everything arty and creative, when i am doing arts and craft i feel a definite connection with my granny. often reminiscing the times i have spent with her is her Art studio.
Health:
"Health is more than the absence of disease (WHO, 1986), from an occupational perspective, health includes having a choice, abilities, and opportunities for engaging in meaningful patterns of occupation for looking after self, enjoying life, and contributing to the social and economic fabric of a community over the lifespan to promote health, well-being, and justice through occupation. (adapted from CAOT, 1997)" (Jacobs p.108, 2009)
how does this activity influence my health? This activity contributes to my psychological health. it is calming, restful, therapeutic in a sense of i can get lost within the activity. Individuals with injuries to lower limb or trunk this is an activity that they can do without limitation. Can give these people a sense of completion of an activity, self satisfaction. Hand therapy as-well could look into french knitting there are a lot of benefits for task related hand therapy activity's.
Refrences:
Jacobs, K., & Jacobs, L. (2009). Quick Reference Dictionary for Occupational Therapy (fith ed., p. 108-240).
All french knitting comes out the same but the beauty is creating and turning it into something new and individualistic from this raw knit. loom knitting is something i would like to look further in to something that could take my french knitting aesthetics further.
Spirituality:
Since beginning my study as an Occupational therapist, the word 'Spirituality' and my understanding has been constantly evolving and changing. I assume for the rest of my life and carrier as an Occupational therapist it will continue to change as spirituality is, and changes with the individual.
Jacobs (2009) describes spiritual activities as "Religion- or spirituality-based tasks." and spirituality as "the personal quest for understanding and answers to ultimate questions about life, about meaning, and about religion-ship with the sacred or transcendent, which may or may not lead to or arise from the development or religious rituals and the formation of community" (moreira-Almeida & Koeing, 2006, p.844)
With the risk of sounding far to complex i also found a simpler definition which i think i can relate to. Also stated in Jacobs (2009) Spirituality is a "Pervasive life force, manifestation of a higher self, source of will and self-determination, and sense of meaning, purpose and connectedness that people experience in the context of their environment" (p.249)
Spirituality is also Inter-subjective, how the world influences us and how we influence the world. With regards to the final simple quote this french knitting provides me with a 'connectedness' with my family. Bringing back memory's of me as a child, at Christmas, receiving this unusual wooden block with nails for Christmas. what is this? and also the memories of sitting in front of the t.v with the rest of the family, sitting on the floor very content and happy with my own creation that i could own. I have the self-determination to do such an activity as it provides me with a sense of meaning I dont think this is because of a higher force or manifestation of a higher self but is an experience of spirituality none the less, I like the joy and rhythm of such a peaceful activity.
History:
Creativity has always been my thing, expressing myself in a creative way, defiantly evokes my sense of self. I have been bought up in a supportive family who believed that i would 'make it' as an artist, that i was different and no one else thought and created like me. My granny has been my tutor for everything arty and creative, when i am doing arts and craft i feel a definite connection with my granny. often reminiscing the times i have spent with her is her Art studio.
Health:
"Health is more than the absence of disease (WHO, 1986), from an occupational perspective, health includes having a choice, abilities, and opportunities for engaging in meaningful patterns of occupation for looking after self, enjoying life, and contributing to the social and economic fabric of a community over the lifespan to promote health, well-being, and justice through occupation. (adapted from CAOT, 1997)" (Jacobs p.108, 2009)
how does this activity influence my health? This activity contributes to my psychological health. it is calming, restful, therapeutic in a sense of i can get lost within the activity. Individuals with injuries to lower limb or trunk this is an activity that they can do without limitation. Can give these people a sense of completion of an activity, self satisfaction. Hand therapy as-well could look into french knitting there are a lot of benefits for task related hand therapy activity's.
Refrences:
Jacobs, K., & Jacobs, L. (2009). Quick Reference Dictionary for Occupational Therapy (fith ed., p. 108-240).
Sunday 11 September 2011
Ergonomics
An understanding of ergonomics underpins the ability to “constantly make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose”
(Caulton and Dickson 2007).
Person:
-I am a creative/ arty 22 year old student.
-I live daily in alot of pain so it is important for me to have activities that i can do sitting down to distract my body and mind from the reality.
-I can spend hours on this activity in the evenings during my down time after dinner.
-Once I had gained this knitting skill the activity becomes a rhythm and skills are not necessarily being built on. Unless you come across a problem, changing colors or creating this french knitting into an item of clothing or an object.
-I am going to Knit for meters and meters and create a circular scarf with many layers out of white wool. Then i will knit a few colorful loops to add to and remove to the white scarf to add color.
Occupation/ French knitting:
-Cant adapt task process but can modify the weave colors used.
-This task creates a very comforting rhythem over a period of time.
-Easy to pick up and learn
-Knitting is a craft activity, because it is the creation of something by hand.
-It has been suggested to me that this activity is childish, why? French knitting is just as difficult as any other type of knitting.
Environment:
-French knitting can be done anywhere physically and socially.
-Culturally this knitting is obviously french
-This activity is accessible to everyone that knows about it I have herd of home made versions of the tube that you knit with made from a bobbin and nails. You could use a stick as the needle and i even recently got told that a class mate used to take apart second hand woolen jerseys for wool. very cheap!
- culturally French knitting crosses over social and cultural boundaries as well as age groups. It can be done individually or in knitting/ craft groups
References:
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What's going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek and A. Lawson-Porter's 'Contemporary Issues in Occupational Therapy', John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester. 87-114.
(Caulton and Dickson 2007).
Person:
-I am a creative/ arty 22 year old student.
-I live daily in alot of pain so it is important for me to have activities that i can do sitting down to distract my body and mind from the reality.
-I can spend hours on this activity in the evenings during my down time after dinner.
-Once I had gained this knitting skill the activity becomes a rhythm and skills are not necessarily being built on. Unless you come across a problem, changing colors or creating this french knitting into an item of clothing or an object.
-I am going to Knit for meters and meters and create a circular scarf with many layers out of white wool. Then i will knit a few colorful loops to add to and remove to the white scarf to add color.
Occupation/ French knitting:
-Cant adapt task process but can modify the weave colors used.
-This task creates a very comforting rhythem over a period of time.
-Easy to pick up and learn
-Knitting is a craft activity, because it is the creation of something by hand.
-It has been suggested to me that this activity is childish, why? French knitting is just as difficult as any other type of knitting.
Environment:
-French knitting can be done anywhere physically and socially.
-Culturally this knitting is obviously french
-This activity is accessible to everyone that knows about it I have herd of home made versions of the tube that you knit with made from a bobbin and nails. You could use a stick as the needle and i even recently got told that a class mate used to take apart second hand woolen jerseys for wool. very cheap!
- culturally French knitting crosses over social and cultural boundaries as well as age groups. It can be done individually or in knitting/ craft groups
References:
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What's going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek and A. Lawson-Porter's 'Contemporary Issues in Occupational Therapy', John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester. 87-114.
French Knitting
Hello everyone, back again with a different topic to blog about.
I have been instructed to blog about an occupation that i enjoy in a regular basis (at least 2hours a week). I began thinking about what i do in my spare time, and of those things, what do i actually enjoy doing. The list was short and limited.
I am going to blog about my participation in French knitting.
what is it like:
It is very easy and relaxing activity like any knitting, that doesn't need all of your attention. Although you do need to watch what you are doing a majority of the time so you don't drop a stitch.
Practical considerations:
It is a craft that uses very little equipment, wool, an awl which is like a knitting needle, and a tube with 4 nails at one end. All equipment can be found at most fabric sewing and craft shops cheaply. french knitting can be taken anywhere easily, you don't need any more space than what your body takes up seated. It is socially acceptable to do it anywhere... except during social occasions.
what does it mean to me:
I am a creative person who always likes to be doing something. I am conscious of being productive with my time so, when i am relaxing i like to be working towards something. Crafts for me now as a 22 year old student have become more of a therapeutic activity, it is time for me to reflect on how the week is gone and what i have coming up. French knitting has also become something i can do in the lounge while the rest of the flat is watch T.V. Watching T.V is a social thing in our flat so although i don't watch very much T.V I need to be in the lounge to socialize with my flatmates. French Knitting has given me something to do and work towards, during my down time and socializing time with my flatmates.
What does it mean to OT:
My own personal need to always be occupied, emphasizes how such small occupations can be important to individuals daily life. Biomecanically to French knit the individual will need fine motor skills to hold the equipment, hand dexterity, hand dominance. Also the individual will need some cognitive abilities, to follow instructions, problem solve and process sensory information. Knitting in general can give an individual a role within family and friends, it mite be the reason why they are needed by others, it is a time occupier, it is creative and individualistic. Creapu (1991) states that "Occupations provide meaning and purpose to a persons life."
Refrences:
Crepeau, E.B. (1991). Achieving intersubjective understanding: Examples from an occuaptional therapy treatment session. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44, 311-317.
I have been instructed to blog about an occupation that i enjoy in a regular basis (at least 2hours a week). I began thinking about what i do in my spare time, and of those things, what do i actually enjoy doing. The list was short and limited.
I am going to blog about my participation in French knitting.
what is it like:
It is very easy and relaxing activity like any knitting, that doesn't need all of your attention. Although you do need to watch what you are doing a majority of the time so you don't drop a stitch.
Practical considerations:
It is a craft that uses very little equipment, wool, an awl which is like a knitting needle, and a tube with 4 nails at one end. All equipment can be found at most fabric sewing and craft shops cheaply. french knitting can be taken anywhere easily, you don't need any more space than what your body takes up seated. It is socially acceptable to do it anywhere... except during social occasions.
what does it mean to me:
I am a creative person who always likes to be doing something. I am conscious of being productive with my time so, when i am relaxing i like to be working towards something. Crafts for me now as a 22 year old student have become more of a therapeutic activity, it is time for me to reflect on how the week is gone and what i have coming up. French knitting has also become something i can do in the lounge while the rest of the flat is watch T.V. Watching T.V is a social thing in our flat so although i don't watch very much T.V I need to be in the lounge to socialize with my flatmates. French Knitting has given me something to do and work towards, during my down time and socializing time with my flatmates.
What does it mean to OT:
My own personal need to always be occupied, emphasizes how such small occupations can be important to individuals daily life. Biomecanically to French knit the individual will need fine motor skills to hold the equipment, hand dexterity, hand dominance. Also the individual will need some cognitive abilities, to follow instructions, problem solve and process sensory information. Knitting in general can give an individual a role within family and friends, it mite be the reason why they are needed by others, it is a time occupier, it is creative and individualistic. Creapu (1991) states that "Occupations provide meaning and purpose to a persons life."
Refrences:
Crepeau, E.B. (1991). Achieving intersubjective understanding: Examples from an occuaptional therapy treatment session. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 44, 311-317.
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