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One Stitch at a Time
A deep dive into meditative knitting offered Barbara Breen a sense of calm and tranquility.
This content was created in partnership with Thinkery.
On any given day in Mueller, curiosity is everywhere. Children test ideas, ask questions, and discover on their own. Long before benchmarks or career paths appear, these moments shape how children think, solve problems, and begin to see themselves as capable learners.
At Thinkery, curiosity is the starting point for every experience.
Located in the heart of Mueller and welcoming families from across the Austin area, Thinkery is a hands-on children’s museum where learning happens through play. Children move from tinkering with simple machines in the Innovators’ Workshop to exploring light and color in the Light Lab. Each experience is designed to spark imagination, encourage exploration, and make learning fun and meaningful.
STEAM Learning
Through play-based STEAM learning, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, children engage with these disciplines as connected ways of thinking rather than separate subjects. They investigate the world around them, use technology to design and test ideas, apply engineering principles to hands-on challenges, express ideas creatively, and use math to reason and solve problems.
We do not teach subjects in isolation,” says Alexa Clavijo, Senior Play & Learning Manager at Thinkery. “STEAM is a mindset. It is about creativity, problem solving, and making connections to real life.”
Thinkery’s exhibits and programs invite children to take risks, ask questions, and learn through trial and error. Spaces are intentionally designed so every child feels welcome and empowered. Children work with real tools, including scissors, cardboard cutters, robotics kits, and circuit blocks, transforming ideas into tangible creations and building confidence as they learn how things work.
Play Builds Skills for Life
Play is not a break from learning. It is how learning happens. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play supports physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development while strengthening executive function and problem-solving skills. Research from LEGO Education shows that hands-on learning is more engaging and effective than traditional instruction.
When adults encourage curiosity through play, children practice decision making, collaboration, communication, and adaptability. These skills extend far beyond childhood and remain valuable no matter how technology or careers evolve. At Thinkery, play is the foundation for developing these lifelong abilities.
Balancing Exploration and Structure
Finding the right balance between open-ended exploration and guided learning can be a challenge for caregivers. At Thinkery, the two work together. Open-ended experiences allow children to follow their interests, while educator guidance, thoughtful prompts, and intentionally designed spaces deepen learning.
Caregivers are encouraged to participate by observing, narrating, and extending play at home. These shared experiences strengthen family connections and reinforce the idea that learning can be enjoyable, ongoing, and accessible.
Learning for Every Child
Thinkery primarily serves children from birth through age 11, but its play-based approach supports a wide range of learners. Children engage at their own pace, develop social and cognitive skills, and learn alongside peers. Neurodivergent children and those with different learning styles are encouraged to follow their interests and take the lead in their learning experiences.
Supporting Families and Educators
Caregivers are essential partners in learning, and Thinkery offers a welcoming space beyond home and school where families can play and learn together. Recognizing that play is learning helps relieve the pressure to create perfect activities. Simple moments, like stacking blocks or exploring balance, support language development and strengthen family bonds.
Thinkery also extends its impact through the STEAM Learning Institute, which partners with educators, researchers, and community organizations to study play-based, child-centered learning. This work supports professional development and brings innovative, inclusive approaches to classrooms and learning spaces across Central Texas.
At Thinkery, every visit invites children to explore, invent, and learn. The 40,000-square-foot museum offers hands-on exhibits and other programs, including family nights, field trips, and birthday celebrations. As part of the LEGO Playful Learning Museum Network, Thinkery draws on global research to ensure experiences remain engaging and relevant for all children.
Visit Thinkery in Mueller to explore exhibits, join programs, and celebrate learning through play. To learn more about Thinkery memberships, which include free general admission, exclusive benefits, and flexible options for families of any size, visit www.thinkeryaustin.org.
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Why would a knitter with more than 30 years of creative experience and hardly a day without yarn on her needles choose to step away from the challenge of advanced knitting, only to return to the most basic, beginner-style projects? For me, the answer was as simple as the stitches in my designs: to reconnect with the quiet, restorative peace of knitting as a meditative practice.
Four years ago, all it took was a glimpse of Mueller Lake to convince my husband John and me that we had found our new home. The neighborhood was movie-set perfect, the community pulsing with life, and the city only minutes away. Add a parade of springtime ducklings and exotic Egyptian geese, and our hearts were won.
Today, I can often be found knitting on a bench beside the lake, sipping a coffee outside Lady Quack’s Bakery (also knitting), counting turtles with my grandson, or walking the trails that wind through the Greenway. It is this rich abundance of nature that inspires my work and shapes the simple, approachable style found in my designs.
Beginnings
I was raised in New York, where my Italian mother and grandmother kept the family warm with a steady stream of hand-knit sweaters. But despite my mother’s efforts to teach me the craft, I struggled to learn, only finding my footing in an adult-ed knitting class. This is why I now encourage others to learn from experts.
Once I had the basics down, I leapt from a one-stitch scarf to an oversized pullover and, until now, never looked back. Over the years, I became a knitting nomad, following the craft wherever it beckoned, from the tiniest baby beanies to multicolor blankets to intricate lace scarves. My enthusiasm for knitting sent me chasing new techniques and ever more difficult stitch combinations. The outcomes ranged from glorious to ghastly, but every project helped to sharpen my skills.
But a few years ago, after completing a particularly painstaking cardigan for my grandson—emblazoned with the image of a robot named Optimus Prime—I found myself longing to return to the quiet rhythm of simple, repetitive stitches. Knowing that uncomplicated designs often result in the most elegant pieces, I decided to skip the stress and take a deep dive into the art of meditative knitting.
Meditative Knitting
With its focus on method rather than results, meditative knitting offers a unique path to the well-being promised by this timeless craft. Mindful needlework has been linked to a host of physical and emotional benefits, including a reduction in stress, a boost in patience and creativity, and a lasting sense of calm. All one needs are basic lessons before embarking on an adventure that can last a lifetime.
As an artistic pursuit, all types of knitting offers satisfaction, and most projects do include moments of peaceful stitching. But the more relaxing portions of a project can be hit-or-miss for a crafter seeking relief from a hectic day. With an endless array of patterns only a click away, it’s easy to fall into the wrong project, leaving many would-be knitters frustrated instead of fulfilled. I wanted to change that.
The best way to tap into the potential of meditative knitting is to choose an easily memorized pattern made up of simple stitches. Yarns should be soft and pliable, forming stitches that slide smoothly across the needles. There really is no mystery to it. Just set aside a small block of uninterrupted time, add soft music or soothing sounds, and pick up the knitting as gently as one would lift a sleeping baby. Knit with extremely slow, deliberate movements. Allow intruding thoughts to drift in and out while you watch with wonder as your hands do their unhurried, deliberate work. If mistakes or dropped stitches occur, just pass them by with acceptance. There is no need for perfection, only openness to the quiet joy of mindful knitting.
Meditative knitting isn’t meant to replace more adventurous work. Instead, it can serve as a daily companion practice, or a restorative pause between more challenging projects.
My book, “Simple Designs for Meditative Knitting: 19 Easy, Beautiful Patterns for a Mindful Experience,” grew from my desire to share the calming qualities of meditative knitting with others.
Begun as a simple collection of my own creations, the book grew into a family effort, with my sons, daughters-in-law, and grandsons pitching in as models and photographers. My designs offer familiar stitch patterns incorporated into a variety of garments and household items, including scarves, hats, mitts, blankets, and one especially lovely poncho. Each pattern stands on its own merits, but all have been curated to maximize the simple, repetitive movements that foster meditative knitting.
One meaningful outcome of my journey has been the way I now approach my craft. I choose yarns that inspire my creativity, rather than searching for yarn to fit a predetermined pattern. And I allow the color and character of each yarn to lead the way, pairing it with simple stitches that allow its personality to shine. Gone is the idea that ease equals boredom. Instead, I embrace easy knitting as a delightful way of softening the noise of everyday life.
My hope is that my experience will serve as a reminder that tranquility can be found in quiet, ordinary moments shared with a ball of yarn, a pair of needles, and a desire for inner peace.
Photographs by Rick O’Leary Packshooters Photography