Today I’d like to share new article about coping with pet loss—this time focusing on knitting therapy.
Pet Loss and Knitting Therapy
Completely overcoming the pain of losing a pet is nearly impossible.
That’s why I prefer to say finding ways to calm your heart rather than completely healing.
Pet loss is something that stays with us forever. It’s better to accept it as a long journey we walk at our own pace.
Although I now use knitting machines to create memorial cushions and blankets, when I was a child I often played with hand knitting—using crochet hooks and knitting needles.
Because of my work, many of my customers are also hobby knitters, and they often share stories like these:
“These days I spend my time knitting.”
“I used to knit clothes for my beloved pet.”
“I’m knitting a handmade urn cover.”
Just hearing these words conveys so much love for their pets.
The Healing Power of Knitting
Knitting has moments where you lose yourself completely—it’s similar to what athletes call being “in the zone.”
When you’re fully absorbed, fatigue disappears, concentration deepens, and your mind becomes quiet.
It feels almost like meditation: neither more nor less than simply being.
In Buddhism, it’s like the stillness of Zen meditation.
In Christianity, it resembles the peace felt after prayer.
That’s why many customers tell me:
“I spent the day knitting, and now I feel calmer.”
It may not erase grief, but even in the midst of sorrow, such moments bring comfort.
Pet Loss Never Truly Ends
I believe pet loss never really ends.
The farewell to our pets lives in our hearts forever.
But when I accepted that this is okay, I felt lighter.
We may always carry sadness, loneliness, or even regret—but those feelings exist because we loved them deeply.
I want to cherish that truth.
And I hope my customers can feel the same.
My Own Knitting Journey
As I mentioned earlier, I now use a large automatic knitting machine.
But even today, I love the finishing process—linking seams, ironing, and carefully tying off yarn ends.
Each time I do this, I think: I want this piece to be finished quickly so it can return home to its owner.
If my knitted creations—made from customers’ pet photos—can bring even a little comfort during the difficult days of pet loss, that is my greatest joy.
👉 See the full collection of custom knitted memorial items here.
