It all started 6 and a half years ago. At that time, I was pregnant with my 3rd son and wanted to crochet him a cute little bunny rabbit. Little did I know that this little rabbit would shape my career, my pace of life but also my views of the world we live in.
In a world where we run faster than ever between our jobs and our family lives, in a world where abundance, competitiveness and low cost are keys, finding a cozy corner where we can slow down, take care of ourselves and creating something meaningful and lasting is a true luxury. What if a simple crochet and ball of yarn could get you to achieve that?
This post will go through the multiple benefits of crocheting.
Putting your phone on the side, stopping this constant scrolling and simply taking a hook is a powerful way to increase your wellbeing and mental health.
The repetitive motion of making stitches helps your heart and breathing more to be more even and lowers your blood pressure. Being involved in a relaxing activity send a message to your body that it is safe to calm down, and when your body enters this mode, it can go to moving meditation. This is when your anxiety can decrease. Having a simple project always available can be really useful. When your anxiety is sky-high, just sit down, take your project and crochet for a little while until you feel more relaxed.
Crochet is also really helpful in tackling depression. Focusing on a pattern and on the different stitches helps us not only to go over anxiety but also pulls us out of negativity. This can be explained biologically. Crocheting will decrease the cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone, and will increase the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness and relaxation. This might be a good idea to have a “fun” project when you feel a little bit low, crochet will help you go over it, and this “fun” project will add some joy to it.
Transforming a ball of yarn into a finished product, whether this is an amigurumi, a piece of clothing, or even a small coaster, will boost your sense of accomplishment and control. This helps combat a feeling of worthlessness. Lots of charities are looking for people crocheting for them. Being part of such an initiative can be really rewarding.
Counting the stitches and following a pattern will have an impact on your focus and attention. This in turn will help to lower your anxiety and will help you to be in the moment, to be more present in what you are doing, slowing down. You could work on increasing your focus and attention by setting a timer and increasing it. You could say that you want to crochet for 15min and then increase this time. Notice how you feel when you increase your crocheting time.
Crocheting will change the vision you have not only of your life but of the world in a more global way.
By slowing down and being more present in the moment, you will stop and cherish the moment, be more grateful for what you have. Every piece you crochet will take you time and patience. Choosing crochet over scrolling on your phone will root you in the present and will help you have a meaningful life. You will learn the price of the items you have produced. And in a world where low cost, immediacy and factory production are the key words, you will see your product with another eye.
You will have an item in which you have poured your love, your time, and your passion. It will have a meaning, a purpose, and will be long-lasting. It is the same difference that we have between the fast-fashion and the slow-fashion industries. It will make you slow done and redefine what your priorities are and what is the definition of value and wealth. You may be surprised that it is not speed, or low cost, or accessibility but maybe long-lasting items holding a meaning, items that you will cherish for the years to come and that helped you along the way. Why not create a really meaningful item that you could cherish for years and maybe pass on to someone else, a blanket maybe or a piece of clothing.
Crocheting is a solo activity, but it doesn’t have to be a solitary one. Crocheting means that you will be part of a wide community both online and in the real world. You can connect to so many crocheters online and on social media; they are so easy to find. The more you follow, the more you will discover. Those people will inspire you, cheer you, and help you on your journey. You can also easily find tutorials and patterns online. But the social aspect in real life is as fruitful as online.
Most libraries will have a crochet and knitting club, you have probably crochet groups locally than you can find and learning crochet with a tutor or attending a workshop is also possible. Lots of charity are looking for crocheters; you can also crochet little hat or blankets for premature babies; hospitals are always in need. Why not join your local group to connect with like-minded people and you could also follow a CAL online and crochet along other people.
My first crochet amigurumi, this little bunny will always be a reminder of my baby, the sleepless nights, his first steps, him learning to crochet…but it is also a reminder how it changed my life. It helps me take care of my mental health, allowing my mind to unwind, decreasing my anxiety stitch by stitch, slowing down in a world where we run faster than ever, creating something meaningful with purpose in a world where abundance, cheapness and speed are keys. I have learned what truly matters to me: slowing down, being present in the moment, seeking quality over quantity, looking for uniqueness over factory made and creating my own community with like-minded people. And if my life was not turned upside-down enough with this, I discovered that sharing my passion and teaching crochet was a turn in my career that I wanted to try. Crochet has taught me so much and has changed my life, and this little bunny … it’s just a reminder of all of that! I hope that one day you will have your own little bunny along with you sharing all the life has to offer.