Needles poke through soft fabric. Wool is spun into yarn. Fingers wrap around a crochet hook and stitch yarn into a cuddly stuffed animal.
This is the world of fiber arts, a community of knitters, sewers, weavers, and crocheters all reaching the common goal of creating. For many, these activities are healthy creative outlets.
“For me, crocheting is a fun way to spend my free time instead of staring at a screen, or whenever I’m tired of whatever book I’m reading,” said Lydia Kurtic, a Carlmont freshman.
As a hobby, crafting can be intimidating to start. There is a certain amount of skill required to take on a project, which can be hard to overcome.
“While learning a new craft can be stressful, once there is muscle memory, the repetitive nature of something like knitting or crochet can be meditative,” said Robyn Peters, a board member of the nonprofit Crafting Change.
Crafting Change is a nonprofit organization that uses crafting to take on global issues and health crises across the United States, and in Canada, Nepal, Ghana, and Ukraine.
“We draw on the talents of sewists, knitters, and crocheters to fill needs for medical adjacent items, elder care items, warm winter items, tote bags and backpacks, and menstrual hygiene items,” Peters said.
During the pandemic, many people either discovered crafting for the first time or dove headlong into the hobby.
“Since we were all stuck at home, I decided to try out new hobbies that would be fun to do as well as accessible to do at home,” said sophomore Dheekshitha Sathyanarayanan.
Due to shortages during the pandemic, crafting was useful not only for personal mental health but also to directly support those in need.
“I made masks during the pandemic, and found it a very satisfying way to channel my nervous energy and need to be a helper while we were all locked down,” Peters said.
Beyond the pandemic, crafting remains a source of control, independence, and creative freedom for many.
“If I want a dress, I can make one exactly to my standards and vision. I can cover it in rhinestones. I can add fairy wings to it. I can somehow make it glow in the dark. I can give it many pockets,” said freshman Emma Alcaide.
According to the Anxiety Research Center, crafting can help with anxiety and other mental health disorders because it is a repetitive task.
“As a person with ADHD, I find the extra source of dopamine to be very helpful. I love the rhythmic uniformity in creating each stitch, and the simple math required to make sure I don’t end up with a wacky blob of yarn,” said freshman Allison Streb.
Crafting has always been an art form that begins with basic skills. Making a simple stitch and tying a knot is the foundation of a complex pattern. Now more than ever, crafting is accessible because of the sheer quantity of tutorials and patterns available online for free.
“Just because you can hide away with a video tutorial, don’t stay hidden away. Crafting is a great way to build community, share experiences, and work together to make magic in your life and in the lives of others,” Peters said.
Although it may seem like a solo activity, crafting can be for others, too.
“I tend to make gifts when I’m crocheting, and more often than not, they’re stuffed animals with colorful yarn; those are just the most fun to make,” Kurtic said.
Whether as a vessel for creativity, a gift, or a donation towards a worthy cause, crafting continues to be an incredibly valuable art form that helps people both inside and out.
