weaving wellness
Wellness is complicated and multifaceted. Taking care of your body and mind is a daunting task that requires intentionality and discipline. Craving out time for activities you enjoy is vital to your overall wellbeing. The definition of self care, according to the Oxford dictionary, is the practice of “taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”. So how does one practice self care? This may look like a variety of things. My self care comes in the form of crochet and fiber arts. I firmly believe that crochet is a holistic and highly beneficial skill. This belief is supported not only by personal experience but also by growing psychological research. Knitting and crocheting by extension have often been compared to a meditative practice. Meditation has been researched far more frequently than fiber arts, which means there is greater empirical evidence documenting its benefits. Based on recent research, these benefits can be assigned to knitting and crocheting as well.
With this in mind, I explored the topic enthusiastically and without reservation. What began as an attempt to sit down to write a simple list with short descriptions on the benefits of crocheting, slowly stretched into endless possibilities and rabbit holes. I decided to research something I intuitively knew was correct. Crochet is self-care, but it's so much more than that. Fiber arts is not just a hobby; it is embodied history, it is freedom, rebellion, identity, healing, accomplishment and nervous system regulation.
In this series of articles, I cover a variety of topics;
crochet as meditation: Why Your Brain Loves Repetition: Crochet and Neuroscience
the feminist history of fiber arts: The Women That Wove Us
modern fiber arts as rebellion, freedom and identity: Craft as Culture: How Fiber Arts Shapes Us
fiber Arts and Gender: Who Gets to Make?
existing research: Craft as Culture: How Fiber Arts Shape Who We Are
future of crochet and wellness: Beyond the Hook
This is a daunting task for a new writer. Until I began this article, I had forgotten what it felt like to write just for the sake of enjoying the process. In college, I wrote often, including a semester long research paper on my favorite novel Slaughterhouse Five. I loved writing that paper. I put all my effort into that vast, nebulous project; it consumed my entire semester. Almost ten years later, I sat down to write again. As I began this simple article (now nine articles!) I started to feel the same way I did writing that paper. I felt inspired and free. I felt all of these words thrumming in my head, waiting to be released. I hope reading these words helps you half as much as writing them helped me. Join me on this meandering never ending journey of self discovery. We will make pit stops along the way, enriching each topic with ample context.
