As winter break approaches and former fun activities for the holiday season shut down, many students have found themselves with excess free time and boredom. I personally encourage picking up a small hobby to kill the time, instead of spending hours scrolling mindlessly on the internet, and would suggest you try crocheting, a simple craft, similar to knitting, where you use a hook to loop yarn and create patterns.
While crochet may sound intimidating to get into without any former knowledge, it’s pretty simple to pick up, with a multitude of instructional videos online going into specific detail about the variety of beginner stitches, with some popular youtube channels being The Crochet Crowd and HappyBerry Crochet. Once you gain a greater proficiency, the strong online community of crocheters have several free patterns and tutorials, ranging from stuffed animals to cardigans.
Crocheting is a large stress-reliever for me and allows me to get my mind off schoolwork and keep my hands occupied. Based on the pattern, crocheting can be auto-pilot hand movement as you repeat each pattern, or it can take extreme focus and alertness as you count the individual stitches and employ more complicated techniques. It’s also gratifying to have made something with your own hands, especially after putting significant time and effort into it.
One of the most fun things about crocheting is that you can make gifts for friends and family, or just keep them for yourself. A homemade gift always feels more thoughtful, and crochet is an easy way to put in a special effort for a loved one. Making a simple scarf for my grandmother took me about 45 minutes and was both cheaper and more appreciated than something I could buy at the store. Gifts aren’t limited to apparel, but can also be home decor like a cozy throw blanket or pillow, or miniature animals using amigurumi technique.
Ultimately, I’d highly recommend crocheting for anyone who is bored and seeking a new hobby or some form of creative expression.
