Alyssa Elmore, Campus Carrier photographer

In the past couple of months, I have been spending more time, and lots more money, feeding my crochet habit. And it has been so worth it. Crochet has always been a part of my life as my mom has been crocheting probably everyday for the past 20 years. The amount of clothing, accessories and blankets that my mom has made for me could fill at least two closets. Thanks to her, I’ve been able to start my own crocheting journey, and it’s easier than you might think.

To start, all you need is yarn, a hook and a simple tutorial. I have a crochet starter kit from Amazon that was maybe $15, and it has everything you could possibly need as a beginner. Yarn comes in so many colors and types that it won’t be long before you find yourself stuck in the yarn isle for an hour trying to hold back from wiping the shelves clean. But, to start, all you need is a $3 yarn that you could get at Walmart. Then, head to Google. As far as patterns go, there is nothing stopping you from making anything you want with the number of free patterns available online. Once you feel confident enough, you can even come up with your own patterns and create something that is completely unique to you.

Now, before you go out and buy your supplies, or if you need further convincing, let me give some additional reasons why crocheting is such a great hobby to add to your list of New Years resolutions. Crocheting has its obvious advantages: you have an endless list of things you can create and exercise your creative mind with. Do you need a beanie or a scarf for this cold weather we’ve been having? Make one. You not only have yourself to make for, though, because crochet projects make for amazing gifts. I was grateful to have given a few crochet gifts this past Christmas, and I’ve never been quite as excited for someone to open my gifts as I was for those. 

Additionally, there is an abundance of evidence for the positive effects of crafts on mental wellbeing. Observational studies have also proved these benefits, and I’ll list a few for you here. There was a study done in 2020 on the effects of crocheting on wellbeing. This study, published in the National Library of Medicine, found that many people who use crochet as a way to deal with grief were showing improved mood levels after crocheting. This suggests that crochet works to get one’s mind clear and assists in managing stress and anxiety levels. Similar to knitting, crochet requires the use of your fine motor skills and can increase your hand-eye coordination. The repetitive movements and sometimes complex patterns help people focus as well.

If you need even further convincing, think about all of the communities that are formed through hobbies. Crocheting is no different. Online groups are everywhere for people to connect over their love of the craft by sharing project pictures and favorite patterns. This new hobby can act as a gateway to meeting new people and making lots of new friends. And let’s not forget about the market for crochet items. I know of lots of people that have made a business out of their love for crocheting and are able to spread their love for the craft with their community.

So, what are you waiting for? If this mountain of support isn’t enough to convince you to pick up a crochet hook, then maybe you’ll just have to try and see for yourself. Once you complete your first project, you’ll be hooked!