Crocheting

“I just wanted to say, when I first started crocheting i felt really stupid and was super hard on myself. [...] what started as wonky squares then turned into a scarf. by the time I was done with the scarf, I felt like I could actually see what I was doing. all the sudden I knew what to look for, where to go, and my tension eased up and got more consistent. [...] with more experience, I came back to my previous beanie and … it was still really hard. all the way until the end. but you know what? at least I finished it! and that makes me more proud than anything.”

“I started learning to crochet a little over a month ago. [...] It didn't turn out beautiful, but that wasn't the intent, though that would have been an added bonus. Instead, it turned out wonky, the edges wide in some place and narrower in others, sort of a Dr. Seuss look, if you will. The stitches were uneven at first, some tight, others loose. [...] Because I used yarn I already had, I got to experience that some yarns are nicer to work with than others. I found I preferred crocheting with big, soft, chunky yarns like the multi-colored one in the middle. The peach one right beside it was not at all soft, but more scratchy and firm. I didn't like it a bit and couldn't wait to finish that color. [...] I had no idea yarns were so different!”

“Crochet was something that I could do alone, in my house, no matter how bad I felt. It was soothing, because it would break up the ruminating mind that made my depression worse and it would calm down the anxiety that accompanied that depression. It was healing because it helped me to feel creative and productive again. I was having trouble writing because my mind was just so dark at the time but I could create again with my hook and yarn.”