An academic survey of crochet that went viral worldwide and attracted responses from more than 8000 people in 80 countries has reported significant positive impacts on wellbeing. It also showed that crochet made people feel useful and part of society, and was important for connection across generations, said research Dr Pippa Burns from the University of Wollongong.
Pippa and a research colleague studied how the handcraft of crochet may assist with mental health and wellbeing, following the lead of Betsan Corkhill in the United Kingdom who had found positive impacts of knitting on wellbeing.
“At the end of survey we had a free text box asking if there was anything else people wanted to tell us. Over 50 percent shared their experience of using crochet to get through high-stress times, but also for connection across generations, a sense of producing something for future generations, or materials passed down between generations,’’ Pippa said.
“People were saying there were connections to it being a mindful process, counting stitches, being in the moment and not thinking about stress or burdens. Handcrafts at present are a very useful way of being in the moment … there is something about using your hands and being in the moment which helps still racing thoughts.”
Listen to the conversation with Dr Pippa Burns below (or read notes at bottom)
What Pippa Burns said:
We’ve been going day to day, at home with partner and two girls, aged 11 and 12, doing more free schooling than home schooling. Focusing on maintaining a level of harmony, because not much else seems important at the moment.
Pippa and a research colleague at the University of Wollongong have studied how the handcraft of crochet may assist with mental health and wellbeing. They collaborated with Betsan Corkhill in the United Kingdom and used her survey which looked at the impact of knitting on wellbeing.
The crochet survey went viral worldwide and attracted responses from more than 8000 people in 80 countries. People reported significant positive impacts on wellbeing. It also showed that crochet made people feel useful and part of society, and was important for the connection across generations.
“At the end of survey we had a free text box asking if there was anything else people wanted to tell us. Over 50 percent shared their experience of using crochet to get through high-stress times, but also for connection across generations, a sense of producing something for future generations, or materials passed down between generations,’’ Pippa said.
“People were saying there were connections to it being a mindful process, counting stitches, being in the moment and not thinking about stress or burdens. Handcrafts at present are a very useful way of being in the moment … there is something about using your hands and being in the moment which helps still racing thoughts.”
Pippa suggests people need to be more accepting of handcraft as a source of creativity, rather than a feminised pursuit. She said the work of Sir Ken Robinson highlighted the value of creativity alongside academic work in the classroom.
Speaking about climate change and reducing the resources we take up in new clothing, she noted that within the past five years more colleagues and students are talking about buying clothes from opshops, celebrating great finds and extending the life of clothing.
Both her girls have become independently active around climate change in the past 12 months and the pandemic has allowed the family more time to do things they want to change behaviours.
Tips: The reality is we don’t know what is ahead and it is possible going into winter that we will have a second wave. Make the most of every day, the fact we are healthy and have a house to be cooped up in. We can’t control what is going on around us, we have just got to keep going.
Changes: Hopeful we will see some sustained change from the government in raising jobseeker allowance and finding shelter for the homeless because it has been suddenly able to do things that had not been addressed. Changes at an individual and community level may drive bigger changes. The mental burden from the recession that follows these restrictions will be huge. We need to live within our means and maintain our mental wellbeing. Made do and mend culture will arise out of necessity, rather than being driven by values or choice.