More About Mindful Crafting

I'm so glad you are back for a second Sunday post! This may be the first time I've posted two times in a single day. But...really, this one is by the very sweet Kathryn Vercillo. Remember when I told you about research on the benefits of crafting? {In addition to the beautiful projects, there are wonderful meditative benefits as well.} 

I mentioned an article I found by Kathryn Vercillo about her craft of choice: Crochet. I was intrigued by Kathryn's story. Her story shares, on a very personal level, how crafting {crocheting} really does have the power to heal. I was also intrigued because crochet is the only needlework I've learned. I've made many things ~almost all of the things were gifts and currently have not one, but two unfinished projects.

I reached out to Kathryn and asked her to share more of her story with us and she graciously agreed. I'm so excited that she is Guest Posting! 

Crochet Each Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Guest post by Kathryn Vercillo, the blogger behind top crochet blog Crochet Concupiscence and the author of a book called Crochet Saved My Life, which is about the health benefits of crafting.

Every summer when I was growing up we would go to visit my grandmother, the only truly religious woman in our family. She has a poem by Grace L. Naessens hanging in her bathroom called The Difference, which is about the need to pray every day. The poem describes someone who felt like life was so busy that there was no time to pray but then realized that if you don’t take the time to pray then life is way too overwhelming and feels even busier. Of all of the small religious things that could have stuck in my mind from those Ohio summers, it was this poem that stayed with me. I personally don’t pray in the traditional way but I understand the sentiment behind the poem and feel like the gist of it applies to the reason that I crochet every day. I crochet even when (especially when) life feels so busy that it seems like there is no time to crochet.

The thing that you need to know about me is that crochet saved my life. I have had lifelong depression and went through a period of serious crisis during which I was diagnosed with double depression. I didn’t want to wake up in the morning. I could often barely get out of bed. I felt unproductive, uncreative, and entirely hopeless. It was a dark time. I got through that time thanks to a good therapist, a light anti-depressant, a strong will, and a lot of crochet. Later, when I was ready to write a book about my experience, I met many other women who also shared their stories with me about how the benefits of crafting helped them to get through the most difficult times in their lives.

Here are some of the ways that crochet helps us:

•       Crochet is a repetitive task, with a fluid motion that is highly soothing. This helps with relaxation. It encourages de-stressing. It reduces anxiety. It likely releases serotonin in the brain, a natural pain reliever, and natural anti-depressant.

•      Crafting brings you back to the present moment. You stop worrying about the future and trying in vain to fix the past and just be where you are, which is a very mentally healthy space to be.

•      Crochet is an easy way to make something for someone else. It makes you feel like you are productive and can be a tool towards generosity and this boosts self-esteem.

•      Crochet is easy. Life can feel really hard and difficult and “too much” sometimes. When it does, I crochet, because it is something I can accomplish and this reminds me that I can handle and accomplish other things in life as well.

I am thrilled that I survived my depression and am doing well now. Nevertheless, this was a condition I struggled with for more than a decade and I know that I am always at risk of sliding backward in my own mental health journey. I must do all that I can to stay healthy each day and so I continue to crochet as a regular part of my wellness plan. By taking just half an hour at some point during the day to meditatively stitch something for myself or someone else I bring my mind and heart back to a place of peace. I express myself, I calm myself, I become and remain a stronger and saner and healthier person.

What happens on days when I am “too busy” to crochet? One of the lines in Naessens’ poem is: “Problems just tumbled about me and grew heavier with each task” … that is how I feel if I get so busy with all of the so-called important activities in life that I can’t take a little bit of time out for myself to craft. Without a bit of time to crochet I rush, I hurry, I fret. Without that moment of peace, I can’t get perspective on things and problems seem bigger than they need to be. When I don’t crochet, life starts to feel too hard.

I do not think that you need to be “sick” to need to take time out of your very busy life each day to take care of yourself. I am a huge proponent of self-care. I believe that we cannot be our best, most productive, most creative selves if we do not put nurturing ourselves at the top of our To-Do lists. I believe that there is no way we can be successful caregivers to others in our lives if we do not first take care of ourselves. For me self-care includes crochet every day … what does it mean for you?

Thank you so much, Kathryn!  Did I mention that Kathryn has a blog? --I'm being silly...of course I did. I hope you jump over to her blog and give her some bloggy love.