I’m not a crafty person. Paint brushes, sewing needles and hot glue guns are as foreign to me as skydiving. That’s why it came as a shock to me to discover that I really like crotchet.  

On the first night of my one-week self-care challenge, I dragged myself through the front door at 9:20pm after two law lectures and a three-hour work shift, not feeling like doing much of anything except watching Netflix. Nonetheless, I sat down at my desk and watched a few ‘How to crotchet for beginners’ videos on YouTube. After fumbling clumsily with my crotchet hook and wool, pausing and rewinding the video for about ten minutes, I started to get the hang of it. Within another five minutes, I was speeding up. Instead of squinting hard at the wool trying to decipher the mass of loops and stitches, I had developed a steady rhythm, making each stitch with growing ease and confidence. I decided to turn on some music. For the next half hour, it was just me, my crotchet and music. It was positively blissful. My mind was free from worry and clutter. All I was focused on was making each stitch, letting the music wash over me. For once, I felt like I was really having some ME time - doing something completely for myself; enjoying the moment away from technology and textbooks.  

For the rest of the week, I literally craved crotchet. I would make a few stitches after arriving home each day and make a few more in between doing readings for my subjects to let my mind take a break. By the end of the week, I had made part of a scarf! Not only do I find crotchet relaxing, but it also allows me to make things for myself and others that are actually useful. By joining a few Facebook crotchet groups, I’ve also gained a sense of being part of a community. I’m beyond glad that I’ve found a self-care strategy that works for me.