Evenings in my home are usually a quiet, sedate affair, with skills learnt from my mum and grandmothers meaning I can sit and unwind, whilst still being busy.  Knitting and crochet (and sewing) have - at times - been very out of fashion but I picked them up again during a stressful period in my life when I needed some sanity preservation.  Through the wonders of modern technology, I discovered that my quirky, old-fashioned hobbies were becoming increasingly popular. I believe COVID lockdowns had something to do with it. So what does the research say about crafting and its impact on mental health and wellbeing? Is there anything in my extravagant claim that it provided sanity preservation?

I’ll include references below if you want to go and find out more directly from the sources, but to put it simply, crafting:

• Keeps our brains active - there’s always something new that can be learnt - new skills, hobbies, techniques keeps things fresh and exciting and is more stimulating than passively absorbing media or doom scrolling  -  this means our brains are flexible when we meet new challenges in life
• Provides mental challenges and problem solving opportunities - frustration when we are in the middle of a muddle can turn to a sense of achievement when we get past it - see also the point about keeping our brains active 
• Keeps us socially connected - whether that is being part of a community online or in real life, we have a shared interest that provides a sense of belonging. This is a great foundation for friendships that provide mutual support. We learn from each other, share ideas, inspire and encourage each other- see also the point about keeping things fresh and exciting
• Is a creative outlet that helps us to express (and explore) our individuality and unique personalities - suddenly that person who only ever wears blue is knitting the most colourful socks imaginable……
• Is part of structure and routines that provide balance in our lives - and this can be stabilising when we go through periods of stress, grief, transition, depression. Predictability during times of chaos can be anchoring 
• Can often be that time to slow down and unwind that is needed during busy periods, providing a mindful and relaxing experience. It may not solve chronic illness and pain, but mindful concentration on something can often be a distraction. Being in that state of flow can stop us from overthinking the difficult stuff
• Is often a tactile, sensory experience that is associated with calm
• Often has repetitive, rhythmic actions that may be impacting our nervous system - lowering our heart rate and decreasing levels of the stress hormone, cortisol

Links have been made to emotional regulation, for example, in those who have experienced trauma.  There’s a lot more research needed to really understand what goes on in our bodies and minds when we knit or crochet. But it seems there is a real connection between crafting and maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.

I’m off to practice a bit of self care - where did I leave my knitting?





References 


Dietrich, A. (2004). “Neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the experience of flow.” Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 746–761.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. Norton.

​Reynolds, F. (2019). “Textile arts and well-being: A systematic review.” Arts & Health, 11(3), 181–201.
Verghese, J. et al. (2003). “Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly.” New England Journal of Medicine, 348(25), 2508–2516.

Le Lagadec, Marie; Kornhaber, Rachel; Johnston-Devin, Colleen; Cleary, Michelle (2024). Healing stitches: A scoping review on the impact of needlecraft on mental health and well-being. CQUniversity. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/10779/cqu.27676194.v1 

Burns P, Van Der Meer R. (2021). Happy Hookers: findings from an international study exploring the effects of crochet on wellbeing. Perspect Public Health. 141(3):149-157. doi: 10.1177/1757913920911961. 

Brooks L, Ta K-HN, Townsend AF, Backman CL. (2019). “I just love it”: Avid knitters describe health and well-being through occupation. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. 86(2):114-124. doi:10.1177/0008417419831401

Nordstrand, J., Birgitta Gunnarsson, A., & Häggblom-Kronlöf, G. (2024). Promoting health through yarncraft: Experiences of an online knitting group living with mental illness. Journal of Occupational Science, 31(3), 504–515. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2023.2292281

We were all set for an amazing night out! We travelled to Manchester, took our time, sorted out parking, ate with my daughter, took a taxi to the Co-op Live arena, went through all the zig-zagging queues to get to security, got through security, scanned our tickets, paid a small fortune for cans of fizzy water and took our seats.  The farewell tour for an artist who wrote the soundtrack of so much of my youth. I remember sitting with my sister playing records over and over until we figured out what the words were to songs - but the words for Out of the Blue were all on the album itself, which meant no mis-heard lyrics for once! My sense of nostalgia was well and truly ignited....

But I guess when you book tickets to see a septuagenarian performer you have to expect that there are risks that they will be unwell or not live up to the memories.  If you didn't hear of Jeff Lynne's illness leading to the cancellation of his last two concerts, you probably didn't watch any news at all in early July 2025.  Just as our excitement was building, the announcement came that he was too unwell to perform and minutes later the whole atmosphere changed.  

Perhaps it's a sign of my own aging, but when I read on social media of people being 'devastated' at missing out on the experience, I was a little bemused.  I was disappointed, yes. Devastated indicates something  life-changing to me but I'm sure that it was far more difficult for poor Jeff,  who must have been feeling pretty rough at the time.  Yes, it would have been lovely to have seen him. But we can still listen to the music - ok, not the same as listening to it live, but the music isn't gone.  And the poor man can take his time to recover.  Let's face it, that can take longer for all of us as we get older.

So why am I mentioning this in a blog post on my counselling website? Because life is full of disappointments. Some might be devastating and life-changing. Maybe bereavement or illness. Others might be a mere inconvenience, like missing the bus and having to wait for the next one. Others might be a bit more costly, like the cost of travel and accommodation when we go to see a concert.  

Our ability to be resilient in the face of life's disappointments depends on so many things, including emotional costs, financial costs and the impact on our relationships and/or day-to-day living. But it's also dependent on who we are with, our attitude and our ability to re-frame the disappointment. We had a great evening because we had great company, it was a beautiful sunny summer's evening to walk back to our car and we 'danced' along to ELO's music in the car on our way home. There was a sense of camaraderie with others who had travelled even further than us. 

Not all disappointments are so easy to bounce back from. Or maybe there have been many disappointments that have piled up on top of each other. That's where counselling can be helpful.  Finding someone you can trust to work through the impact of those disappointments - whether they are recent or long ago - can be an important step in moving forward.  If you are looking for someone to help, get in touch here, or check out the BACP or ACC directories.