One advantage of the cold and less-than-ideal weather in the Winter months here in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region of the United States is that I am less tempted to leave the house. This means I am likely to dig in my yarn or fabric stash for some inspiration, which almost always results in something delightfully creative.
The shawl-in-progress shown above will come along here and there in fits and starts. I do a lot of crocheting and knitting during one of my side hustles, which is as an organist - where there are periods of "down time" that are PERFECT for getting in a few stitches. I expect to finish it before the end of March, and plan to gift it at that point.
When I have time to express creatively, I am able to calm any anxiety, improve any "down" or depressed moods and expand my creative thinking as my mind wanders in the context of a creative endeavor. These projects also give me a lot of quiet time to just think, which is underappreciated in this world of constant noise and news. A great deal of problem-solving can occur in these hours, and I have learned to appreciate the quiet more and more.
Still, as much as I love all-things yarn, I have to admit that there are times I just don't want to pick up another skein. Some folks in crochet circles call this "losing your crojo".
These feelings always pass - eventually - but they can be difficult to push through if we have feelings of "should" (like "I should finish that shawl,..." or "I really should use all that yarn I just purchased,...").
"Shoulding" on ourselves is counterproductive to developing a peaceful mindset or finding a general sense of contentment. When I fall into one of my slumps and feel myself heading to "shoulding", I have a couple of approaches for turning that around.
Go wash some dishes
This can sound really LAME as a way to boost our moods, but it's surprising how much pleasure can come from clearing out or cleaning up a corner of our living space!! While I say "go wash some dishes", it could just as easily be folding a basket of laundry, quickly running the vacuum, sorting and clearing out a pile up of mail, etc.
There's something satisfying about cleaning/clearing a corner of our living space that can be a significant BOOST to our moods. If we just CAN'T look at the kitchen, we can even clean up, sort and organize our yarn area. It all works the same, and will give us the endorphins we need to turn the corner in terms of how we are feeling about life.
Variety!
Another tactic I have found to be helpful is what I call "the creative pivot". This is as simple as having other creative activities to engage in when we are feeling "meh" about our usual craft or hobby. For me, this often involves FABRIC instead of yarn.
Of course, these bags often become "yarn totes", because as everyone that crochets or knits understands, we MUST have multiple bags for all of our works in progress (WIP's). They can also be work totes for those "extras" that don't fit into our purse, lunch and snack bags, a bag for gym clothes,... there are endless options for using your unique creation!
Another aspect of support comes when we take our creations out into the world with us. The simple act of carrying a tote we have sewn or wearing a scarf we crocheted is like taking a piece of our "super power" with us. We ALL have times when we feel incompetent, bumbling, unskilled or maybe even like a failure in the moment. When we have one of our hand-crafted items with us, we are reminded that we are NOT incompetent, bumbling, unskilled or a failure. Maybe we are having one of those days at work, but - in the wholeness of our being - we are not any of those negative descriptions.
Creative expression through yarn, fabric or any other medium is good for us. We benefit by being immersed in the colors, textures and intentional creation activity as we work on taking them from raw materials into finished form. I contend that they are ALSO good for the world, as they help make us the best versions of ourselves. as we interact with our colleagues, community, family and friends.
To learn more about the health benefits of crocheting and knitting, check out these resources:
As the season's cooler temperatures and harsher conditions encourage our hibernation instincts, let's remember that we can keep it bright and sunny inside with our fabric, yarn and more!
(C) 2024 Stitch 'n Dish
Comments