Top 10 Reasons Crochet is Awesome

I know crochet is awesome. You know crochet is awesome. But countless people think that crochet is outdated and only made for making doilies and granny squares. Oh, how wrong they are.

Crochet is far from outdated. It has recently been seen on the runways of New York, London and Paris in the collections of major fashion labels. It’s cropping up in mainstream department stores and boutiques shop too. Even the elusive hipster has embraced it as a fashion statement in accessories and loose fitting tunics. It’s everywhere. And I’ll save you my rant on why doilies and granny squares are awesome. Simply put, they are classics like mid-century modern furniture is classic.

So if you’ve got to convince someone that crochet is awesome—maybe it’s an ill-informed friend, someone who’s a staunch devotee of another needlework art or a stranger in the street—give them the 10 reasons below.

10 Reasons Crochet is Awesome

  1. It Relaxes. Harvard Medical Studies show that needlework such as crochet and knitting can reduce heart beats by up to 11 beats per minute and that focusing on a repetitive task, especially one that you enjoy, lowers stress.
  2. It’s Fast. It’s not a scientific point, but anytime a hat can be made in under an hour, it’s something to brag about.
  3. It’s Flexible. With just a few stitches in your crochet repertoire you can create dense, openwork, or textured fabrics that will impress anyone.
  4. It’s Accessible. All you need is a little bit of yarn or string and a hook to learn. When it comes to learning a new craft, that’s pretty darn cheap.
  5. It Relieves Arthritis. Studies [and members of my family] show that keeping your fingers nimble and active helps to calm and prevent arthritis flare ups. If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, crochet every day keeps the stiffness away.
  6. It’s Social. Learning to crochet and crocheting is a great way to start and maintain friendships. Crochet meetup groups are widespread and many laughs have been shared while working up a few loops.
  7. It Keeps the Brain Active. Just as learning music during early childhood development increase cognitive abilities, crochet and other needlework do too. And in your senior years, crochet will keep the mind’s problem solving and memory faculties nimble and ready to process.
  8. It’s a Health Phenome. It boosts your immune system and helps to fight depression.
  9. It Builds Confidence. Finishing a crochet sweater or a learning a challenging new stitch will increase your self esteem and give you something to boast about.
  10. It’s a Mass Movement. Over 50 million people crochet in the United States alone. We may be quietly crocheting at a coffee shop, but we’re keeping countless people warm with our wooly creations.

I may be biased, but I’m accurate.

DATA SOURCES: CRAFT YARN COUNCIL, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THE MAYO CLINIC.

For the Love of YarnNatalie GagnonEvergreenComment