MY CROCHET JOURNEY

 Looking back, It is quite mind-blowing that I have been doing crochet for almost over 10 years. I always enjoyed doing arts and crafts such as drawing and painting from a young age. I remember at the age of 5 my uncle brought me a Lego set from Japan and I was very serious about what I was building with them and loved the end product. My brother was just a toddler and my mom would ask me to allow my brother to play and destroy my Lego construction to entertain him during feeding times.

I made it to medical school and the medical curriculum, different hospital rotations and exams took most of my time. I was still doing watercolour and oil on canvas paintings. My mother and brother were already in South Africa and after spending dinner time with grandparents I would go upstairs to our old flat and do paintings and listen to music until late at night. The internship started and work became busier with the night shifts. I was either spending the 24-hour shift in the hospital or catching up on my nap time.  I missed my old creative life.

I decided to start doing crochet. Back then there were no YouTube tutorial videos. I started with grandma and some crochet instruction books. Later on, I learned some more patterns from my grandma’s best friend. I went to her house and she would show me a pattern and I would follow her steps and do it. Gradually I figured out how most of the different patterns, single crochet, and double crochet, worked. I started with simple round doilies, granny square patterns, and scarves. The biggest thing knitted was a big colourful blanket made from small round patterns. I would crochet them in my community service accommodation, bring them home, and knit them together.

I find knitting and crocheting to fill the little free time I have here and there and reduce anxiety. I am not the only one who enjoys this. I found a lot of younger generations crocheting and making various crafts on social media. From baby clothes and boots to blankets and various stuffed toys. There is scientific evidence that crocheting and knitting are effective tools in maintaining dexterity and cognitive health as we age. The repetition of stitching absorbs part of our attention while still allowing us to think deeply about other things, therefore it allows us to process grief and other challenging emotions.

I often get criticized and mocked by my close family and friends that crocheting is for the elderly and grannies. I really feel that this is helping with my mental well-being. It is truly an antidote to depression, it helps me pull out of negative thoughts and focus on things that give me a sense of achievement.

 






 

 

 

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