The Soothing Technique of Crochet

[LadyyOftheOak]

I had a class last night and I wanted to share what transpired there, because it was truly an awesome thing to watch unfold.

 

A lady signed up for my class and I met her at Michaels to help her choose her supplies. She chose some beautiful Paton's SWS to make a very simple scarf out of. Her words to me were she wanted something very simply and monotonous as she took alot of medication for depression and her hands shook badly, so she wasn't sure if she could even do this.. but wanted to try and the simple pattern was so that she wouldn't get lost or have to concentrate too hard on a more difficult one. She had done some crocheting in high school, but she's now in her mid 50's and lets just say that high school was a LONG time ago.. so this might be a challenge.

 

Well class time rolled around and she was there with supplies in hand.. I got her started on a swatch just practicing stitches and (re)learning how to hold the thread and the hook. At first she was very tense, holding the hook and yarn very snug and her stitches were very tight... and as she had said previously, her hands shook badly. Being a counselor and a retired special ed teacher herself she was adept enough to know that her stitches reflected what she was feeling inside with her depression and problems.. she was all wound up and tight and it was showing in her hands and her work. The stitches however, although tight were very consistent and she caught on easily to turning the row and keeping count of her stitches.

 

After about 45 minutes of practicing she felt confident enough to start on her scarf and she picked up the hook and yarn. We started the beginning chain with a larger hook (I size) and when she turned for the first row we dropped down to an H to make going into that beginning chain a bit easier for her. There was another instructor in the classroom with a student doing the Wilton class and we four had a few laughs and the students commiserated on the difficulty of learning new crafts but they encouraged each other as well. It was an enjoyable, very relaxing evening and sounded more like a hen party sometimes than a class, but it was all good

 

By this time her stitches were looser and even more uniform and she was growing in confidence and doing absolutely wonderful. Most importantly though, and something I had to smile about to myself before I pointed it out to her... after about an hour of crocheting even with the stress of learning something new and having to focus on what she was doing, her hands were barely shaking at all. An hour of crocheting had done what medication and doctors had not been able to do, relax her enough that for a few moments her troubles were forgotten and there was peace in her soul. An hour of crocheting had settled her nerves enough that her hands were not shaking ... something she told me she never thought would happen again.

 

She left after class with my phone number in case she got stuck and a huge smile, with thoughts of coming back for more classes.. and probably a few more laughs. This to me makes doing these classes worth it.. it's not the pay for the class, it's not the hourly pay and it's not even so much the employee discount (altho that rocks lol) It's the smiles on the faces of people that learn something new, learn they CAN do something wonderful and creative ... and for one very nice lady, it was looking down to see the shaking in her hands finally quieted, at least for now.

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.. crochet is majical. It touches something deep inside and I can't explain it.. but it's a gift I am very honoured to have received from my grandmother. I hope she knows just how special this gift is..and how thankful I am to her for bringing it into my life.

[Shell]

what a wonderful story!

 

I too suffer from depression and find crochet so relaxing. But it is the depression which also steers me away from patterns and to making things myself. I find it hard to concerntrate and the harder I try the worse it gets. But I can pick up a pattern repeat relatively easy! It really does help, so many people in so many ways. A truly lovely story.

[Bookchick29]

That's a beautiful story, Donna! Thank you for sharing with us.

 

I completely agree about the soothing effects of crochet. When my mind is going in a million directions and I feel stressed or depressed or just out of sorts in any way, if I pick up my hook and some yarn, I lose myself in the rhythm of the stitches and begin to relax. I read an article somewhere on line (maybe on here) that there have been studies done on the brainwaves of people crocheting and it was found that the brainwaves became the same as if the person were meditating. I definitely think that crochet and knitting could be used as a therapeutic agent to help a variety of illnesses, both mental and physical.

[nss]

What a wonderful story!!! It was brave of her to reach out.

That will do wonders for her self-esteem won't it!!

Something to look forward to.

It's ALL GOOD:yes

I suscribed to this thread,please keep us posted

[LadyyOftheOak]

I will I don't know if she'll ever come back for another class but I get the feeling she will. It just really warmed my heart to see the effects.. right there even with the stress of learning it all. I knew you guys would understand this better than anyone else

[theworm]

Thanks for sharing that story! That's Great!

[lilpug]

I also suffer from Cilinical Depression and my Dr loves that fact that I crochet because it is very therapuetic! I told her about this sight and she was surprised by all the love and support given here! We actually do care about it each other. It is like having a huge extended family.

[bookermom]

I know this is a great experience.

I read a story about a women who taught troubled teens how to crochet, and I got hooked. I volunteer for a mental health organization. I first tried teaching women with schizophrenia to crochet, but the meds they take really took away their fine motor skills. For the last few years I have taught teenage boys to crochet, and while they resist at first, they do well. The more frustrated and angry boys have tight stitches, and I try to move disjointed, and say, you have to loooooooosen up. The more they concentrate, the more seratonins are produced, so actually this is very therapeutic for them. And you know who benefits most - me! They do beautiful work, and I am challenged to get them to learn new stitches, create new projects, and my skills are stretching and improving also.

So keep reaching out and teaching - you are helping those, even those who don’t appear depressed (I know depression myself) and you are giving skills to pass on.

 

You go girl!

[pinkroses]

Thanks for sharing that with us.

I suffer from Depression and am Diabetic Have arthritis.

and a lot of other things wrong with me.

I crochet , knit and quilt and sew. I find all of these to be very smoothing.

I find when something upsetting happens to me it clams me.

I am so glad to have something like this to clam me.,pinkroses

[AgnesMargaret]

Thank you for this story.

Honestly: I have been extremely stressed out for the last six years or so (trembling hands are just one of my symptoms), with all my studying and applications and travelling (and I am only 24 ) - so I know from experience how soothing crochet is. It can even help you go to sleep at night. I've got into the habit of keeping a ball of yarn or thread and a hook near at hand, for emergencies... the best way of relieving stress I have ever heard of.

[Samio]

I too suffer from severe Depression and Bi-Polar Disorder. I try and crochet everyday as I find that it calms me down considerably. One of my medications actually causes my hands to shake quite badly, but I too have found that when I am crocheting I can control it to an extent. The ironic thing is when I am have a psychotic episode, give me a project that should take 6 weeks to do, and I will have it finished in 6 days. I am all for taking up a hobby to calm the nerves and the mind

[LadyyOftheOak]

I knew you guys would understand I wonder, is there a compilation anywhere of the benefits of Crochet? This might be fun to share with new students

[AgnesMargaret]

What about editing one?? Between ourselves we could compile some handy self-help reference guide on "How to Reduce Stress with Crochet" in no time!

[Momcrochets]

Here's another one. At work last spring I learned of a study that claims knitting or crocheting is also good for a baby-in-waiting. While Mom to be crochets, those seratonins and feel-good chemicals are also seeping into baby's system! (Now we have proof and good reason for why expectant mothers do handwork...or one more excuse for it!)

 

LovesTenderTouch, thanks for the inspiring story. We all know for ourselves the magic of crochet, but it's wonderful to see it in real life, and in such a dramatic way!

[AgnesMargaret]

There is a Hungarian saying (it probably exists in many other languages, it is so true!): when someone does embroidery/crochet/knitting whatever while she is expecting a baby, or preparing for her wedding etc., they say she is embrodiering/crocheting/etc.ing her feelings, dreams, hopes, and fears INTO the piece she is working on.

 

Indeed, I find I love to look at the pieces I made when I was happy - as if they were the repositories of that happiness, and I could simply get some of it back by a touch or a glance.

[LadyyOftheOak]

Well, I had a table up at Michaels' yesterday... it doubles as a class promotion but it's off the clock and I set out the things I've made for sale all off the clock of course, but it's a double edged promotion.. myself and the classes

 

Anyway, I got alot more interest on the classes and several stopped by as they had seen me out there before and stopped to say hello. I haven't heard back from my last student but will give her a call later today and check on her... I'll be sure to post a progress report on how she is doing