When I first did the research for my book Crochet Saved My Life, there seemed to be very few people talking about the health benefits of yarncrafting. I’m thrilled to see that in the half a dozen years since that time, a wide variety of industries are now discussing the issue. There has also been some great research into the topic.
Mindfulness is the art of focusing on the present moment. You enhance the quality of your life by bringing awareness to the entirety of the moment (thoughts, feelings, sensations, and more) without judging or attempting to change that experience. Practicing mindfulness brings many benefits to your daily life and improves life quality as a whole. There are many ways to practice mindfulness, and as a crafter, you already have one tool at your disposal. That’s right, knitting and crochet can help you with mindfulness practice.
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Christmas is upon us. Will you be up late on Christmas Eve trying to knit or crochet more items than you could possibly complete in a month, let alone an evening? If so, you’re not alone. Many people have big ambitious plans to handmade all of their gifts for Christmas.
Continue reading “Who Deserves Your Handmade Gifts? How to Narrow Down Your Christmas To-Do List”
Crocheting winter garments can be challenging. On the one hand, you want to make something cozy and warm. On the other hand, bulky knits can sometimes feel unflattering. How do you go about making things that you and your loved ones want to wear for winter? This guide will help you figure it out.
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Fall is the perfect season to make a crochet wreath. You can get creative adding a variety of different autumn-inspired colors and appliques. Hang wreaths on front doors or on your walls. Make them big or small. Create many small ones or one statement piece. This guide shows you some of the different decisions that you’ll make when creating your own crochet wreath design. Of course, you can use the same basic guide to crochet wreaths for any season.
Autumn is the perfect time to engage all of the senses. The air is crisp. It smells of pumpkin spice and burning firewood. Leaves change colors to the constant delight of our eyes. We hear those leaves crackling underfoot and we hear the rush of wind through the air. It is also the perfect time of year to get cozy inside with your crafts. Bring the sensory experience of fall into your crafting time to have an even better experience.
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Many of the joys of yarn crafting come from the craft itself. However, there is also a lot of joy that comes from the craft community. Talking about knitting and crochet can be a really powerful part of being a crafter.
Once you have learned how to crochet the basic stitches (such as half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, and longer stitches) you will find that you can combine these stitches in almost infinite variations to create different types of fabric. There are a set of advanced crochet stitches built from these basic crochet stitches that allow for some terrific texture.
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This is a recipe for designing and crocheting your own wall hanging. You can follow the steps exactly to get started, but then feel free to play around with them using your own changes to get the unique wall art that is right for your own space. Wall hangings are art and making your own crochet wall hanging should be a fun form of creative self-expression!
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Lounging on the sand at the beach while working on a knit or crochet project sounds so relaxing. So why is it that yarning at the beach can sometimes go so wrong? To get the most out of breach crafting, you really need to be smart about choosing your projects, supplies and even your mental approach. This guide can help you get it right so that your summer is both relaxing and creatively productive.