13 WEIRD Ways CROCHET Has Changed My Life
We are going to talk about the thirteen WEIRD ways that crochet has changed my life. And by weird, I mean the unexpected and quirky crochet things that have literally changed me as a person.
Crochet is a simple and relaxing hobby that has changed the lives of countless people around the world. For me, crochet has been more than just a hobby – it has been a life-changing experience that has brought me peace, joy, and a sense of accomplishment.
13 Weird Ways Crochet Has Changed My Life
I first discovered crochet when I was going through a tough time in my life. I was struggling with anxiety which stemmed from my son’s serious health issues. Those negative feelings sent me searching for a way to calm my mind and distract myself from doctor’s appointments and hospital stays.
One dark and lonely night I hopped on Pinterest bound and determined to find a hobby then and there. The rest they say, is history.
You can find more details about my crochet journey but today I thought I would share some of the weird ways crochet has changed my life. And I bet you’ll find that you relate to some of these as well.
Let me know in the comment section how crochet has changed your life!
We are going to start with small weird ways that crochet has changed my life and then we will end with the craziest, most unexpected and weirdest way crochet has changed my life.
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While Shopping
When I’m out shopping, I now can’t help but notice items on the shelves and think:
I could make that.
Recently I was in Target looking in their crafting section and found little pom pom headbands and a garland that would be so easy to make.
I also found an adorable tiny party hat and thought of the Mini Birthday Hat project I designed a few years ago.
Find the Mini Birthday Hat FREE Pattern Here
Shopping now can be an inspirational experience because I think of so many things that I could make and how I would do them differently.
This phenomenon leads me to the second WEIRD way crochet has changed my life.
Making vs Buying
When I’m out shopping and I see something and think “I could make that”, I never take into account how much making it will cost me vs. how much it would cost to just buy the darn thing.
I will spend $50 crocheting something that I could have just bought for $2.99. Raise your hand if you’ve ever done that, lol.
Trigged
Have you ever been working on a gorgeous crochet project and someone asks you, “What are you knitting?”
And did you feel a slight rise in your cheeks and experienced a bit of annoyance when you calmly said, “I’m crocheting a blanket”. Emphasizing the word “crocheting”.
Yup, me too.
I’m not upset that people don’t know the correct terminology, but I feel weirdly defensive and feel like I’m sticking up for an old friend who isn’t being recognized for their greatness.
Crochet is such an amazing hobby and it feels like it gets overlooked by its more well known cousin, knitting.
Crochet is a Sport
I know this sounds bizarre, but in my mind crochet is a sport. Think of this this way. Sports include athletes who perform specific skills with their physical bodies. And, there is an element of risk because those athletes can become injured from doing that sport.
Sounds a bit like crocheting doesn’t it?
Who knew that you could have actual injuries from crocheting. I didn’t, that is, until I ended up being diagnosed with tendinitis and having to get cortisone shots and going to physical therapy for months.
All that happened because I didn’t want to put down my crochet hook and pretty yarn.
When we are crocheting we are making repetitive motions which can cause harm to our joints, tendons and muscles.
This is one weird way that crocheting has changed my life because I can’t just crochet whenever I want to. I have to listen to my body and watch out for signs of injury, just like a real athlete.
Hard to Make Friends Who Don’t Craft
Making friends is hard as an adult and it’s even harder as a crocheter to connect with people who don’t craft.
When meeting someone new and they ask, “What do you do?”
I take a deep gulp and try to make this situation not sound quite as weird…I crochet toys in basement.
That doesn’t really make people want to talk to you, lol.
Vacation
Going on vacation is very different now that I’m totally addicted to crochet.
Before I could just pack up my clothing and personal belongings.
Now I have to leave room in my suitcase for yarn and notions. I’ve even been known to bring an entirely separate suitcase just for my crafting supplies.
When we are going someplace especially interesting I have even brought crocheted amigurumi toys with me so that I could take pictures of them in an interesting place.
Here’s a photo of a pig I crocheted and brought to Disney World with me.
Evening Time is for Crochet
In the evening, I sit in my comfy chair and surround myself with my yarn and hook. It’s my favorite way to spend a quiet evening.
And if I don’t have that then I feel very out of sorts.
This leads me to the next weird way crochet has changed my life.
I Have Zero Idea What People Look Like on TV
Because I crochet mostly in the evenings when my family is watching TV, I literally have no idea what most of the characters look like.
I recognize their voices, but if I had to pick them out in a police line up I would have no clue.
House is Messier
Before becoming an avid crocheter I definitely had a cleaner house. My floors were vacuumed, my toilets were scrubbed and surfaces were dusted.
These days I would rather grab my yarn and a hook than clean. And that’s not a good thing, but its definitely one of the weird ways crochet has changed my life.
Needed an Entire Room for Crochet Stuff
I’ve never been great at keeping up with the laundry, but I did have a dedicated laundry room.
Nowadays that laundry room shares the space with my all my crochet stuff. Before beoming addicted to yarn, I could never have imagined needing an entire room for crafting supplies, but here we are.
And if I’m honest, it would be even better if this room was bigger. This is not something that I could have ever imagined before I started crocheting.
Mental Health Benefits
One of the biggest ways that crochet has changed my life for the better is my mental health.
I’ve talked it about it many times, but I started crocheting during a very difficult time in my life. My son’s health was very bad and I was big hot anxious mess.
I knew I needed something that could keep my hands and mind busy, while still being able to be home to take care of him.
Never could I have imagined the positive effects crocheting would have on my mental state. I had no idea that it was scientifically proven to help reduce stress physically and emotionally.
Life is hard and crocheting continues to help me go through difficult times.
Check Out Crocheting & Knitting for Better Mental Health Here
Changed the Way I See Myself
When I started crocheting I promised myself that I wasn’t going to follow my old patterns of giving up when things got hard.
For my entire life I quit when anything was challenging. If I couldn’t do something the first time, I thought it wasn’t for me and would give up.
I was in such a desperate situation when I started crocheting and I was determined to learn how to do it, even when it got hard.
This literally changed everything for me.
It may sound dramatic, but crocheting actually changed how I view myself.
Because I learned that I could stick with something and push through when things were hard, I started doing that in other areas of my life.
Now, if I want to learn something new or do something I’ve never done before, I know that I can do it. I know that I have what it takes to push past the limits I had always set up for myself.
It took me forty-two years to figure this out, but I’m so glad that crochet taught me that the only limits I have are the ones I put on myself.
I Started a Crochet Business
The biggest and weirdest way that crochet has changed my life is that I started a crochet business.
In all my years I have never had an entrepreneurial bone in my body. I’ve never dreamed of starting a business, I never wanted to be my own boss.
But, once I began crocheting, I quickly learned that I wanted to do more with it. I wanted it to be the way I spent my days. I wanted to share all the amazing benefits of crocheting and help others too.
I think crocheting makes the world a better place and I’ve wanted to share that message ever since I saw how much it helped me through the hardest season of my life.
Now, crocheting not only continues to help me cope with the stresses of life, but it provides for my family.
I could never have imagined that crochet would be not just my hobby, but my job.
Totally weird (and wonderful all at the same time).
13 Weird Ways Crochet Has Changed My Life
How has crochet changed your life for the weirder or the better?
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