You Are Enough
Crafting and Mental Health
Gosh, where has October gone? This past month was World Mental Health Day, and for this WMH day, I wanted to touch on a few points. Firstly, it’s okay not to be okay. For those of you who have been in the shop you may know that I tend to wear dungarees quite a lot and I often have pin badges on those dungarees, saying things like “You are enough” or “It’s okay not to be okay”.
Pin Badge
Secondly, I'd like to explore a little bit about how crafting and in particular knitting and crocheting and yarn crafts have really helped my own mental health. Back in 2022, I had a mental health breakdown. It was probably simmering away under the surface for some time, but a sudden family trauma blew all of my fuses. It took me quite some time to re-wire everything back together. It was so hard. It took me nearly two years to recover from, and even now, I'm still recovering from it.
The yarn community has quite literally saved my soul I don't know how many times. I have made lifelong friends through crochet and knitting retreats, and these people have been there for me to talk yarny stuff, to check in on me, to help me look after myself, and to come alongside me.
I firmly believe that a person’s mental health can be vastly improved by creating something. It could be wool crafts like crochet or knitting, or creating art with paints and canvas, or with cold malleable clay in the hands of a potter. Earlier this month, I actually had the opportunity to spend a little bit of time with a potter, and play with some clay. I had no idea what I wanted the clay to be, but I allowed the clay to be moulded by my hands. In time it became a small pot. During the process, I felt my breathing soften and my heart beat relax. I had a sense of calm. The cold clay from the earth had helped me to be still. It was a lovely experience, and hopefully, something I will do again.
Sock Circle - Casting on a new sock
This week I will be running another sock group and I’m really enjoying watching the progress of my lovely sock knitters. It wasn’t designed as a beginner group - everyone is already comfortable with handling wool and needles; but more of a “I can knit, but I’ve never knit socks” session.
If you are looking for a great beginner group, Sandra runs beginner knitting and crochet sessions throughout the week. These sessions do require booking in advance as they’re usually well attended.
I’ve been working on some samples for the shop, all crochet this time, and mainly from the Ricorumi book “Shrooom” and from my own pattern collection.
Mushrooms for the shop window
The cowl is my crocheted bobble cowl, and is designed to use 100g of DK or 4ply yarn. For this sample, I’ve used Scheepjes Stonewashed Minerals in shade 901 Agate Aria and Scheepjes Stonewashed in shade 813 Amazonite. The pattern is available here https://ravel.me/bobble-cowl-cch and in the shop.
Bobble Cowl CCH by Clare Hockley
Next on my list will be some knitted sock samples in this year’s West Yorkshire Spinners colour “Mulled Wine”. It’s a gorgeous colourway and evokes warm and cosy feelings of evenings by the fire. The yarn is available in the shop along with the pattern for the Nutmeg socks.
West Yorkshire Spinners
Anyway, that’s enough from me for now. Do make use of the cosy evenings and tell us what’s on your needles or hooks. Even better, why not pop in to the shop and show us in person.
Happy crafting everyone, and stay cosy.
Lots of love, Clare.