Why crochet? Crochet has been around for a couple hundred years. Years ago, it was a favorite hobby for elderly people. They would crochet blankets, scarves, hats, etc. as gifts for family members. In more recent years, it has become not only a hobby for people of all ages, but some are even enjoying an income from the craft. With the invention of the internet, it has made it much easier to sell crochet projects to a wide audience. Besides monetary gain, there are other great reasons to crochet! The top 4 reasons to crochet are Relaxation, Mindlessness, Sense of Accomplishment, and Profit.
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Why Crochet? Here are 4 Great Reasons!
Relaxation
Studies have shown that the repetitive, rhythmic movement of crochet helps your body to release serotonin (a mood-booster hormone). If you are suffering from anxiety or depression, the repetitive motion of crocheting helps your mind to focus on what you are doing instead of all of the thoughts swirling around in your head, which gives you a sense of relaxation. Even choosing the crochet project and colors to use for the project will help enhance your mood and calm your thoughts.
Mindlessness
Mindlessness just means it is something you can do without really thinking about it. Once you get into the repetitive, rhythmic motion of what you are creating, your mind will relax and you can just keep on going and not think about it. Kind of like riding a bike. As long as you don’t have to pay close attention to the number of stitches, or are working on a difficult crochet project, you can even watch TV or talk on the phone, etc. without thinking about what your hands are doing. Crochet is truly a relaxing, mindless hobby!
Sense of Accomplishment
When you are all finished with your first project, you will feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment! You did it! Now you will probably want to move on to the next project. Have you been looking at the hundreds (probably thousands) of colors and textures of yarn at your local craft store or online? There are endless possibilities for your next project. Keep in mind that even if you are following a pattern, you do not have to use the same color(s) as in the pattern, which will make your crocheted item a one-of-a-kind piece. When your next work of art is finished, you will probably feel even more accomplished than the time before. Crochet can truly be addictive, so as long as you have the time on your hands, go ahead and keep feeling accomplished!
Profit
Once you have been crocheting for a little while (and you love it!), be prepared to crochet items for pretty much all of your family members (and no, they aren’t going to pay you). It started with blankets for me. I crocheted one for my mother-in-law one Christmas, and everyone started asking about it and if I could make them one as well. I am certain that every person in my family on both sides now has one of my crocheted blankets. I didn’t mind making all of the blankets because I love to crochet! Anyway, after the gift giving, friends of your family members may see the blankets (or whatever item you crocheted for your family member) and start asking about it and how much it would cost for you to make them one. It is time-consuming to make a big blanket, so keep this in mind (as well as the cost of the yarn you will use) when giving them a price. You will want to make sure you at least make a small profit. Realistically, looking into participating in local craft shows is usually the best payout as far as selling crocheted items. But with social media and websites such as Etsy, eBay, Shopify, Amazon, etc., the opportunities to sell your beautiful work is endless. You could even start your own website and sell your work there!
Looking for inspiration for your next project? Click here to see some exciting free patterns.
