Inspired by reading Love in Every Stitch, I decided to go through my archives and review all of the articles I’ve written over the years about how crochet has helped people. Of course, I love the personal stories the most but I like anytime I can share about the mental and physical health benefits of crochet. Then I got to wondering – why haven’t I collected all of these articles in one place? Well, I ask that no longer – here is the archive of crochet health stories to date. Looking for crochet patterns to help your healing? Check our selection here.
General Articles on the Health Benefits of Crochet
- 10 reasons crochet can help you heal
- Crochet can boost immune system
- Crochet boosts self-esteem
- Crochet for caregivers – how it helps
- 5 reasons crochet is a great craft for hospitals
- 5 unique benefits of yarn crafts
- Benefits of Crochet and Knitting for Kids
Crocheting through Depression
Crochet specifically helped me through depression (and anxiety associated with depression). Here are articles about that topic:
- 5 benefits of crochet for depression
- 4 ways crochet helped me through depression
- How crochet helps with ten symptoms of depression
- Causes of depression in people who were helped by crochet
- Crochet for daily balance as a depression survivor
- Crochet gets you out of your head
- Healing benefits of visualizing and completing a project
- Reducing depression with hands-on activities
Grief and depression have overlapping qualities although they are different things. Crochet helps with grief as well.
Other Specific Health Issues Helped By Crochet
Crochet helps with much more than depression. Links to people’s personal stories can be found later in this post but first here are some basic articles about how crochet helps with specific illnesses or issues.
- 5 unusual illnesses helped by crochet
- 10+ issues helped with crochet
- Addiction including for teen boys in recovery
- Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment
- Anxiety and justification for “sitting still”
- Asperger’s / Autism
- Bipolar
- Caregiver stress as well as self-care for caregivers
- Chronic Fatigue
- PTSD
- Pregnancy complications including anxiety, pain management and postpartum depression
- Severe allergies
- A History of Crochet as Occupational Therapy
Crochet in Therapy
- Crochet in therapy vs crochet as therapy
- Benefits of crochet in individual and group therapy
- Interim House knitting and crochet benefits
Mindfulness / Meditation Crochet
- How crochet can help with mindfulness practice
- 10 tips for more mindful crochet
- Simple mindfulness crochet exercise
- How to crochet for mindfulness and be mindful in crochet
- Tip: use crochet mindfulness cues
Personal Stories of How Crochet Heals
Here are the links to all of the stories people have generously and bravely shared about how crochet helps them heal.
- Crochet Heals: Lori’s Story (chronic pain)
- Crochet Heals: Katrina’s Story (Graves disease)
- Crochet Heals: Cynthia’s Story (crochet for grief)
- Lisa crochets while on bedrest for premie pregnancy
- Crochet Heals Terri (interview)
- Kimberly crochets through stress of parenting special needs kids
- Aurore crochets through schizophrenic hallucinations plus 2015 update from Aurore
- Laura crochets on the psychiatric ward
- Maarit crochets to reduce pain of neurological failure
- Linda crochets through cancer treatment
- Mad Whimsy crochets to help with OCD
- Military man Rod Hardin crochets through PTSD
- Patti crochets with MS
- Nessa crochets through MS-related depression
- Terry crochets through depression associated with unemployment and illness
- Debbie crochets through Chronic Fatigue
- Jodie crochets through Chronic Fatigue
- Ineke crochets through CFS and fibromyalgia
- Vicki crochets through injury-related chronic pain
- Akua crochets through paralysis
- Catherine crochets through gastroparesis
- Tammy crochets through Chronic Lyme Disease
- Cari crochets through Lyme
- Alexandra crochets through chronic illness
- Heidi crochets through the loss of a daughter
- Cynthia crochets through grief and illness
- Karen crochets through grief and loss
- Laurie crochets after traumatic brain injury
- Donna crochets through cancer diagnosis
- Margaret crochets for self-esteem after mastectomy
- Linda D. crochets as Aspergers therapy
- Caroline considers crochet her go-to therapy
- Paula considers crafting self-care
- Crochet Saved My Life: E’s Story
- 15 blind and visually impaired crocheters
- 15 stories celebrating crochet health
And More!
- Choosing the right yarn color to elevate your mood; color and mood in crochet work
- How To Use Unpredictable Colors in Crochet to Add Adventure To Your Life; a Hook to Heal exercise
- Knitting as Therapy in Local Play About Homeless Veterans
- Simple vs. complex crochet patterns for healing
- 3 excerpts from crochet health interviews
- 6 crochet health stories from history
- 20+ books to read if you believe in the healing power of crafting
- Hand exercises for crocheters
- Recent news and research in crochet health (May 2014)
- Crochet in the news (January 2015)
I’m just so shocked to learn about wink! Your post really touched me. Thank you for the way you honored Wink, insured your own feelings that are surfacing because of her suicide. I’ve struggled with depression for years. The only reason I’m here today is because my adult children made me promise kid never ever try that again, and to never leave them with the hurt I’m taking myself away from the world. I had to quit drinking, because I noticed a direct correlation between my scars and alcohol. I first learned of mandalas on Winks blog, “a creative being” . I wanted to learn how to make them so much! So far I’m still doing coasters, having difficulty crocheting in the round because of a chronic illness that affects me neurologically. But I loved her blog, and I never knew of her depression. Her creations were so full of joy! I have my scars, I used to hide them. Now when people comment, I tell them they are my battle scars. They tell the story of my battle with depression, and my victories. I feel fear as well, but having lived through it and come out the other side doing alright, enjoying life and being truly happy again always reminds me when I am in the darkest depths of depression that I WILL live through it, I HAVE lived through it, and it will get better. That is what helps me to honor my promise to my children. I’m sending you a great big hug, and share a sad heart at the loss of a beautiful soul. Our Wink.
Thank you for this comment as well. I’ve seen your messages around the web and really appreciate your voice. The way that the community has come together to support each other during this tragedy has been hugely inspiring to me.
I sm a recently retired teacher. I have a new baby granddaughter and I hsve fallen in love with baby crochet.
I find myself loving my grandbaby as I make things for her, also as I pin ideas on Pinterest,
Hola acabo de leer algunos mensajes y son muy interesantes, tengo 48 años y recién desempleada, a esta edad es complicado mantener un trabajo fijo, me encanta el crochet antes lo hacia de ves en cuando, pero ahora estoy pensando en hacerlo como negocio artesanal, tengo algunas ideas y me gusta inventar, se algo de costura pero no se como son las medidas estádar (s-m-l)en crochet como para hacer ropa, por favor podrían ayudarme con esos detalles, gracias.
Kathryn, thank you so much for this website and your work!
This is close to my heart, crocheting is heals and is a lifesaver.
I can’t wait to read all the PURE content you shared and read your book.
If you do another series I would love to contribute.
Beautiful message. Thank you!! <3 <3 <3
So so helpful, thank you.
<3
Renata