Nicole Kheyfets
Professor Koning
English 115
26 October 2021
Crochet: Redefining What It Means To Be Art
During the peak of worry, you look to your desk. You pick up the bronze, metal hook which rests peacefully on top of the table. The hook travels through the intertwined, blue yarn like an explorer slashing through the large plants of a tropical jungle. You take a deep sigh of relief as you watch the hook weaving in and out. Time feels as if it’s slowed down. You smile. Your worries have melted; you are at peace. I welcome you to the imaginative, wondrous art of crochet.
***
“What is art?” is one of the most debated questions. Most of the time, people will assume art is just what we can find in museums. When asked what can be considered art, many think of paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Still, art has such a vast landscape that most people don’t recognize that more ordinary things could be considered art. Many people fail to acknowledge crochet as a type of art form. When most people hear the word crochet, they may think it’s just a craft that only elders do. One may not consider crocheting a kind of art because of this presumption. However, crochet is incredibly inclusive and participatory, extremely creative, start trends, astonishingly therapeutic. These things combine to make crochet a high form of art.
One of the many great things about art is that anyone can learn it with practice. Crochet is marvelous because it’s incredibly straightforward to understand and learn. There are no prerequisite talents or skills needed to master crochet. In the blog Is Crochet Hard? (Tips and Things to Consider for Beginners), crochet blogger Liana writes, “You can teach yourself how to crochet online, for free, and entirely alone” (Liana). Many crocheters have posted YouTube tutorials about how to learn basic stitches. Thousands of blogs and PDFs are available online to help newcomers learn this extraordinary art form. Crochet consists of four basic stitches: the single, half-double, double, and treble crochet stitch. These are relatively easy to learn because they build off of each other. These stitches are also repetitive in a project, thus making it easier to understand. The four basic crochet stitches will allow any beginner crocheter to make beautiful, intricate pieces. Combining some of these stitches can also create a beautiful stitch design. Because crochet is simple to learn, many people can participate in it at any age.
Not only is crochet easy to learn, but it’s also inexpensive, thus adding to the inclusive aspect of crochet. One does not need to spend a lot of money on crochet supplies to create beautiful pieces. In her blog, Is Crochet the Right Craft for You? A Simple Checklist to Use to Decide, Amy Solovay, a professional textile designer, states, “You won’t need to invest much money when you get started with crochet. You can buy a quality crochet hook for under $5.00” (Solovay). While yarn varies in price, there are excellent quality, soft yarns that sell anywhere between two to four dollars. Different-sized crochet hooks can also be found in stores like Amazon for a low price. To crochet a project, beginners don’t necessarily need special tools, such as stitch markers. If I need to mark a stitch, I would take a piece of scrap yarn and tie it to the stitch. Overall, crochet is very easy to learn. One doesn’t need a lot of money to dive into the beautiful art of crochet. A $3 crochet hook, yarn, and a few basic stitches are everything one needs to start crocheting.
Alongside inclusivity, crochet is also beautifully creative and aesthetically pleasing. Crocheters work with one stitch at a time, allowing crocheters to create 3-dimensional creations, such as spheres and cylinders. Building a figure with spheres, cylinders, and other shapes is called amigurumi. In her blog post What Is Amigurumi, Lisa Gutierrez, a blogger for Craftsy, wrote, “Amigurumi is a term that covers the beautiful, fun trend of crocheting and knitting stuffed animals, people or even inanimate objects” (Gutierrez). While amigurumi is a more advanced skill, one can promptly learn it once familiar with crocheting. A viral amigurumi of Bernie Sanders, made by crocheter Tobey King, went viral on social media in late January. Martin Pengelly, a journalist for The Guardian, wrote this amigurumi sold for “no less than $20,300” (Pengelly) on eBay. A painting in a gallery would likely sell for a similar price.
Art also has its way with starting trends. We see this especially when celebrities participate or promote different art pieces. Crochet items, such as clothing, accessories, and home decor, have become incredibly popular due to the rise of social media. Crochet clothing, especially, has been popularized by celebrities wearing them. In February 2020, Harry Styles wore a color-block patchwork cardigan by J. W. Anderson. This cardigan went viral on TikTok around mid-summer. Because of this, it made many people, including myself, begin their crochet journey. It became so popular, Anderson herself released a free PDF version detailing how to recreate this cardigan. Many people used this PDF as a guide to recreate this cardigan using their color schemes.
When Taylor Swift released her music video for the song “Cardigan” in July of last year, her cardigan quickly became viral. It grew in popularity due to its intricate yet classic design. Kendall Jenner was spotted wearing a crocheted, purple crop top with embroidered white daisies; she paired this top with a matching cropped cable cardigan. In August 2020, the four-member k-pop group BLACKPINK donned crochet clothing for their music video titled “Ice Cream.” Crochet flowers covered their outfits and eye-catching color combinations, such as lime green and rainbow. All of these clothes, and many more, generate trends and creativity in all types of crocheters. As more and more celebrities sport crochet clothing, it drives all crocheters to recreate similar pieces. Trends bring communities together and spark creativity.
Art has a way of calming the chaotic mind. Many people turn to different art forms to express their feelings or escape reality. Crochet is one of those forms that are astonishingly calming and therapeutic. In her article How Crochet and Knitting Help the Brain, Betty Houtman, a certified nurse, asserts, “Bilateral, coordinated, precise hand movements are hard work for the brain, and crossing over midline requires even more brainwork. As a result, we are less able to pay attention to other issues and concerns.” (Houtman). It isn't easy to look away from your work when crocheting. A person's mind concentrates on crocheting one stitch at a time; this fully immerses a crocheter within the project, thus calming one’s mind. Repetitive motions are very transportive as well. Much like painters become immersed within their painting, crocheters become immersed within their project. Houtman goes on to write, “More serotonin is released with repetitive movement, which improves mood and sense of calmness” (Houtman). This transportive-like state leaves behind any unnecessary/overwhelming thoughts since the crocheter becomes laser-focused.
Crochet is a transformative, lively, and beautiful form of art. It is much more than a craft or hobby suited for elders. With the popularization of crochet clothing worn by celebrities, the younger generation became driven to begin their crochet journey. The crochet community has boomed within the past two years because of this newfound interest. Much like painting or drawing, crochet is also simple to learn due to its repetitive motions. Repetitive motions also help reduce anxiety, stress, and unnecessary thoughts, as it makes the crocheter laser-focused on their project. Crochet is a very creative way to express oneself. It allows crocheters to create beautiful items and practical ones as well. Working with one stitch enables crocheters to create 3-dimensional works of art. As a result, crochet becomes so much more than a craft. Instead, it becomes a form of art. Crochet is an immersive, creative, therapeutic experience that I encourage anyone to learn. You never know. You may find a little bit of magic intertwined with the yarn.
Works Cited
Gutierrez, Lisa. “What Is Amigurumi?” Craftsy, 5 Oct. 2013, https://www.craftsy.com/post/what-is-amigurumi/#.
Houtman, Betty. “How Crochet and Knitting Help the Brain.” Anxiety Resource Center, Anxiety Resource Center, 11 Oct. 2017, https://anxietyresourcecenter.org/2017/10/crochet-helps-brain/.
Liana. “Is Crochet Hard? (TIPS and Things to Consider for Beginners).” School of Crochet, 14 July 2020, https://schoolofcrochet.com/is-crochet-hard-tips-and-things-to-consider-for-beginners/.
Pengelly, Martin. “Crochet Artist Turns Viral Bernie Sanders Image into a Doll That Sells for $20,000.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 28 Jan. 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/27/bernie-sanders-meme-crochet-doll-.
Solovay, Amy. “Is Crochet the Right Craft for You? A Simple Checklist to Use to Decide.” The Spruce Crafts, The Spruce Crafts, 29 May 2019, https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/is-crochet-right-for-you-979066.