Over this past winter break, I learned how to crochet!
I have seen the craze and the hype around crocheting booming over the past few years. People in my high school were selling their crochet items at art fairs! (I bought one and thought they were overpriced). Others walked in with their crochet clothing! And this one girl crocheted mini beanies for babies in the NICU for her senior project!
Ever since the pandemic and quarantine, I watched as crocheting content kept on growing and growing. I was always impressed by all of the items that the technique could bring alive, and a part of me wanted to learn. But, I always held myself back. Actually, I have these feelings for a lot of hobbies that I want to get into. I think it’s very difficult to start a hobby by yourself. During my sophomore year of college, my friend invited me to an event on campus after all my classes ended.
It was a crocheting activity.
I was excited because I thought it’d be a great opportunity to learn a hobby that I’ve always put off learning. However, it wasn’t as simple as that. I struggled to even start doing what I had planned in my head: a bear stuffie. My friends were doing their own thing while I was on YouTube searching up “How to do a Magic Circle” and failing miserably. Looking back on it, I was very whiny, but to be fair, I was very frustrated. I ended up taking a crochet hook and a couple feet of brown yarn home that would be left untouched until this past winter break.
You see, my boyfriend bought me a Woobles kit for Christmas. With easy to see yarn, a crochet hook, stuffing, eyes, an online tutorial, and a dream, I started on my crocheting journey. Those videos made it feel like a private tutoring session and I learned very well. It took me maybe 2-3 days to finish it, but eventually Kiki was done!
Over the course of the next week, my brother and I headed to Michaels where I got more yarn and I started a couple more projects. I made an amigurumi bee with the leftover yarn from Kiki, a beanie, a coaster, a bear, and am now working on a couple of granny squares. Learning how to crochet reminded me of how learning a new skill is not always easy, nor the most rewarding in the beginning. But with enough motivation and a push, progress builds quickly and then you will feel comfortable enough to take on challenges that you would never have done before. Even if you fail those challenges, I feel like it’s at a stage where it only pushes you forward rather than back, and I’m glad that I got to feel like a beginner again!