Why I Love Yarn <3

Hello there! It’s I Love Yarn Day today. To celebrate, I thought I would share with you some thoughts on why I love yarn so much. I’ve been wanting to write something like this for a while now, and I thought this was the perfect occasion. It’s a rough draft, but I’ve been writing too many essays lately to have the energy to try and phrase things perfectly. I hope you enjoy it anyway. So without further ado…

Why I Love Yarn

I love yarn because it’s made a big impact in my life. I started out knitting before I learned how to crochet almost five years ago. I had always been a crafter, but crochet quickly replaced all other crafts and became a huge part of my life. (Big family move? Bring along a bag of yarn and crochet a poncho on the road!) Now I have a small job teaching crochet, and I love passing down my love of yarn to the next generation. People know me as the “yarn girl,” or “the one who makes all the Harry Potter scarves.”

I love yarn because it’s inspiring. When I walk into a yarn store it’s sensory overload – I stare at the shelves of yarn and start thinking about all the projects I could make. From different weights to fibers to colors, I could spend hours seeing all the different possibilities. (This is the reason people won’t go yarn shopping with me.) I love seeing hand-dyed or hand-spun yarns; they’re beautiful on their own, even before you make them into something. There’s something wonderful about a place that will give you inspiration when you’re at a loss.

I love yarn because it brings together many different people. The stereotypical image of needle-crafting is often that of an elderly woman in a rocking chair, knitting needles clicking busily as she makes a scarf. However, we know this isn’t the case anymore. I’m a college student who crochets to de-stress. My aunt knits beautiful socks in her spare time. Even celebrities are seen with yarn sometimes. (Hey, even Dumbledore has an affinity for knitting patterns!)

I love yarn because I’ve met some wonderful people through knitting and crochet groups. I took a knitting class at my local yarn store. I was the only person under forty there, but I had a great time trying to knit a sock (it did not go well, but I had fun) and discussing yarn-related things with the ladies there. I felt included in a sort of “yarn club.” A few weeks ago I saw a flyer at my library for a social yarn get-together. I shyly showed up at ten o’clock on Saturday morning, yarn bag in hand, not sure what to expect. A friendly knitter saw me at the door and invited me in, introduced herself, and made me feel right at home. There’s something special about yarn crafters; more often than not, they’re incredibly friendly and welcoming.

I love yarn because it helps with my mental health. There are articles and even a book about the mental health benefits of crochet. Speaking from my own experience, crochet has helped immensely. When I’m feeling down, starting a new project can be enough to lift my spirits and give me a sense of purpose. It gives me something else to obsess over, something productive. Worrying about the future doesn’t help anything, so if I can channel those feelings into a pair of socks or finally crocheting a sweater, it’s a good thing. If I’m feeling anxious, working on a project can help take my mind off things. It helps with one of my biggest concerns, which is skin picking – I choose an easy pattern and crochet that instead. If I’m doing rows of double crochet, I can’t make my fingers bleed. Crocheting helps fill that place in my head that otherwise has a stream of constant nervous banter. It’s a source of comfort.

I love yarn because it gives me a purpose. The feeling of accomplishment upon finishing a project is immensely satisfying. I was proud of myself for finishing an afghan it took me over a year to crochet. I put a lot of time and effort into it, and it makes me smile whenever I look at it. For a perfectionist, it’s nice to be happy with something I did, and yarn is one of the things that gives me that feeling.

For me, yarn is a lot more than just yarn. It’s a part of my life, it’s part of how people know me. Sometimes I don’t realize just how much crochet and yarn have changed my life. I’m grateful I learned to crochet nearly five years ago…it has been a great source of happiness, inspiration, and friends.

Does yarn mean anything special to you? Have you shared any of these experiences? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy I Love Yarn Day, wonderful followers. 🙂