LibGuides: IST 605: Crocheting: Current events and benefits

About this section

This section contains some interesting resources to help you learn about crocheting in today's world. It has a few short news stories related to crocheting. All of them are easy reads/watches, making for an enjoyable exploration! Furthermore, this part of the guide contains a video about crocheting in Greece to help you learn about the role crocheting may play in different cultures. Although all of the highlighted stories in this section will show you that there are benefits to crocheting, two of them in the "Benefits and creative uses of crocheting" section will show you how crocheting can be used in unexpected yet useful ways. This section as a whole will show you that crocheting is a skill that has the potential to benefit both self and others. Finally, it contains a newspaper database to help you conduct your own searches for crocheting-related news!

Crocheting in current events and the news

"BBC Radio Derby Listeners Smash Crochet World Record" from the BBC
This resource covers the breaking of a crocheting world record in 2023. It contains a short article, as well as a video clip. It is about a BBC radio station braking the world record "for the most people simultaneously crocheting." Nearly 1,000 individuals showed up to help break the record. Participants came from as far as the U.S. This resource will not only entertain you, but also show you that the crocheting community is both large and supportive!
These Crafty Ladies Get Creative For Charity
The following video from the beginning of 2024 captures a local news story about The Abundance of Love sewing group in Central Florida. This group mostly consists of individuals who are retired and want to use their creative talents to bless those in need. The members of this group gather together to crochet, sew, knit, etc. projects that can be donated to charity. This video demonstrates not only how hobbies such as crocheting can be used to help others, but that using a hobby for charity can create a sense of purpose in an individual.

A glimpse into crocheting in other cultures

Washing Wool, Spinning, and Crochet
The following short video, from Barrie Machin, depicts women in Greece in 1979. It shows the process of creating yarn from wool, and then using the yarn to crochet. Note the steps and labor involved in this process. While it is easy to think of crocheting simply as a fun hobby, in which the final product may not have a practical use, this video shows that in different cultures crocheting may be a necessity.

Benefits and creative uses of crocheting

"Folsom Prison Knitting" from Good Day Sacramento
This video depicts inmates participating in a knitting and crocheting group within Folsom prison. Many individuals in this prison are serving life sentences. By learning how to knit and crochet, these individuals are using their talents and time to help those in need. The prisoner's have also personally benefitted from joining this club, as one prisoner explains how engaging in this craft is a stress reliever. This clip will show you that crocheting is more than just a hobby: it is a skill that can be used to change lives.
"We were slow; it was challenging" and "It was hard not to make knots": Crocheting as a Literacy Event in a Second Grade Classroom Community
This article describes the results a second-grade classroom experienced when the teacher introduced them to crocheting. While initially it was implemented to help with hand-writing and read-aloud, the results went beyond this. Crocheting fostered literacy skills as a whole and helped students engage in problem solving. The classroom also learned how to use crocheting to help others. Ultimately, crocheting promoted classroom community and bonding.

Conduct your own explorations

Gale OneFile: News
This database is a great way to explore crocheting-related current events. You can use the regular search bar or try out the advanced search. In this database, you will be able to explore more that 2,300 newspapers from the United States. The resources are from as far back as the 1980s. You will be able to look at newspapers, magazines, and even articles. Much of the information is in the form of short articles, so it is a great way to satisfy your curiosity if you only have a few minutes. It is also a useful way to discover new crocheting-related research topics that you would like to explore more in depth.

CIST Student Sandbox

IST 605: Crocheting

About this section

Crocheting in current events and the news

A glimpse into crocheting in other cultures

Benefits and creative uses of crocheting

Conduct your own explorations