If you are a hooker like me, you won’t find the idea of crochet therapy the least bit unusual. I’ve been using it for a looong time without even realising it.
However, the gorgeous new book by Betsan Corkhill, Crochet Therapy, made me look at what I was doing in a whole new light. 
Mindfulness has been about for a little while now, I have an app on my phone and I really do find it helpful. However sometimes its quite hard to empty your mind, especially if you are the creative type.Filling it with yarn means there really isn’t room for anything else!
Betsan Corkhill gives us the chance to find an oasis of calm in our hectic lives with step-by-step wellness exercises and beautiful crochet patterns. There are cushions and throws, mandalas and coasters, wall hangings and bunting. I also love the idea of a Friendship quilt, getting together to make lots of individual small flowers which are knotted together as a symbol of friendship.
And if you haven’t yet mastered the art of crochet, the instructions at the back of the book for getting started are clear and concise, perfect for a beginner.
These are a few of my favourite patterns from the book…
And I made … No-Stress Balls, just what I need…!
…and a soothing mandala.
I’d love you to have the chance to share a spot of yarny mindfulness, so there’s not one but two copies of Crochet Therapy waiting to be won by one of you lovelies out there.
Just leave a comment below sharing your favourite ways of de-stressing with us all. I’ll put all of your names into the proverbial hat and draw out the winners and the nice people at Quarto will send a copy on it’s way to the lucky recipient. The closing date is Friday 7th October.
And if this isn’t exciting enough, I’ll be back again at the end of the week with another freebie! See you soon …x
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I love to knit to destress, if I won this book I would try crocheting instead
I am de-stressing right now !! Curled up on a comfy chair with my pug dog, Albert, for company, relaxing with a coffee in the autumn sun, whilst crocheting a corner to corner blanket as a gift for my friend’s soon to be 1 year old. Lovely ! Thanks for the chance to win the book full of future de-stressing projects !!
I do find that after minding the grandchildren if I can just spend a short time crocheting a simple granny square blanket that I make for a baby project just chills me out nicely. I don’t know whether a mandala would be as soothing!!! I’d love the book though
Hi Penny! Crochet is one of the best ways to de-stress. I could say hand quilting or knitting but for me crochet is the best. I make now granny squares in the evenings, with only one yarn where the colour change. For us who create and craft it’s difficult to relax because our minds are always so full of ideas, plans etc. Reading is my other way to relax. This book looks exciting and beautiful! I would enjoy making small projects that some one else has planned ‘how to’! Thank you for a chance to win! x Teje
What a fab giveaway – I was just reading an article by Betsan Corkhill, so this feels like perfect timing! My way of destressing is curling up with a hot chocolate and either my latest craft project or a good book every afternoon – it’s nice to set some time aside each day just for me 🙂
Destressing for me is a paint brush in hand and some piece of furniture to upcycle. Failing that it’s crochet and sofa time with 3 cats ?
Knitting, reading and yoga do it for me. My daughter brought me some beautiful stress balls back from Hong Kong and I find that they’re quite good too. Those no-stress ones could double as Christmas baubles! Happy hooking. xx
That looks a brilliant book! I de-stress with crochet too but gardening is another great way, I find I get lost outside when I get started. My little granddaughter is a great de-stresser as well!!
I sometimes de stress with a spot of knitting or crochet but baking or gardening also do it for me!
I love to crochet and that’s def a great way to de-stress. Also love to spend time with my house bunny, Bertie!
;-} WHEN am I *not* CROCHETING?! — Even when I’m knitting, crochet sneaks in… [never could “cast-on”, doing a chain-crochet is soo much quicker and nicer looking!]
Actually, I’m in the middle of doing a blanket right now… HOOK-RASTINATING [along with yarn-buying] are amongst my top DE-STRESSER “hobbies”! – An “escape” from The-ELDERLY-PARENTAL-UNITS…
😀
What a lovely give away – I started to crochet again when I had to give up work due to ill health. I thought I was using it to fill the time but now realize the positive impact crochet has on my life. It can lift my mood and raise my spirits, it gives me something to focus on and allows me to clear my head and breathe. I would love to be entered into your draw ?
I would love to win this book, it sounds like just what I need. I’m not good at de-stressing or making time for crafting. My therapy is singing – in the car, in the shower and at a local community choir! Gardening and baking also, but sometimes these are necessary not for pleasure. x
I’ve only been crocheting for a few months but I love it. It now competes with my favourite hobby of cross stitching for my time.
Knitting socks is well up there but also getting stuck into small crochet objects – mostly decorative.
viv
Crocheting helps me relax by just focusing on me, and not the chaos around me! This book looks great. 🙂
I love the rythmic, hypnotic qualities of quiet knitting, but recently I have been watching my daughter-in-law , hook in hand, with that peaceful look on her face. I am intrigued. In fact, that is why I found your blog : ) Getting out in the fresh air and fields and woodlands also blows those stressy cobwebs away.
I love the idea of a book that leads one through peace, wellness, and connects with crochet projects. It’s a wonderful idea that I would like to try.
I love to crochet. My Grandma taught me & I’ve recently rediscovered it after taking early retirement to become carer for my Mum who has dementia.
I now find that I need to crochet regularly; it’s a time for me, a time of planning, of anticipation, of pleasure, of immersion, of cuteness and of calming. I don’t just love crochet, I need it.
I too find crochet very soothing along with calligraphy. Looks like a lovely book.
A lovely walk with our dog Missy to blow the cobwebs away followed by putting my feet up with a lovely cuppa and some embroidery, knitting or crochet using lovely bright colours. Can’t think of a better way to de-stress
I have very little free time, and crochet and knitting are what I do to relax in those precious moments. I would say that for me crochet is the most relaxing as I am a terrible knitter! I always have several crochet projects on the go, ranging from those which require more concentration to those which are mindless and that I can work on even when exhausted. It helps to calm my brain, and I find the repetitive movements to be very soothing. This book sounds like something I need in my life! Thanks for hosting such a lovely giveaway.
I’d love to win it, I was only looking at it the other day, from a link on Betsan’s website. Inspirational!
gardening is a good destresser but not so easy to do in the house, I want to try crochet
Kids tucked up in bed, TV off, curled up on the sofa with the dogs, crochet hook busy creating something beautiful….bliss!!
It’s so hard to find the time to de-stress these days, but it’s hard to beat a combination of reading, crocheting (but only when it’s something just for me!) and sitting in my garden in the sun (which we don’t seem to get enough of!)
I love being outdoors walking and being able to see for miles. I love being by the sea too. Gardening is another release. When the weather is too bad then I sew. Crochet is new to me. I challenged myself two Christmases ago to make a snowflake. Since then I have a whole tree ? full of snowflakes. I also love making the little crochet mice and I give them as small reward tokens to students. I need to expand my crochet repertoire
hi everybody! I love crochet and knitting to de-stress myself… if life is hard sometime yarn and needles give relief to me… but if today it’s a sunny day I’ll go out for a walk.
I’m new to crochet & hope this wouldn’t be beyond my ability!!
For some strange reason I just want to make some of those balls!
When I crochet I say a prayer and whisper good wishes for the recipient of my crochet . This helps me to focus, relax, and enjoy my time crocheting.
Now that I’m retired I would like to start crocheting more to get all my stress out from all the family drama,this would be great to win,years ago I knitted and crochet blankets,clothes,toys,ecc.and send them to children charities,and that is now my future goal.
some crochet or knitting and some tea… a good podcast or a book on tape in the background is often enjoyed as well! but i dont get much down time as a mom!
j’adore votre blog je suis fan de crochet
bon crochet a tous
I de stress by reading or walking the dog.
Wow some of those patterns look lovely. The rhythm of crochet can be very relaxing and the product at the end is very rewarding. I also love to sit in the garden listening to the birds and switching off.
It looks amazing this book! Crocheting has been my therapy for the last five years I relax and enjoy being between piles of yarn and patterns, trying to figure out the next project. Thanks a lot.Love peace and crochet Gabriela
Working with my hands is the best way to distress. Could be doing crochet, needle work, felting, anything to take my mind away. Your blog id full of wonderful suggestions. All my best.
Crochet does it for me! I would love to win the book!
I would love to win this, I love mixing colors, giving , different texture, awesome book.
I would also love to win the bag! I do alot of housesitting, always conercening dropping a hook, or missing something when I am at their house, Thanks for another chance.
Truly crocheting is my de-stresser especially with a hot mug of coffee accompanying it. I even use it as an incentive to completing my least favorite tasks! An easy keeper that travels well, at the ready to see me through.
Trying an intricate crochet pattern is actually very relaxing, even when including froggin’.
If that doesn’t work, then going for a walk into the backyard to pick fruit or chestnuts helps. When all else fails, soaking in a hot bath then going to bed with a large glass of wine……
=>/<=
I like to relax tidying my stash,then admiring it and finally planning my next project!
Hi Penny, I love sewing and listening to the radio at the same time to distress. My next project is making bags to sell for charity. It would be lovely to learn more about crochet and incorporating it into a bag.
hi penny. new subscriber here after having discovered a recommendation in art of crochet magazine. my way to de-stress is a good cuppa and whatever might be on my hook (s) at the time, nothing like crochet to have the worries of the world melt away, oh and a good candle helps to.
I like to de-stress by watching a funny film and eating chocolate with my hubby & kids xx
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Gin…… !!!! x
I de-stress by crocheting or communing with my budgie, he sits on me, whispering sweet nothings which is very relaxing for us both! X
Oh hang on, just seen the dates for this! I only got an email notification for your blog post *this morning* so I assumed it was just posted!
Doing right now -listening to the Monteverdi Choir sing their way through the complete Bach cantatas (new CD every Sunday) whilst sewing (sorry! – but I’d love to learn to crochet.)
I agree with you as crocheting can relax my mind . I visit my crochet hook almost every day! Lilly my cat says this book looks fun with all the brightly coloured designs. Lilly should know as she insists to sit next to me everytime I’m either crocheting or knitting! It’s do good to hear from you! Pat xx
If I don’t manage to crochet at some point during the day,
then its a sign I don’t have things under control, and should sort out my priorities! x