Thoughts on how creativity contributes to our well-being & quality of life đź’­ How does crafting make you feel?

Dear chapman,

Do you ever have moments of feeling overwhelmed and stressed? (Most of us do 🙋‍♀️) Crafting is one possible way to bring some calm back into our lives and I thought I'd share some ideas in this letter.

How does crafting make you feel?

When I’m creating things with my hands, I feel calm, happy and alive. Afterwards I feel fulfilled. My day always feels better when I’ve had the chance to be creative.

Have you also found that a little bit of crafting can improve your day, too?

I think this even applies to things like baking and gardening!

It’s no secret that natural dyeing is my favourite way to be creative and it never fails to boost my mood. This is why I feel so passionate about sharing it with you!

Don’t just take my word for it though. There are studies that demonstrate the power of crafting.

British knitting therapist Betsan Corkhill surveyed 3,545 knitters, and more than half of them said they felt “very happy” after knitting.  Many of them stated that they knitted specifically for relaxation and stress relief. They reported feeling calmer, happier, less sad, less anxious and more confident.

Corkhill’s study concluded, “Knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to well-being and quality of life.” Another interesting finding from the study was that people who knitted as part of a group were even happier than people who knitted alone.

In another study carried out by Knit For Peace (I've added in references below), 82% of people said that knitting relaxed them and 92% said that knitted improved their mood. Knit For Peace says that there are the same benefits for crochet and needlepoint embroidery.

Wouldn't it be incredible to conduct our own study about the benefits of plant dyeing? For a long time, I've been convinced that the combination of crafting and working with therapeutic plants is very special. 🌿🌱 (Honestly, get in touch if you'd be interested in collaborating with me on an investigation like this!)

Crafting is nourishing for us in many ways! What’s your favourite way to be creative?

If you're looking for new ways to bring creativity into your life, I think you'll love The Creative Bundle that launched earlier this week.

There are just 5 days left to order it, before it disappears.

It's a collection of 50+ online courses, masterclasses & eBooks all bundled together with a 97% discount. It's $3000 worth of resources for just $75.

The super low price is only available for another 5 days, after which all the resources will return to their original prices.

So if you’d like to try knitting, macramé, plant dyeing, quilting, sashiko stitching, weaving, painting, collage (and so many other crafts), then you’ll looooove this collection!

Don't feel overwhelmed by the 50+ resources. Even if you only use 2-3 of the online programs, then it’s still astonishing value. In fact, some of the courses are worth much more than $75!

And finally – if you already own Botanical Colour at your Fingertips (my eBook that’s in the bundle), then you can swap it for another of my current titles. Send me an email with your bundle order number and let me know which other eBook you'd like and I'll send you a download link for immediate access :)

Remember, the bundle will disappear in 5 days so if you're keen, order it now before you forget.

Let's make something beautiful together!

Rebecca x

P.S. You can read more about Betsan Corkhill’s fascinating knitting research here, here and here. Read more about Knit for Peace here.

I'm Rebecca Desnos - a natural dyer and independent publisher, based in the UK.

I love sharing simple plant-based crafts with others via my blog, books and eBooks.

  • Learn to dye with plants: my first book Botanical Colour at your Fingertips is a gentle introduction to natural dyeing.
  • My new publication is Plant Forage Make - get volumes 1 & 2 in print & digital. This is a handbag sized magazine for plant lovers and crafters.
  • Plant Dye Zine will show you how to bundle dye with flowers, make ink from plants, hammer leaves and flowers onto cloth... and lots more!
  • Botanical Dyes on Wood will help you dye wooden beads and paint other types of wood.

Thank you for supporting independent publishing!

Every time you mention my books to a friend, you're helping to support my work.

Rebecca Desnos

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