A few years ago, if someone mentioned crochet, one might picture an old lady making baby blankets for her grandchildren as she watches the nightly news.  Yet recently, it’s not surprising to see students crocheting in history class, and carrying bags of yarn around school.

Over the past few years, simple activities such as word games, cooking, knitting, and reading have seen a resurgence among teens and young adults.  Despite Generation Z being known for a supposed obsession with modernity, they are turning towards activities more popular in the past, typically viewed as activities for people with “too much time on their hands”, or older people. Crochet in particular has surged in popularity.  At North Penn, a crochet club was started last year as well.

One North Penn crocheter, Erin Sjogren, has been able to find many people also interested as she’s been looking recently.  “Before, I think that they barely knew what it was”, she said.

This surprising trend may actually be easily explainable.  Activities such as crochet weren’t really passed down to Generation X as distance between family members widened.  Generation X had to find pattern books and other resources, and didn’t always have people to teach them.  However, Generation Z, despite not being able to learn from their parents, have a wide selection of resources at their fingertips.  Patterns for the creation of anything can be found by a few quick keywords.  With the bloom of videos, explanations and demonstrations can be found instantly, in any sort of teaching style.

To learn and discover new patterns and ideas, Sjogren experiments, or looks online.

Additionally, Generation Z has a penchant for fidgeting.

“If you have to fidget in a way and you have anxiety it’s fun to do while you’re focusing on something else, like a mindless hand relaxation thing once you get used to it,” Sjogren explained.

Yet unlike popular fidget toys, crocheting provides room for growth, mental benefits, and produces products as well.

Sjogren says she uses her craft to make “stuffed animals, blankets, scarves and basically cute objects.”

Her favorite part is having made something that she or others can enjoy afterwards.  The fact that crochet produces something that can be enjoyable, giftable, or practical draws many people.  It’s relatively simple, yet yields visible results.

Sjogren believes that others should “definitely” crochet.  “It might seem hard but you can do it.”