When the going gets tough, the tough get going – to the arts and crafts store to stock up on items so they can get creative.
Thanks to Covid-19 and lockdowns, there's been a surge of interests in crafts – from traditional hobbies like knitting, crocheting and sewing through to jewellery-making and paper crafts.
Kiwis have not only used their pastimes to keep calm and retain a sense of normalcy in the difficult times this year but an enterprising number have also used their skills to help others and, in some cases, even set up businesses.
Nick Casey, the PR and communications manager of fabrics, homewares and crafts retailer Spotlight says there's been a big rise in people shopping at the company's stores – in person and online – this year and it's being maintained in the build-up to Christmas as people look to give gifts with a personal touch.
"A lot of it was people saying, 'Okay, I am stuck at home, what better to do than something creative and useful?' Crafting is a trend that often follows times of economic and political instability, or when people aren't sure about the world around them.
"They turn to things they can control, and one of those is making things or expressing themselves creatively."
Hobbies requiring repetitive actions – like knitting or crocheting – can be good for mental health because they are soothing and may block troublesome thoughts.
"We know that making things puts people into a positive headspace," says Casey. "It can be almost meditative. There's also a sense of accomplishment that comes with crafting, which is helpful in difficult times.
"We have a tagline at Spotlight – It's What You Make It – and that sums up the fact that you can put a bit of yourself into what you make, which gives it really special meaning."
Overseas research backs up the theory that crafting can contribute to a sense of well-being. A study in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found a link between knitting and feelings of calmness and happiness. A treatment centre for adolescents in Atlanta, US, reported that activities like tie-dying helped give kids a sense of control at a time when so many things felt out of their control.
According to a behavioural health expert from the Mayo Clinic in the US, crafting not only helps to shift the brain away from triggers that activate the fear response, which can lead to mental health problems, but is a great way to break up monotony.
Casey says Spotlight had noticed there was already a resurgence in interest in crafts and hobbies before Covid struck, but it definitely ramped up after March. He puts some of the increased demand for fabrics and haberdashery down to people's desire not only to keep themselves occupied but to be helpful to others.
"A lot of people were making masks and not just for themselves," he says. "They really wanted to do something to help their communities."
Then there were those who turned their crafting talent into a way of earning money.
The Facebook page Choice, set up to promote Kiwi businesses during lockdown, includes dozens of posts from people using a variety of skills to bring in some extra cash – like the tour operator sewing children's clothing while her business is on hold, and the B&B owner making dolls to supplement her Covid-hit income.
"What we didn't expect was the investment in the equipment for making products – lots of people have been buying sewing machines or machines used for paper cutting," says Casey. "People are really getting into it in a big way."
Spotlight staff has reported that while many of the store's customers had tried crafting before – and were prompted to have another go thanks to the lockdowns – there were those who were complete beginners but had been inspired to start a new hobby.
Traditional hobbies like knitting and crocheting are still very popular but more and more people are trying something different, like jewellery-making or bead art. There's also been a resurgence in crafts popular back in the 1970s, like macrame and dried flower arranging.
"We know our Kiwi customers have that number eight wire mentality and will tackle all sorts of crafts," says Casey. "The creativity is really impressive."