strands
Humans have always created. Even in prehistoric societies where survival was precarious, people went beyond the utilitarian and added decorative elements to everyday things such as baskets and pots. Beauty didn’t make these items more useful, but it satisfied something in people’s souls. Even now we don’t fully understand what drives our creative impulses. We do, however, know that creativity can help our brains the way physical exercise helps our bodies. Research on cognitive activities (such as doing crossword puzzles) has confirmed what crafters have suspected all along: projects make us happier, and they build better brains. While planning a project or actually crocheting it, we might look inward—at memories, emotions, the desire to please a loved one with a handmade gift, the challenge of a new stitch—to stimulate our minds…
