Here is a beautiful spring colored crochet mandala from Debbie, which she made using Wink’s Summer Hearts pattern. She had always loved the pattern and had it in her Ravelry queue and “to do” list so the project encouraged her to make this one. Debbie can be found on Instagram @yarnfreak where she shares her love of “The Moody Blues, British TV, Martin Clunes, campers, peace signs, tie dye, crochet, reading, coffee, tea, mugs & socks”.
On the Facebook page for her shop, GirlsJustWannaHaveFun.Crochet, she shares,
“I have been crocheting since I was 11 years old on and off. About 8 years ago I started to crochet seriously. I learned to knit while in college and still have the first scarf I made. I am a much better crocheter than knitter, but enjoy doing both. I make things as gifts for family and friends and sell at craft shows and on etsy. It would be a dream to make a living from this, as I have to crochet everyday. It’s relaxing to me after a hectic day.”
Debbie writes in her letter,
“I knew of Wink and her work but never knew she suffered from depression. I think everyone suffers from it one time or another, to different degrees. Some people can pull themselves out of it while others tragically can’t.
I think Mandalas for Marinke is a wonderful way to pay tribute to her and raise awareness of this issue. To Wink’s family, I want to say that I am so sorry for your loss. I pray you find peace and comfort in this project. Wink’s mandala patterns are beautiful and will continue to bring beauty and joy for many years to come.”
She adds,
“A few years back I was going through a very rough time. I know crocheting helped me get through it. It helped me to relax, take my mind off my projects and make beautiful things. I crochet every day if I can. Its calming, repetitive motion helps me focus and feel less stressed.”
Crochet has helped many people through many different types of issues. Of course, I’ve written about this widely online and in print. But today I wanted to point you to someone else’s writing on this topic. Mikey of The Crochet Crowd shared his own story of depression and difficulty and highlighted what he learned about how to help himself, including the role that crochet played in his coping throughout the years. He wrote, in part,
“Crochet filled my void when I was at home not working when I was a teenager. It was my go to as I watched Star Trek, The Next Generation. … Throughout the years, when life was really rough, I turned to crochet as a way to bury myself into a project to get through. The act of creativity was important for me to exercise. I felt self pride when I finished a project. When life was good, the crochet hook was put away and I was sailing through life.”
This post is part of the Mandalas for Marinke remembrance project.