The Yarnfulness Project

Festival of Social Science & Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival

We ran6 events as part of the University of Southampton Festival of Social Science & Southampton Arts and Humanities Festival in October and November 2023. 

This event was part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 and was made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

What was it about? 

Crafts like knitting and crochet, as well as other creative activities such as coloring and drawing, have been shown to have positive effects on mental health and well-being. Our research group, along with others, has found that when these activities are done with intention and mindfulness, they can enhance well-being and reduce stress in various cultures and societies.

In our workshop, we presented participants with our findings and other supporting evidence to explain the potential benefits of mindful crafting. We also provided techniques to help them engage in mindful crafting to improve their well-being. We then demonstrated the concept of “mindful crafting” and encouraged attendees to try a craft while practicing mindfulness. We then engaged in discussions about their experiences and developed ideas for future research.

Future Online Workshops

If you want us to run these online in the future, let us know.

Who ran the event?

Dr Emma Palmer-Cooper, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Southampton.

Evie Woodford, Psychology Graduate and Craft demonstrator.