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Are you a healthcare professional, perhaps a nurse? Well I am and I know first hand that burnout is affecting us at alarming rates. The Mayo Clinic defines burn out as being physically or emotionally worn out and states it may involve feeling useless, powerless and empty. Symptoms can vary and some include questioning the value of your work, having to drag yourself to work, lack of energy to do your job well, change in sleep habits or physical complaints with no known cause such as headaches, stomach or bowel problems. Left untreated, burn out can lead to other health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
What Does Burnout Have to Do with Crochet?
You may be asking, why are we talking about burnout on a crochet blog? The answer is pretty cool. Did you know that crochet has some great mental health benefits? One of the ways to combat burnout is to do a relaxing activity like crochet! Additionally, the repetitive motions needed for crochet, release serotonin, the body’s natural “feel good” hormone, which can be beneficial for depression. Crochet can be helpful for anxiety, insomnia and more. If you would like to hear more ways to help with burnout, check out the Mayo Clinic link above. If you want to see more health benefits of crochet, check out this article.
Do you already know how to crochet? If no, check out my tutorial here, made for both right and left handed people!
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Helpful Links
Before we get started, here are a few links you might find helpful:
If you want to learn to crochet, check out this crochet tutorial for right and left handed individuals
Perfect beginner friendly washcloth with step-by-step instructions
Common crochet issues/mistakes and solutions
How to read a crochet pattern
Where to get yarn and crochet supplies now that Joann Fabrics is going out of business
Useful Things to Make for Nurses
Now that we have established how beneficial crocheting is for mental health and the fact that it can even help with burnout, let’s dive into the fun part. I have put together a list of things to create that can be useful for us nurses. Take a look below and remember to have fun creating!
You may click on the link above the picture or the picture itself to be taken to the pattern.
Simple Flower Headband Crochet Pattern
Headbands are a must have for nurses. You can put your hair up in a messy bun, slap on a headband and now your hair looks fashionable with very little effort, plus it’s out of the way for your shift. This pattern includes pictures and a video tutorial, making this a great project to take on!
Mini Bean Stitch and Ear Warmer
As mentioned above, headbands are a must have for nurses. Here is another stylish option for a headband and it doubles as an ear warmer during colder months. You could wear your hair up in a messy bun with this cute headband for an easy style that still looks great. The pattern includes pictures and a video tutorial.
What nurse doesn’t need a scrunchie? They are cute, stylish and keep your hair out of your face. Scrunchies are totally back in style right now and can be made in whatever color you wish, which can be a fun way to add personality to your look. I personally made this scrunchie, following the video included on the site and it turned out great! I also made a few from Bernat Blanket Yarn because I had some on hand and that was a success as well.
As nurses we are constantly taking care of others and sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. Check out this cute bath pouf. Making the pouf out of cotton means that it will be soft against your skin. Making this bath pouf can be a nice way to take care of yourself while making something fun. The pattern includes a video tutorial.
These slippers are a definite must have after being on your feet all day. They will be super soft because they are made from Bernat Blanket Yarn. This yarn is very soft and an all around great yarn. I have used Bernat Blanket Yarn for more projects than I can count because I love the feel of it. This pattern also includes a video tutorial.
Who doesn’t love a cute bag? It could be the bag you use to put your things in to take to work. This would be a fun, stylish option. Or it could be used to hold your current work in progress. The possibilities are endless! The pattern states the skill level for this bag is intermediate. If you feel you’re up to the challenge, this may be the perfect project for you!
Here is another bag option. I absolutely love the shells! It reminds me of the beach and makes me want to have sand between my toes, waves lapping softly nearby. I can almost hear the ocean. The difficulty level on this one is noted to be advanced. If you feel you’re up to the challenge, go for it and have fun!
What better way to make something useful and take care of yourself than a blanket? I absolutely adore this afghan. I think I need to add this to my list of things to make! This pattern is made from granny squares, which are good for beginner projects. There are pictures included as well. Take a look!
Stylish and Cute Blanket Patterns
This link takes you to 5 different blankets you can make. If you want to make a blanket, these are some totally adorable options to make! They’re so cute that the problem is choosing which one to make first! Videos are included.
As nurses, we always have hand sanitizer on hand. With these awesome hand sanitizer cozies, you can clip your sanitizer to your bag for your outing. No matter where you go, this handy cozy makes it easy to find your hand sanitizer.
Wearing a mask all day can definitely make our ears sore. This is the perfect remedy! Ear savers! This is a very easy project, perfect for a beginner. These are quick to make and use very little yarn. If you wish, you could easily make some for your friends as well because they will work up so quickly.
Last on this list is a hat. As essential workers, nurses still have to go to work no matter the conditions. Rain, snow, sun or anything in between. On those cold or snowy days, you can take a nice warm hat! You just may end up wanting to wear it every day!
Final Thoughts
Not only is crochet a fun and enjoyable hobby, it is also good for your mental health! I hope you enjoyed this list of things to make. If you want to try something new, you could give amigurumi a try! Amigurumi is the Japanese art of making small crocheted or knitted toys from yarn. Want to learn the basics? Check out my article that gives amigurumi, basics, tips and tricks. Or if you already know how to do amigurumi, check out this list of 15 free beginner friendly amigurumi projects.
Check out this FREE pattern for a soft, beginner friendly baby blanket
Good luck in your crochet journey and happy crocheting!
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