Picture this: it’s a lonely summer night, and your hands tremble with the urge to create. You rifle through your things until you come across some old crocheting gear—the urge you felt is satisfied.

Thus begins your favorite new hobby.

Essa Stokan is a junior here at Sahuaro High School, and a dedicated patron of the various arts. She has played live music for our theater program, performed on stage with her trusty violin in hand, and so much more. Despite all this, last summer had left some part of her unsatisfied; she needed to create more.

It was because of an embroidery kit she had won in her younger years that Essa pursued countless traditional hobbies: embroidery, sewing, and pillow-making. With this general knowledge under her belt, Essa later discovered crocheting on TikTok, and knew that this was exactly the thing she’d been looking for. “The first thing I crocheted was a granny square—usually everyone does that their first time learning.”

After learning how to create simple patches, Essa knew she wanted to go bigger. She created cheap little bracelets and coasters, until eventually understanding the flow of her style. She slowly began to come up with her own designs, like pencil pouches and octopi stuffed animals. Her favorite original creation is the Captain America shield pillow, which Essa hopes to be able to sell alongside her other designs.

In the future, Essa is aiming to crochet bigger items, like cardigans and tote bags out of granny squares. She’s grown up surrounded by traditionally feminine hobbies, and it’s because of this that she has pursued these kinds of activities for so long. Her mother is certainly one big inspiration; supporting Essa’s desire to create beautiful things and even creating them alongside her. “My mom does an amazing job and I’m glad she supports me,” Essa says, “and overall it makes me happy that it’s something we can bond over.”

The dainty creation of beauty can be a wonderful thing, and it’s so stimulating to see these traditional hobbies make a comeback. Crocheting and sewing are both wildly interesting hobbies, that everyone should be entitled to at least try. Nothing can be more satisfying than staring down at your very own project, and feeling proud at the fact that you made it.