Winter & embracing “Nana Core”
Hi! Hello! Its been a hot minute since I last posted a blog piece here. To be honest I have been busy writing guest blog pieces for other people, coming up with new recipes, and spending lots of time out in the garden. But for those following along closely on social media, you will know that already :)
Like many other people, Winter is a time when I really have to work hard to keep afloat. Not only does my body respond negatively to the plummeting temperatures, but I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD). SAD is a type of depression that ebbs and flows with the seasons, and by the end of May I could really feel its icy grip around my ankles already. I’m constantly coming up with ways to distract myself and keep myself busy when I am stuck inside more than usual, away from the garden. Often its my body, sometimes I’m fighting off a cold, and more often than not it’s the weather.
I recently dug out my knitting bag, picked up a thick pair of knitting needles, and started merrily knitting away. I took great satisfaction in picking up that dormant skill with the help of a YouTube video or two to get me going (I highly recommend Sheep & Stitch), and soon found myself binding together a cowl/neck-warmer to wear in the garden. I’ve ordered a new set of needles to tackle a Monday Journal jumper pattern next. Whilst knitting causes me horrific pain in my fingers, I find it soothing for my mind and anxiety, and get a real kick out of achieving something whilst doing nothing. Its nice to have something useful at the end of a project too.
I then discovered Lettuce puzzles at Father Rabbit. Beautifully and thoughtfully created puzzles that appeal to both my love of design and the beautiful, whilst using my brain to its full capacity. I had re-discovered yet another task that achieved something whilst doing nothing that wasn’t starting at a screen. Sometimes they take me 24 hours, sometimes they drive me mad and take me nearly a week (I swear the Juliette Hogan Tapestry puzzle had me questioning my sanity). I have quite a few now and its a borderline obsession, but my husband can’t complain… I mean there are far worse things I could be doing. Right? I love a good challenge, and these are up there.
I have also been enjoying baking bread lately. Taking comfort in the ritual of knowing baking mix + sugar + yeast + water + time = a perfect loaf of bread. I have a great respect for this and take my time, engaging in play and letting my creativity guide what I am going to make. It doesn’t matter if it looks good or not, it all gets eaten and I have fun doing it. If i’m having a really bad day, I can always turn it into breadcrumbs or croutons.
It then dawned on me. These are all things I used to do with my Nana. Gardening, baking, puzzles, sewing, knitting… OMG I am turning into my grandmother. But one day whilst sitting in the sunshine with a cup of tea and a blanket on my lap, I decided to start looking outwards to see if it was just me. On further inspection it appeared other Millennials were also embracing similar tasks. Ikebana, pottery, embroidery, cross-stitch, crotchet, houseplants, macramé, beading… all these things that were big between the 50-70’s are coming back into popularity with a vengeance (see also vinyl & a brown/baby blue/rust/olive color palette). Not only did I suddenly feel a little less alone with a real sense of validation, but upon asking myself “why?” I realised I already knew the answer. It was simple really.
During Covid19 lockdowns the world stopped. The streets were empty, the birds returned to the suburbs, and people had more time than they knew what to do with. After binging as much Netflix as humanely possible, seeing all our mates on the “HouseParty” app 5 times a day (including ones we hadn’t spoken to in years), and essentially exhausting ourselves of screen time, us Millennials found ourselves enjoying the piece and quiet. Our lives slowed down, and it wasn’t that we wanted to fill the void as much as it was that we found the time to re-connect with creativity, intention, and quiet industry. We are the only generation who knew what life was like before and after the internet. We played in the streets being told to be home by dark without fear, but also had those phone calls and texts from our parents fumbling to use a blackberry asking “r u Ok?” & “wHere Are u?” with growing anxiety.
So we had this pre-existing notion of the concepts behind these crafty little tasks such as knitting in the back of our minds already, as we grew up watching our grandparents do it and in many cases our grandparents taught us to do it. In a world that is so fast-paced, stressful and technology based - the value in making yourself stop and slow down to be present and make something with your hands is no longer a secret or a long-forgotten antique art. They are more and more commonplace in society and there are less sideways looks. Its no longer uncool. So if its not a bad thing, it’s good for our mental health, and brings us glimmers of joy… I say embrace it. Embrace the new-found craze of Nana Core. I am secretly rooting for this to be a fad that seriously sticks.