Crafting on the rise: How Gen Z is stitching together creativity and community

From crochet and embroidery to punch needling and cross-stitching, crafting has quickly become one of Gen Z’s favorite forms of self-expression. For a generation overwhelmed with screens, what was once seen as an old-fashioned pastime has evolved into a modern art form. Crafts are shared proudly on social media and celebrated in clubs and dorm rooms across the country.

For Owen Poland, the president of Sew Knotty, an art and crafting club at SUNY ESF, the hobby began during the pandemic.

Poland said the club originally formed around 2008 after students who had a desire to craft together came together. The club serves as a dedicated space for ESF students to hang out and work on their crafts while talking with friends. 

Poland said what he loves most about crafting is the freedom to make anything he wants. 

“You can just make something that nobody’s ever seen before or something that you saw someone else make and then make your own version of it,” said Poland. “I have a spark of like, ‘I’m gonna turn this idea into a physical thing.’”

Poland said he thinks this is a big motivator behind young people, namely Gen Z, getting into crafting. 

“You get in this zone where you’re a lot more comfortable and concentrated, but in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re doing work,” said Poland.

Club member and ESF senior Sof Harrison said they experienced this first-hand.

“It’s just always been therapeutic,” said Harrison. “There are some times where I have a project and I’m like ‘I can’t work on this right now, I need to do something else.’ But it’s also just great to get out of my head and work with my hands instead of being on my phone.”

Photo by Jessica Nester

Sew Knotty is a club that offers crafting supplies, including crochet hooks and yarn, to be used by its members at meetings.

The club attempts to navigate one of the biggest constraints in crafting: money. Crafting materials are expensive, and Harrison said one hank of yarn costs her more than $30.

Graduate student Gene Anderson concentrates their efforts on cross-stitching simply because they said it’s the cheapest craft they know how to do.

“I have a whole supply chain figured out. I have a big art piece at home and when I frame it, I use the scraps from that to create smaller ones and iron-on patches,” said Anderson. “I sell at winter markets so the little pieces subsidize the big ones. I never lose money, but I never make money.”

Madison Glaser, a second-year student at ESF, agreed that crafting can be expensive, saying she only has basic sewing tools from CVS.

“That’s one of the reasons why I come to this club, because I don’t have any materials,” said Glaser. “If I want to sew something, I have to go here and get supplies, or I’d have to cut up my own clothes.”

Poland said another benefit of crafting in the club rather than on your own is bouncing ideas off of and learn from others.

“People will ask for tips, like crocheters will be like, ‘Hey do you know this specific stitch?’ It also introduces other people to a lot of different crafts,” said Poland. “I’ve had friends come with me to meetings and I’ll teach them embroidery and someone else will teach me a bit of crocheting.”

Glaser said the club makes crafting more accessible for anyone to start.

“Even if I were to make something that looks really bad, it’s like, ‘but you made it yourself.’ And there’s always something good to point out in a craft,” said Glaser. “I think that’s something that appeals to a lot of younger people; instead of more traditional drawing and painting, it can be so critical.”

Not all students feel like they need to participate in crafting in an organized setting. For some, crafting is an art better done alone.

Neither Emily McClary or Amanda Sullivan are in a crafting club because they see crafting as a more individual activity. 

“I think for me personally, it’s one of those things that would be enjoyable with other people, but it’s kind of nice to do on your own too,” said McClary.

Sullivan, a junior at ESF, thinks younger people taking up crafting is the revival of a dying art.

“We skipped a couple of generations of people not hemming their own clothes. I feel like we at ESF are very conscious about what we throw out and what we take in,” said Sullivan.

Photo by Jessica Nester

Amanda Sullivan prefers to work on her craft projects solo rather than in a club setting.

McClary agreed, saying the rise of digital and social media has impacted Gen Z’s return to crafting.

“We yearn to have something physical in our hands,” said McClary. “I also feel like social media has definitely helped grow that as well because you see a lot of other people having fun and it inspires you to pick up a project of your own.” 

Sullivan and McClary said creating a physical product is another benefit to participating in crafts.

“When you finish it, you have a thing that is now yours, that’s my favorite part,” said Sullivan. “I get so many compliments when I’m wearing things that I’ve made.”