Alexis Briner: crochet

April 18, 2023

Sophomore Alexis Briner has made many things come to life, all through crochet. Briner uses crochet to unite herself with others. “It has brought me closer to my grandma and great aunts who crochet and knit. I’ve also encouraged friends to learn how to crochet when we hang out,” Briner said. (Anna Claywell)

A skein of yarn sits in sophomore Alexis Briner’s room. With that yarn, a crochet hook, time and dedication, possibility awaits. Since she was in eighth grade, one stitch after another, Briner has made everything, from a tote bag and stuffed animals to shirts and blankets.

Briner first started crocheting when she needed something to do after she broke her finger. Briner began by creating a string of chains and now has an array of crocheted items.

“Art has always been a great way for me to express myself,” Briner said. “Crocheting is different from many art forms in that you are making a product that doesn’t tend to convey much emotion; however, pieces take a lot of time and tend to be a little investment, so I find them to be very meaningful gifts.”

Sophomore Alexis Briner holds a stuffed animal bee she crocheted. Like everything else she crochets, Briner found the bee time-consuming. “It feels great to finish a piece. However, that doesn’t happen often, considering I like to jump from project to project,” Briner said. (Alexis Briner)

She gets inspiration from crochet influencers with the help of the internet, increasing the crochet reach to teens. On Instagram, the “crochet” hashtag has 46.4 million posts and 16.1 billion views on TikTok.

“Usually, I start projects spontaneously and just make whatever I feel like working on,” Briner said. “Crocheting is a great way for me to take my mind off things and unwind while still feeling like I have something to show for my time. It’s meditative and allows me to take a break from the things stressing me out.”