Claire Vandersee, a junior at West High, has been crocheting since October 2023. In addition to being an International Baccalaureate student, Vandersee is a member of the Wahawk Speech and Theater team, participating in large group and individual Events and both the Fall and Spring plays. When she is not on stage or working on her academics, she is often seen with a crochet hook and ball of yarn in hand.
Crochet has become a hobby that Vandersee is drawn to. Hobbies, such as crochet, have been proven to reduce stress. Hobbies allow people to fully engage in an act, allowing focus and relief from stress buildups. Crocheting and knitting have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety levels by using coordinated and repetitive movements. For Vandersee, this is exactly what crocheting offers.
“It’s nice having a creative outlet I can control,” shares Vandersee. “With crochet, I have full creative ability to make it how I want it.”
Wahawk Speech coach and fan of Vandersee’s wok, Regan Hirdler, has worked with Vandersee for two years. Hirdler shares that “what sets Claire apart from others is her warm, silly spirit.” Being an All-State Actor for two years, Vandersee “isn’t afraid to be playful to enhance a performance, or bring joy to others.” This playfulness and silly spirit translates into Vandersee’s crochet projects, as she creates crochet stuffed animals otherwise known as “amigurumi.”
“I personally don’t know a lot of people that crochet animals or characters the way she does. I love the characterization she gives each thing she makes. It gives it personality!,” said Hirdler.
While Vandersee has only been crocheting since October of 2023, she has founded and funded her own business, Lady Crochet. After initially giving up, Vandersee now sells dish scrubs, stuffed ghosts, bandanas, betta fish, and even custom crochet projects. “I tried it once, but I had a hook way too small, and it was almost impossible, so I gave up. I just stopped immediately.”
After this setback, Vandersee came across a video of a crochet ghost. “I tried to make it, and it sucked,” she shares “so I tried again.” After more practice, adding minor tweaks to the pattern and a sense of resilience, Vandersee now sells the same mini-ghosts as a part of her crochet business.
Creating a crocheted project is not easy. However, Vandersee shares that “You just have to go for it. Just dive in head first. I found that you need to start with a simple project, like amigurumi, because it works up quickly. It might not look great the first time, but you will still love it because you made it.”
When crocheting, it is common that your first project will take a few tries, spanning across a few days or even weeks. When creating both a sweater and a blanket, Vandersee estimates it takes about 100 hours of work, which equates to nearly 50 movies. Vandersee shares that right now, she is working on a cumulative five projects: two sweaters, a tapestry, a blanket and even a dish cloth.
During all the hours spent crocheting, Vandersee shares that she likes to have something going in the background. “I have a few crocheters I like to work along with, Mrs. Moon in Heaven and Made in the Moment. Watching someone else crochet while crocheting myself makes it feel like I’m working with a friend.”
Having something playing in the background while working on a crochet project has helped Vandersee get into the “crocheting mood.” When she isn’t watching other crocheters, she prefers to watch reality TV shows like “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Shark Tank.” “Reality TV is easy to pay attention to. It keeps you interested,” she says.
“Spending my afternoons with her were highlights of my days, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time,” says Hirdler. She continues with, “Claire has this wonderful gift of not being embarrassed when performing and creating. I want to tell her to never let that dull or change. Keep being innovative in her own way!”
