Lockdown Leisure

In a time of conflicting information and a lack of general understanding of this new virus, media provided comfort for many. The abundance of uncertainty felt by the general public drove many to seek comfort in the familiar. The new limitations of lockdowns, however, left limited options for escapism. Larger scale escapist activities such as concerts were replaced by watching TikToks on your phone. The short form video hosting site grew rampantly during the pandemic. The almost dystopic reality going on outside in the world created a yearning for a world outside of reality and nostalgia for simpler times. One of the results of this was the explosion of the online cottagecore trend. Visuals comprising of pastoral landscapes, cosy homesteads and old fashioned handicrafts simulated a self-imposed isolation preferable to the compulsory isolation that was being experienced. These aspirations were for a reality separate to that which was being experienced mingled with the sentiments of utopic desire.1

2. Taylor, Cheryl and Lafarge, Caroline and Cahill, Sharon and Milani, Raffaella and Görzig, Anke. Living through lockdown: A qualitative exploration of individuals’ experiences in the UK. Health Soc Care Community, 2022.

3. Grandey, A. A. and Sayre, G.M. and French, K. A. A Blessing and a Curse”: Work Loss During Coronavirus Lockdown on ShortTerm Health Changes via Threat Recovery. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22 July 2021.

Research conducted through public surveys concluded that there were four primary themes identified in the responses of the UK public to the outbreak of Covid-19 and the lockdowns that followed: Health and wellbeing, social connectedness and belonging, employment and finance, and personal and collective values.2 Separate studies would suggest that this also applied to other jurisdictions including the US.3 Each of these themes could contribute to our understanding of the sudden upsurge of popularity in cottagecore media and activities throughout the earlier lockdowns, particularly in western states such as the UK and the US.

2015.

6. Wood, Zoe. “A good yarn: UK coronavirus lockdown spawns arts and craft renaissance.” theguardian. com. 2020.

With regards to health and wellbeing, the area of mental health and wellbeing are of particular interest. Many individuals reported feelings of anxiety and lack of control in response to the pandemic, regarding both the health of loved ones and the loss of routine and structure in their lives.4 Where people could not control the circumstances unfolding around the world, they could control inside their own home and take some ownership of their own daily routine. There is evidence to suggest that creative activities, including craft, can be a source of stability and comfort during times of stress and uncertainty.5 Crafting activities that became encouraged by enthusiasts of cottagecore during the lockdown may have manifested as a response to lockdown anxiety, allowing individuals to alleviate feelings of stress and add a sense of routine to their days.

Search requests for “knitting projects” increased by as much as 400% during the first UK lockdown, and sewing projects went up by 300%.6 Figure 2 is an example of the short form TikTok videos that increased in popularity at