right over my bare feet.”

—Taylor Swift, The Lakes

this time. Watching a video like this in itself could then create a brief sense of mindfulness and relaxation for the viewer. The video is captioned “part 1! joining the squares!” This suggests it was part of a mini-series of videos, documenting the crafting of the sweater. The act of keeping up with someone creating their own garment could allow a sense of continuity. The garment itself is also quite comforting and pleasing to look at, made up of a thick crochet wool and warm colour palette. It also appeals to individuals that actually engage in these quiet crafting activities themselves beyond just observing them, “these hobbies make sense to engage in to find that sense of control: start with raw materials, follow the directions as stated and reach your desired outcome.”7 The average person may have had little control during the pandemic, but through craft activities could feel as though they had some agency in their own lives and practice mindfulness.

Social isolation and a lack of connectedness was reported by multiple people as a result of lockdowns. Some used technology to supplement this, staying in touch with friends through video calls or doing quizzes to simulate social activities.8 The use of social networks including Twitter and Instagram increased by 2% from January to March, and the uploading of self-created content went up by 7% during the same period.9 Cottagecore content has a strong online presence and it is not unlikely that it could have provided a sense of community for people who were feeling isolated at the time. Alternatively, the rural imagery often associated with cottagecore could also imply a selfimposed isolation. The reality of compulsory isolation is daunting, but treating it as a retreat from the busy day to day of regular life could allow a sense of control and even frame it as a positive time of rest from work.