Are Çorum handicrafts only a heritage? From coppersmithing to Kargı cloth, read how making by hand supports flow, a sense of mastery and social support.
Picture a group of women in the workshop of a public education centre, bent over sheets of copper. Amid the sound of hammers they chat, look at one another's work and now and then laugh together. A few hours later, each holds a plate or tray she has made herself. At first glance, this scene looks like nothing more than a skills course. From a psychological point of view, however, it involves much more: attention focused on a single task, the satisfaction of producing something from start to finish, and a sense of belonging to a community. Çorum handicrafts offer a rich heritage stretching from coppersmithing to weaving, from kilims to block-printed textiles. In this article I will treat this heritage not only as a past to be preserved but as a resource that can contribute to our mental health today.
Çorum Handicrafts: What Do the Sources Say?
Çorum's handicrafts have been documented in a number of university studies. A study prepared at Hitit University in 2016 examines the motifs used in Çorum handicrafts and their meanings. Another study carried out at Selçuk University focuses on coppersmithing in Çorum. Among the handicrafts highlighted in these studies are coppersmithing, Kargı cloth weaving, Mecitözü kilims and block printing.
Handicrafts are also reflected in Çorum's list of geographical indications. As of May 2026, İskilip's 10 geographical indication products include, alongside dishes, handmade items such as the tokmaklı kağnı (a traditional ox cart), the gourd and the tray.
An interesting development can be seen in coppersmithing. As far as news reports reflect, only a few masters remain in this craft; but it is reported that women have shown interest in coppersmithing courses supported by İŞKUR (the Turkish Employment Agency). A 2024 field thesis on traditional occupations in Çorum also reports that many trades passed down through the master–apprentice chain have been almost forgotten.
The limits of this data should be stated: I could not find any research measuring how many people in Çorum work with handicrafts, the level of participation in courses, or the effect of handicrafts on the wellbeing of people in Çorum. The psychological findings I will describe below are based on research conducted in other countries and are not a direct measurement for Çorum.
A Sociological Reading: The Changing Meaning of Handicrafts
In the past, handicrafts were often a livelihood and a way of meeting everyday needs. Copper pots were used in the kitchen, woven textiles were spread in the home, printed headscarves were worn. Today, most of these products have been replaced by factory goods. Following this transformation, the meaning of handicrafts is changing too.
Possible factors can be listed as follows:
- From livelihood to meaning: Handicrafts today are less a source of income and more a source of personal meaning, identity and cultural continuity.
- Women's visibility: Women's interest in crafts such as coppersmithing, which in the past were mainly carried out by men, shows that handicrafts are acquiring a new social role. For women, courses can offer both a way of acquiring a skill and a space for socialising outside the home.
- Institutional support: Courses organised by institutions such as public education centres, municipalities and İŞKUR help pass traditional crafts on to new generations.
- Economic value: Geographical indication registrations increase the value of handmade products and can create additional income opportunities for some producers.
- A counterbalance to fast-paced life: In an era defined by screens and speed, slowly making something by hand is becoming an attractive alternative for many people.
The question of motifs is also worth considering. The patterns used in handicrafts are often not mere decoration but the expression of a wish, a feeling or a story. A motif repeated in a kilim or a printed textile may be telling something the person who made it could not put into words. In this respect, handicrafts offer a space for non-verbal expression, especially for people who find it hard to express their feelings in words. The motif study carried out at Hitit University is valuable for recording this layer of meaning within Çorum handicrafts.
These factors do not establish definite causation; but they show that handicrafts today are not merely a relic of the past and can be a living field that responds to new needs.
The Psychology of Making by Hand: Flow, Mastery and Meaning
The psychological research literature offers a rich body of work on the contribution of handicrafts and artistic activities to wellbeing. The comprehensive review prepared by Fancourt and Finn in 2019 for the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe brings together a large number of studies examining the relationship between participation in artistic activities and mental health and wellbeing. The review shows that artistic participation may have both preventive and supportive roles; however, these findings do not mean that handicrafts can take the place of treatment.
We can consider the psychological effects of making things by hand under several headings:
The flow experience: The concept of flow, described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to a state in which a person becomes completely absorbed in a task that is challenging at a level suited to their abilities and loses track of time. Working a motif, tying the knots of a weave or hammering a pattern into copper allows for this kind of focus. In a state of flow, a person's mind moves away for a while from worries and repetitive thoughts.
A sense of mastery: Developing a skill step by step and eventually producing a tangible object gives a person the feeling "I can do this." This feeling is especially valuable for people who have lost their sense of control in life.
A tangible result: Many modern jobs consist of tasks whose results are invisible or which never end. Making something by hand, by contrast, offers an achievement with a beginning and an end that you can touch.
Physical calming: Rhythmic movements made with the hands can help reduce physical tension and calm the mind in some people. For people experiencing anxiety, this can have a calming effect similar to breathing exercises. I discussed how anxiety shows up in the body in detail in my article on anxiety symptoms.
Meaning and continuity: Someone who works again a motif that their grandmother used to stitch produces not only an object but also a bond that endures across generations. Hitit University's study of motifs reminds us that these motifs carry meaning; this turns handwork into a means of personal expression.
When the hands are busy, the mind rests; making something from start to finish reminds a person of their own strength.
Productive Leisure for Women and Retirees
The contribution of handicrafts to wellbeing stands out especially for two groups: women and retirees.
For women, handicraft courses can offer time and space of their own, outside home and caring responsibilities. Many women spend most of their day meeting other people's needs. Spending a few hours a week making something purely for herself reminds a woman that her identity is not limited to the roles of mother, wife or daughter-in-law. Courses also provide a basis for new friendships, solidarity and social support. Let us say a woman whose children have grown up and left home joins a course for the first time in many years. At first she hesitates, thinking "What can I learn at my age?"; but a few weeks later, when she takes home the first piece she has made herself, she feels a pride she has not felt for a long time.
For retirees, handicrafts can fill in a meaningful way the gap left by the end of working life. Retirement means a sudden change in daily routine and social circle. Going to a workshop regularly preserves both daily structure and social ties. In addition, for retirees who once worked in a craft, this space can offer an opportunity to pass their knowledge on to new generations.
Young people are not outside this picture either. In a life shaped by exam periods, screens and an intense school schedule, making something with their hands can offer young people a different kind of achievement. Developing a skill that is not measured by marks or scores can be a relief for a young person who defines themselves solely through academic success. A grandmother and grandchild meeting at the same workbench creates a closeness built less on words than on shared effort.
I also discussed the emotional void left by the disappearance of crafts in my article on disappearing trades.
Suggestions for Bringing Çorum Handicrafts Into Your Life
Some practical suggestions for benefiting from the contribution of making things by hand to wellbeing:
- Start small. Begin not with a large and complex project but with a simple piece that can be completed in a few hours. A first success increases the motivation to continue.
- Let go of perfectionism. Let your aim be not a flawless product but enjoyment of the process. Mistakes are a natural part of learning.
- Set aside regular time. Working on a craft once or twice a week at set times turns it into a routine and into time you set aside for yourself.
- Join a group. Courses run by public education centres or municipalities are a good opportunity both to learn a skill and to meet new people. Making things together brings a different kind of satisfaction from making things alone.
- Learn from your family. If there is an elder in your family who does handwork, learning from them brings both a skill and a bond between generations.
- Use it as a way to step away from screens. Spending a short time on handwork in the evening instead of your phone or the television can help rest the mind.
- Share what you make. Giving something you have made as a gift to someone close to you lets you feel that your effort is valued.
For institutions, organising courses at times and in places accessible to different groups — older people, homemakers and young people — can help handicrafts live on both as a heritage and as a source of wellbeing.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Working with handicrafts can contribute to wellbeing; however, it does not replace psychological support or treatment. It may be helpful to talk to a professional in the following situations:
- if a long-standing lack of motivation, inability to enjoy things or low mood persists and even activities you love do not change it,
- if anxiety, tension or repetitive thoughts are clearly affecting your daily life,
- if you are experiencing an intense sense of emptiness after retirement, after your children have left home or after a loss,
- if you are increasingly withdrawing from social relationships and do not want to leave the house,
- if your sleep and appetite patterns have been disrupted.
These signs do not on their own amount to a diagnosis; but they may show that the difficulty you are experiencing is too heavy to overcome with a pastime alone.
How Are Meaningful Activity and Productivity Addressed in Therapy?
In the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approach, behavioural activation plays an important role, especially for people experiencing low mood. In this method, activities through which a person can experience enjoyment and a sense of mastery are identified and gradually added to daily life. Handicrafts can be one of the options among these activities that give a person both enjoyment and a sense of achievement.
Therapy also explores the person's values and sources of meaning. For one person, handwork may be a continuation of their bond with their grandmother; for another, the first time they have set aside for themselves. Recognising these meanings ensures that the activity is not merely a way of keeping busy but a means of rediscovering oneself.
In individual therapy, while issues such as retirement, changing roles or loneliness are being addressed, how the person can make room for meaningful activities in their daily life can be planned together. In the sessions I hold in Çorum, both face to face and online, I see that resources offered by local culture like these can play a supportive role in a person's wellbeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What handicrafts are specific to Çorum?
The Çorum handicrafts highlighted in academic studies include coppersmithing, Kargı cloth weaving, Mecitözü kilims and block printing. Among İskilip's geographical indication products are handmade items such as the tokmaklı kağnı, the gourd and the tray.
Does doing handwork reduce anxiety?
Research shows that artistic and handicraft activities can reduce tension and support wellbeing in some people. However, handwork is not a substitute for treatment. If anxiety is clearly affecting your daily life, it is important to talk to a professional.
What is the flow experience?
Flow is a state in which a person becomes completely focused on a task that is challenging at a level suited to their abilities and loses track of time. With their attention-demanding, step-by-step nature, handicrafts often make this experience possible.
I have no experience with handicrafts — is it too late to start?
No. There is no age limit for learning handicrafts. Starting with simple projects, joining a course or group and letting go of the expectation of perfection make the learning process enjoyable.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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