You’ll Never Guess the Analog Hobby Tom Holland Is Obsessed With

I always wonder what my favorite celebrities do in their free time, and in the incredibly charming case of actor Tom Holland, I now have an answer: He crochets!  

In a YouTube video on his channel, Olympic diving champion Tom Daley explains that he was invited to the BERO Padel Classic, a tournament put on by Holland’s non-alcoholic beer brand, BERO. However, because he doesn’t play padel, Daley decided to crochet a BERO can holder for Holland from the sidelines. When Daley gave it to him, Holland said it was perfect, and compared the white yarn creation to a spider web — extremely fitting for the Spider-Man star. 

“We have been crocheting at home,” Holland then says (and was that a Zendaya reference?) “I absolutely love it. I just find it turns my brain off [if I’ve] had a stressful day. I can’t do anything else and do it, like I have to be lasered in.” 

I love how crocheting sounds like something Spider-Man would do. But most of all, watching this adorable moment really made me realize the true value of hands-on hobbies and how important they are for decompressing. Holland has two major movies coming out this summer (The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day) and a “humongous” press tour planned, so I’d imagine carving out moments of peace is especially important to him. 

The great thing about crocheting is that it’s highly portable, so you can toss it in your analog bag and work on it almost anywhere, whether that’s while you wait for your drink at a coffee shop, as you prep for your flight at the airport, or in between classes on campus.

It’s a tactile alternative to scrolling on your phone, and, like Holland says, it’s a craft that encourages you to focus on ignoring the noise around you and just make something with your hands. If you want to crochet but aren’t sure where to start, crochet kits like Woobles come with all the supplies you need, including easy-to-follow instructions. 

Crocheting can be an especially great hobby for college students to find some time to chill out and craft amid all the exams and group projects. Instead of doomscrolling, take a break to crochet! There are so many things you can make, too, from coasters and scarves to headbands and plushes — and, of course, a BERO can holder if you’re really trying to twin with Tom Holland.