Help me find a hobby!

December 6, 2010 4:52 PM

I am looking for a creative hobby. I get home from work, maybe go to the gym, cook, and then am free for about 3 hours. I want to do something creative or with my hands, but that doesn't take too much intense skill or learning. I already knit, but sort of knitted myself out and want something else. I used to make jewelry which was really fun, and something along those lines could work. Any ideas?
posted by tessalations999 to home & garden (18 answers total)

Here are a few ideas:

1. Learn to play an instrument, e.g. guitar.

2. Crocheting, tatting, needlepoint, and embroidery are all very cool handcrafts.

3. It can be very rewarding to work in mosaics/tiles. You can beautify your house AND be creative.

4. If you have space for a wheel, or a place to go to use a wheel, pottery is very fun and usually results in useful items.

5. Return to jewelry making. Maybe learn some new ways to do it . . . for example sautering techniques.
posted by bearwife at 5:00 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

You might find something in these previous questions:

How to find a hobby?

How to be more productive while I turn my brain off?

I love to hook rugs, but have been playing with a homemade knitting nancy (aka mushroom) lately. I'm using the yarn chain and material from my wool stash to make little cupcakes to give away.
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:03 PM on December 6, 2010

Check out craftster and/or Craft Zine for ideas! Both have a wide range of projects. Craftster is huge, broken down by craft, and often features tutorials.

Embroidery also came to mind immediately: it's easy, inexpensive, and portable.

Have fun!
posted by sugarbomb at 5:05 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Cross-stitch comes to mind as a hobby in the same vein as knitting. Also, it's not terribly expensive and extremely easy to learn.

Otherwise, what about taking up a musical instrument? Sewing? Quilting? Collecting something?

I'm envious of your three-hour nightly hobby time!
posted by redfishbluefish at 5:12 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Papercraft is relaxing, and as exacting as you want it to be.
posted by orthogonality at 5:16 PM on December 6, 2010

My mom used to do Scherenschnitte, and if I ever get tired of knitting, I might give it a try myself.
posted by Lucinda at 5:25 PM on December 6, 2010

In the past year or so I've really gotten into collecting and making things out of sea glass - mostly necklaces and mobiles. You live in the Oakland area? I'm pretty sure you can find some stuff on the beaches in CA. It's really fun!
http://californiaseaglassassociation.org/articles.html
posted by Sal and Richard at 5:29 PM on December 6, 2010

This may sound a bit out of left field but lock picking is a fun and satisfying hobby. It doesn't cost much to get started (you just need one or two picks, a tension wrench, and a lock) but it does a very good job entertaining the hands and sometimes the mind. The basic concepts are very simple to learn and it can be a nice conversation starter.
posted by ChrisHartley at 5:39 PM on December 6, 2010

Cooking and/or baking?
posted by danceswithlight at 5:57 PM on December 6, 2010

Crochet with beads.
posted by jgirl at 6:42 PM on December 6, 2010

Quilting might be up your alley.
posted by box at 7:32 PM on December 6, 2010

Do you have an inner pyromaniac? Then pyrography may be for you.
posted by Kerasia at 7:58 PM on December 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

- You could try hand spinning and use the yarn for knitting later on. Lots of gorgeous roving is available on etsy.
- Cooking or baking can be fun, here are some sites that may give your ideas (or just make you drool).
- Sewing clothing, bags, or quilts is rewarding since you end up with a usable item, and you can even make custom fabrics.
- You could take up gardening/grow plants in your window.
- You could begin leatherworking. Start with simple things such as credit card holders and move on to purses, belts, shoes, etc.
- You could make paper, soap, perfume, or lotion.
- Felting can be used to make scarves, covered soaps, or even really awesome articles of clothing.
posted by Logic Sheep at 8:01 PM on December 6, 2010

paint miniatures.
posted by wilful at 8:38 PM on December 6, 2010

I make sock monkeys for this purpose - to have something sort of mindless and fun to take over my hands while I lazy-watch TV or listen to music.
posted by gemmy at 10:25 PM on December 6, 2010

Candy making is sort of like cooking and sort of crafty.
posted by pjaust at 5:44 AM on December 7, 2010

- Baking (you can share with friends)

- Set-up, and then maintain a freshwater planted aquarium. (see here for examples as to how this can be creative)

- Shoot photography with black and white film, and set up a darkroom to develop and print photos yourself
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 9:26 AM on December 7, 2010

Needle felting! You can make cute little animals.
posted by kitcat at 10:17 AM on December 7, 2010 [1 favorite]