Help me find a hobby!
December 6, 2010 4:52 PM Subscribe
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?
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
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]
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]
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
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
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
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
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
posted by danceswithlight at 5:57 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]
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
- 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
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
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
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
- 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]
posted by kitcat at 10:17 AM on December 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
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]