So, over the last couple weeks, I have very much been in a crafty mood. Not for anything in particular. In fact, for quite a few different things.
I have a blanket I have been knitting on and off for quite some time now, and lately I have been making some really good progress with it. I have also dabbled with making jewelry, and I’ve been wanting to expand that skill to include things like wire wrapping. My first attempt working with wire was last night. While it was not overly productive, I did learn a few things to not do, which should come in handy in the future. I have also been looking into embroidery (an expansion of my previous experience with counted cross stitch). I think embroidery might be on the list for this evening.
While I also want to try my hand at things like blacksmithing, carpentry, and handpainting silk, I figure the easiest (and cheapest) way to expand my skills is to work with materials I already have on hand. In this case, that involves needles and a lot of floss (aka- thread), and a set of jewelry tools and beads. Some wire and fabric came in yesterday, so I should be set for some preliminary experiments.
One thing I have been trying out this week is spending half an hour, or so, on something crafty when I get home from work. This is before I get settled in for the evening. I find myself getting distracted by too many things otherwise. So far this effort seems to be going splendidly.
While writing is my passion, there are hobbies I enjoy. Unfortunately, with a day job, there is not much free time to go around. It’s easy for me to fall into the state where I devote all the free time I can spare to writing (assuming I am awake enough to focus on writing). For those times when I am to tired or otherwise distracted to focus on writing, having crafts available helps give me something productive I can do while I catch up on my backlog of DVRed shows.
Not to mention a decent bit of these creative endeavors are chosen to tie in to some extent with my writing. I want to learn certain skills to be able to figure out how things play out. For instance, working on drawing (not my best skill) gives me the opportunity to visualize certain articles of clothing, for instance, that aren’t available here, and aren’t easily found on Google.
Crafts are useful for multiple reasons. They provide something to keep hands busy. They lead to something being produced. They can serve as a visualization aid for other projects. They can be relaxing.
This is true regardless of the craft, and those reasons are just some of the reason I’m trying to expand my skillset.
What hobbies or crafts do you enjoy? Or which hobbies or crafts would you like to learn?
I would love to hear from you.
~ Theresa
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Sasi and I have been doing these tiny Japanese Lego puzzles. They are crazy challenging but a lot of fun. I’d like to do more cooking, but she rules that arena. I’m no match for her knowledge of the native herbs and spices.
Thanks for cranking out these updates! I’ve got a few on the way. We’ll chat soon.
Ah, nice puzzles and cooking are both fun. 🙂 and yeah. I’m trying to get into the habit of posting again. Sounds like a plan. ^_^
Crochet is still high on my list! Going to be getting into making jewelry again soon (made some battleaxe earrings recently), and I’ve been working on sewing and embroidering basic hoods and capes for myself and the kids for RenFest.
Nice! I still need to learn crochet. I have been making some good progress on my knitting, though, and I’m trying to decide what my next embroidery project(s) should be. I have been thinking sewing would also come in handy for things like cosplay (and of course RenFest). That’s really cool! I’ve been wanting to learn how to make a cloak… partly because I think it would be awesome to walk around with a cloak. 🙂 It would make every day feel like an adventure!