So I decided I need a new hobby. My hobby, in general, has been the internet (and reading stuff on it), but my the nature of my work means I get free time there to do this, so I’m out of stuff to look at when I get home.
I want to look into crafty things, because they’re something physical you have at the end of the day. I’ve tried crochet, but I’m not good at the detailing and the movements of the hooks. I used to paint ceramics, where mistakes weren’t as noticeable and you could choose projects that needed less detail, but I haven’t found any studios in this city.
I’m thinking about cross stitch because it isn’t as freeform as crochet. I’m not sure about jewelry. I haven’t found a stained glass studio yet either - we seem to have a lack of studios with ongoing classes here. Anyone got any suggestions?
Puzzles? there are the flat kind, and all sorts of others.
I have to admit I sort of crave this one, which is “4D” because it includes the element of time:
Craftwise, needlepoint using yarn doesn’t require dexterity - there’s a sort of painted canvas that you follow by stitching a simple diagonal of the right colors in the right spot. The end result is solid fabric and can be made into a pillow or framed. You can get simple kits at craft stores, but I hear the nice projects can be expensive.
I’ve cross stitched a bit, and “counted” patterns are easy enough to follow steadily. Printed patterns are quite challenging (marks printed directly on cloth, you follow them, the marks wash out).
I like making jewelry - madethisnecklace for a friend of mine for Christmas a couple years ago. It was not particularly difficult, much of the beadwork is reasonably easy. Even playing around with a bead loom is something that kids in kindergarten can manage to do, and you can even go to the local toy store and pick up this one for under 15$US.
Needlepoint is even easier than cross-stitch, since you work on a canvas and are provided with the holes that the needle goes through. Kits for beginners here(“7 mesh” means 7 squares per inch, so fairly big holes) and here(note: first thing on that page is cross-stitch, not needlepoint) (“12 mesh,” so 12 squares per inch).
Cross-stitch kits are also available on the same kind of cloth, and with drawings printed on them like the needlepoint ones.
One I enjoyed although it has the defect of producing “putits”* is decorating mirrors. You draw the mirror-image of the desired image on the mirror’s back, scratch it away with a pin (I’m sure there are better tools out there, but for the sizes we used that was enough) and paint on the now-uncovered glass. We used school temperas.
Several of our rugs were made by Dad. It’s like cross-stitch or needlepoint but BIGGER! Just don’t do a really big one, he did and the last quarter seemed eternal.
From the sentence “now where the hell do I put it?” Expression shamelessly stolen from a columnist whose name I can’t recall right now.
Thanks guys! I’ll hit up the local craft store conglomerate the next time I have a chance. Canada is so far behind with online shopping, the craft place doesn’t have a list of all their kits and stuff on their website. They do have a cute cat cross stitch kit meant for kids - if I can’t pull off a project meant for kids, then I’m a lost cause!
Just be careful of counted cross stitch. I can’t do it because it takes a very keen eye – the holes in the canvas tend to be very small if there’s a picture on it. I can’t do the ones on blank canvas because, again, I can’t see the holes, even with my glasses.
I have bought craft kits made for children for my elderly mother. Craft projects made for kids are obviously much simpler, and it may be a good way for you to become familiar with projects.
Plastic loom knitting. Takes a little practice to get the hang of the basic figure-8 stitch, but it’s very easy. You can make at least a couple scarves a week in the evenings after work. They are great Christmas gifts. I advise against trying to use super saver (or other cheap) yarn. It makes for thin, scratchy scarves. Even if you double up and put two skeins together, you just get a thick scratchy scarf. I enjoy making these out of the softest yarn possible. My favorite is the scarf I made with a skein of homespun and a second skein of bamboo (knitting both strands together as one on the loom). Lion’s Brand wool and various chunky yarns are also good.
I never got the hang of making hats on round looms, because they knit so tight and using the hook hurt my hands. But the rectangular looms are truly idiot-proof. Tip: use a plastic straw to thread the yarn through, wrapping goes sooo much faster.
So knit your hats on the rectangular ones. When you reach the last peg, instead of turning around, just keep going. Also, make sure you’re using an appropriate yarn for the size/spacing of your pegs. Small/closely-spaced pegs will be like using small needles–trying to use bulky-weight yarn on them will result in a very tight, dense fabric that’s difficult to work. You might also check how tightly you’re wrapping your pegs, as that can also tighten up your gauge.
Decoupage is very forgiving. You can pick different themes for things you want to cover and rip and tear to your heart’s content. (The Mod Podge is just half water, half Elmer’s glue shaken up.)
Mosaics. More chance to let your inner child out. Break some stuff (yard sale plates in different patterns and colors etc.) and cement to a table top or whatever. (If you hammer them in a pillowcase nobody gets hurt.)
Macrame if you have strong hands. Can make some pretty amazing wall hangings.
Rubber stamping - you can get stamps shaped like leaves, flowers, letters, scrolled penwork, etc - pretty much anything you like - and use them to make vintage-style posters (I’m thinking that vintage style “bless this house” posters, but with a modern, out of context message (i.e. a movie quote about zombies or something) could be quite popular.
I’ll put in a plug for jewelry. It really is ridiculously easy to make the more basic stuff. Lots of videos on the few basic thing you need to know, like crimping and making a nice round loop. Once you have those down, you can make all sorts of things.
The long purple one from whatever brand they sell at Walmart works quite well for hats–I made one for my niece who was six at the time that fit both of us (ribbing is amazingly stretchy stuff.)
Plug for ridiculous Lego constructions for more inner child rehab. Or papercraft: have been making some of the redonk architecture on the Canon ‘creative park’ site.
(warning – contains obscenities) 
