I do complicated counted cross stitch. I’ve done a good number of the “Mirabilia” graphs ( www.mirabilia.com ). Without fail, the #1 question I’m asked is “What are you going to do with it?”, so that seems to be a constant for crafters, huh? 
I “do” it because I find it fun and definitely relaxing. I have to concentrate to the exclusion of everything else, and I kinda find that freeing.
VCNJ~
I love to do things with my hands, and in the past I have dabbled in cross stitch, needlepoint, painting, sculpture, and beading. I also enjoy making jewelry, which is good because those are really the only projects I have finished. My neice was born in September of 2001, and I started a cross stitch piece for her name as soon as I found out my sister was pregnant. It’s now about half done and I couldn’t tell you where it is.
It is relaxing to me, and I love seeing the piece take shape and watching it grow, regardless of whether I finish it or not. I think that to finish one would be a let down for me, becaus eI wouldn’t have it to work on anymore. It’s the doing of it rather than the finished product that attracts me to crafty things.
I make stained glass, jewelry and I paint . I do it because I have to. I get anxious if I don’t have a project on the table. I do sell a little of it, but mostly to make room for more.
I don’t consider myself especially talented, although others do. Mostly the people who love me, so they’re bias and don’t really count.
As others here have said, the process means more to me than the product.
Anaamika, check you e-mail that’s listed in the StraightDope profile, I’ve offered up a few miniature-painting suggestions.
A couple of you touched on the meditative qualities of doing handwork. I agree completely. There is something soothing in the repetitive nature of cross stitch or knitting or crochet, or whatever. I keep small projects on my desk at work to work on during lunch. A little simple cross stitch or petit point and a cup of tea can help take the edge off of a busy morning and put me in a better state of mind for work in the afternoon. I save the more complicated things for home. My home project includes filament fiber for accents. It’s the first time I have used them and it’s a bit of a challenge, but I’m learning to wrastle it in line.
I second the idea of finding a needlework shop to find cool needlework patterns. Canvas painters are often local and you may even find someone to create canvases just for you.
I have tried knitting, keeping tension is tough for me. I have tried both methods, but get very frustrated with it. I will keep trying, though, I want to learn. I can crochet, though, but I haven’t made anything in years. I also cannot paint, or sculpt or draw, but that’s okay. It’s not where my talent lies.
My dream project? This! Scroll down to “Robert M. Noll, Kansas”. I have the book and the patterns all picked out. All I need now is the courage to take on such a big project.
Is there anyone who has gone to art school? Any fiber arts majors out there?
Both of you may want to check out these sites:
http://miniature-painting.net/news_index.html
The second is the better of the two.
I build furniture in my spare time. Bookshelves, tables, chairs, as well as fixed home carpentry (railings, mantles, cabinets, wall-mounted shelves, etc); I’ve been at it for only a little under a year, and I’ve lately been spending a small fortune on woodworking tools.
I do it because it’s productive, creative, physicially demanding, therapeutic (in the sense of stress relief), because and the spatial, geometric, sometimes mathematical nature of the process satisfies the part of me that I’m sure was an engineer in a past life, but in this life somehow wound up as an attorney specializing in international trade.
Thank you, dear! I’ll look for it.
Hypno-Toad, thank you too. I’ve bookmarked both sites.
I grow plants on my balcony, and I have a cute little table & chair, so I sit out there, amongst my cucumbers & marigolds, and paint out there. I love it…can’t wait until it’s warm out there.
Most of my cross stitch work has been with small ornaments. I either keep them or give them as gifts – people actually use them! I’m about halfway through my first large cross stitch piece; it’s a kit my mom picked up in Maine about 10 years ago. I don’t work on it every day due to schoolwork (and other projects), so it’s taken me a few years to get to this point. It’s not perfect (I didn’t realize I was using too many threads at first), but I’ll probably have it framed when I’m done.
I also like building and painting model cars. I even print out little custom license plates for them. 
I do various kinds of woodworking, some furniture making, some lathe work. The lathe work, in particular, is mostly because I see some beautiful piece that someone made and wonder, “Can I do that?”. (Usually the answer is, "yes, but not as well.) It’s fun, and it means I have something to show for my time that I wouldn’t otherwise have. And I like to give the pieces I make away as gifts.
Sadly, after buying and renovating a house a few years back, my energy and motivation for crafts seems to have waned. I think this may be somewhat related to the OP’s question – I don’t really * need * to make anything, so it’s easier to collapse in front of the tube. But I’d feel better if I were actually making something.
Thanks, dangermom! I’ll have to check that website out.
That’s what usually happens with my crafts, too. I get all fired up, and go gung-ho on them, and the end result is not always what I had in mind. I’m more of a “serial crafter”, too - I work at one hobby, get competent at it, then move on to the next.
I remember something I saw at a craft fair. A booth was selling stones that had a little well drilled out of the middle that was filled with oil for a floating wick. In the middle of the table was a big sign: “Yes, you could do it. But Would you?”
I need to make things. It’s compulsive. I sew, do pattern design, cook, do beaded wire and applique beadwork and needle and thread stuff, make chainmail, spin, and weave from the same compulsion. When I get bored with one thing I’ll move on to another.
Sometimes I make things with a purpose, but usually it’s just because I enjoy making them. There’s something awfully satisfying about sitting still for hours moving tiny bits of metal around. My obsessive-compulsive streak, I guess.
Mr. Lissar doesn’t ask why I make anything. He makes chainmail and does fifteen types of martial arts. He understands craft-ish fidgeting.
My family has always had one craft or another going on, so I pretty much grew up with it. My grandma taught me to crochet and quilt (badly), and my dad let me putter with his non-electric woodworking tools when I was a kid. My mom has crocheted, did pottery and now quilts like a demon. So hey, maybe it’s in my blood?
And hey, I’d call case modding a craft. It’s truly a Geek Craft. Right now I’m modding a sweet Athlon-based desktop computer. I’ve already cut out the fan holes on the top to make what’s going to look like a radiation smoke stack (including green flames). The inside is lit with UV cold-cathodes and has the requisite reactive gear therein, and a glow-in-the-dark polymer-clay sculpted Godzilla with red LED eyes is gonna be busting out of my case carrying a bunch of old motherboard chips in his mouth & claws. And oh yeah, EL wire lighting the front of the case.
I can’t get that link to work right; it just goes to the front page. Can you give directions?
cross stitch, paint wood things (boxes, wee drawers), beads (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, book beads and charms.), starting tile and mosaics.
mostly so i can have things in the colours and patterns i want. also i do give quite a bit away for presents.
i’m looking to start selling some of it. there was a store in my neighbourhood that bought some of my small cross stitch (magnets, ornaments) for decorations on gift baskets. i was amazed at the money i made for a few hours of tv watching!
Sorry about that. It’s kind of a stupid website. I don’t know what their webperson was thinking. Go to the 3rd block from the left on the bottom row. Then look for the carpet.
Like LifeOnWry I’m addicted. I see a material, or get an idea and I have to make the project. I’m a packrat, so I have plenty of interesting materials to work with. I’m probably best at ceramics (It helped that I abandoned realism, and embraced Seuss/AAh!RealMonsters/Nightmare Before Christmas-ism). I enjoy electrical projects but need to learn alot more. I can sew, but there are many areas I’m still learning about. I cannot knit, but I’m planning to learn so that I can make Dr Who scarves from the pattern Podkayne provided.
Currently, I need to do some basic studying of human anatomy, and look through my old t-shirts to find the right colors. Then, using a Cabbage Patch kid I bought years ago at a garage sale (It was part of the classic 'old woman with baby on her back’costume I made that year), I’m going to make my niece a doll whose body opens to reveal a full set of organs. Note- My sister is a fan of cable programs showing actual surgery. She’d be very happy for her daughter to have an educational toy like this. This is not a case of weird uncle disgusting mom and frightening kid.
I am also working on improving and finishing the Halloween costume that wasn’t really done in time last year. The outermost layer is a 7’, spinning tornado, complete with a witch riding a broom and the Gale house. Under that is a tin man costume. Under that is a scarecrow costume. Under that, is the cowardly lion. Under that, is Dorothy complete with an old dog-shaped purse as Toto. Dorothy’s dress is currently held together with duct tape instead of thread. The lion costume needs sleeves and a better tail, etc.
I knit. I agree with Podkayne’s points, but I don’t think #4 is prima-donnaish at all. You’ve worked hard on a project, and it’s completely normal to take pride in your accomplishment. After all, you’ve earned it! I knitted a baby blanket for a co-worker’s first baby, and it turned out beautifully. Everyone oohed and aahed over it. It took me several months, and I had to rip out rows more than once, but dammit, it looked good and I’m not going to apologize because people appreciated my effort.
I like to have something to do while I’m watching TV, and I’m getting itchy fingers. I’m almost done with one project, and I’m itching to get to the next one, but I can’t because Project A isn’t done yet.