Craft hobbies can be a great way to freshen up your routine. They’re not just pastimes: they give you new skills to learn, could be the way to a new social group, and allow you to make your own clothes, decorations and useful household items – which you can keep for yourself or give as unique and personal gifts to friends. Before you dive into a new craft, there are things you need to know, so let’s take a look at the most important things to remember about hobby crafts.
Storage
One thing craft hobbies need is space: you need space to work and perhaps most importantly, space to store the tools of your trade, your raw materials and your finished projects! If you live in a small home, and share your space with housemates or a family, it can be difficult to store everything you need.
You can make this easier on yourself by not building up a huge store of wool, thread, fabric or other materials your craft uses. If you research each project in advance, you can make sure you stock up on just enough of what you need, and avoid your crafting hobby taking over the whole house! You could also look into subscription options: a crochet subscription will deliver everything you need for a new craft project directly to your door each month, so you’ll always have the next project ready in the wings.
Comfort and Health
Crafting can be quite physically demanding: it requires long periods of intense concentration, keeping tight hold of needles, looms or other tools.
If you’re not aware of the physical toll it’s taking on your body, your craft hobby can cause you discomfort or even pain. Make sure your crafting chair has lumbar support, so your body’s entire upper weight isn’t resting on your lower back. It’s also worth looking at good posture for knitting, sewing or whatever your chosen craft is: this can help extend the time you can comfortably work for in each session, as well as extending the overall time you can comfortably spend with this hobby over the course of your life!
Light is another important issue. Crafts require you to pay close attention to small details on the level of individual stitches and knots. If you’re working in insufficient light, you’re placing a strain on your eyes. Look for north facing windows to provide even natural light in the daytime, and if you can, invest in a dedicated lamp you can place behind your crafting chair for work at night, allowing you to customise your light for what you need.
