Reasons for Crafting

Dear users, dear authors,
Why do you do crafts? Is it a hobby, a pastime, a necessity, or a way to brighten up your day or escape from everyday life? Tell me about it. 

As a young girl and woman, crafts weren’t really a thing for me—I wasn’t interested, because both at school and at home, people told me I was simply too dumb for it. So why bother trying if I couldn’t figure it out anyway? My needlework teachers were all dragons, except for the one at home economics school—that lady was a real sweetheart.  It was only during the year I attended home economics school that I actually enjoyed machine sewing.
Eventually, when I could no longer work, I turned my profession as a seamstress into a hobby. Then, when the internet came along and I signed up for a sewing forum or two, other interests came along, such as knitting and hand embroidery. It was really fun, especially since there was no one left to constantly tell me, “You’re too dumb for this,” or “You can’t do it anyway—just give it up,” as had happened to me so often when I was younger.
When I think back on the last few years of the pandemic, I’m glad I have this hobby, because without it, I would most likely have slipped into depression—which, as we all know, isn’t easy to climb out of. So crafts, sewing, and machine embroidery also save me from worse, because they let me block out all the misery going on out there. For me, crafts are also a way to relax and find myself when I’m not feeling my best mentally, plus it’s fun to keep designing and working on something new, especially when it actually turns out looking good :-)

Best regards, Inge

Yes, I remember those “handicraft dragons” too—that was absolutely dreadful. But at home, I got to see the positive side of it: my mother had always loved to sew and knit, and she was very good at it.
As a young girl, I really loved having completely unique pieces of clothing that no one else had. And eventually, I was able to make them myself.
During the years of career advancement, my first marriage and the divorce that followed, leading up to my second marriage—including several moves to different cities—handicrafts fell by the wayside.
Yes, and then came COVID-19. Handicrafts were a great way for me to get by from one lockdown to the next—no problem at all—and when my husband fell ill, I was already so used to staying indoors at home that everything went much more smoothly than I’d feared. I also love to read a lot, but reading alone definitely wouldn’t keep me as relaxed as doing handicrafts on the side; I just really enjoy making things with my hands.

I’ve always loved doing crafts and DIY projects—and I’ve done them a lot. For hours on end, suited to every season, with or without the kids.

Nine years ago, thanks to my grandson, I started knitting, crocheting, and sewing again. 

It’s now my way of unwinding from my pretty demanding job. It helps me switch off and stop taking my work home with me in my thoughts. Because I can’t do both—either I’m finding solutions or I’m knitting.

And it’s the same now with COVID-19 and the current global situation. Without my crafts, I’d go crazy. So I’d much rather spend my free time enjoying my yarn and staying in my own little world. 

I love designing something myself and then bringing it to life. This applies to crafting, but also to other areas.

When my son was born 46 years ago, that’s when my love for knitting and crocheting began. For many years, I lovingly “knitted him up” in all sorts of things. Then there was a break—until my granddaughter was born six years ago. That’s when that original joy came back, and ever since then, I’ve been knitting for my two granddaughters.

I’ve also developed a passion for making clothes for dolls—both my own and my granddaughters’. That’s what brings me the most joy.

Yes, when I’m crafting, I forget everything around me and am completely in my own world—no matter what else is going on. And that just does me good. Add some music or an audiobook or podcast to that, and the world is just right for me.

As far back as I can remember, my mom has always been doing some kind of craft in her free time—knitting, crocheting, knotting, and so on. When she used to crochet such beautiful clothes for my dolls, I really wanted to learn how to do it too. She taught me everything, and by the time I started school, I could already crochet and knit.
At school, needlework class was one of my favorite subjects, even if we were just crocheting pot holders, for example.
Later, I started knitting and crocheting sweaters, jackets, and other items for myself. I’d also learned to sew, but I preferred working with yarn. I also knitted and crocheted a lot for my family. Then “normal” life took over: vocational training, a demanding job, marriage, and serious illnesses affecting my parents and my husband. That left me with not much time for crafts, but I never gave them up entirely.
Now that I’m living alone again, I’ve started spending more time on crafts. I enjoy it, and it helps me unwind after a stressful day at work. Even during the COVID-19 lockdowns, I had no problems—I always have my crafts.
I love making something for myself or a gift for loved ones among my family and friends. For me, it’s like a break from everyday life, and I wouldn’t want to miss these soothing hours that let me forget almost all my problems.

Yes, in our family, crafting has always been a part of life. My grandma always sewed. My mom did patchwork and every kind of needlework there is—even unusual things like Hardanger. As a teenager, I knitted a little and sewed mostly for practical purposes. Then the kids came along, and I stopped doing anything because I didn’t have the time. The kids have been out of the house for a long time, and now I’m sick. My life has gone from bustling to zero—when my body won’t cooperate anymore, my hands need something to do. It’s a great alternative! It also helps me cope with sleepless nights. Creativity helps me rise above a lot of things. And it gives my mind something to focus on, too. So, crafts are a wonderful thing.

I’ve always enjoyed doing crafts.
Though sewing has never really been my thing.
There was a time when I was really into silk painting.
Eventually, I moved on to embroidery and weaving small rugs.
Until I found my way back to knitting and crocheting.

I also loved doing all kinds of crafts as a child. These days, I enjoy the slower pace, for example, when I’m embroidering. It’s nice to see how slowly everything takes shape. I turn my illustrations into embroidered pictures and find it fascinating to see how the image comes across as embroidery. I can look at it again the next day in a completely relaxed way and maybe decide to use a different thread color for a particular detail.

For me, it’s self-expression. I can make something exactly the way I want it, find peace, and forget everything around me. I can focus on my work and still find it relaxing. It’s simply the best hobby there is for me. Plus, I’m always learning new things and trying out new techniques, so it stays exciting. And you’re being productive—it’s not just passively consuming TV shows or something like that, but you’re actively creating something you’ve made yourself. That’s a wonderful feeling.