Crazy About Crafts

I know I’m not alone here. Multitudes of people, women in particular, are mad about making things out of fabric, paper, wool and so on. I was keen on craft in my teens and early twenties, but as I became busier I lost touch with all the creative activities I’d enjoyed. Eventually, my only creative outlet was writing.

I’d been thinking for some time that I needed a hobby, something that would be therapeutic and take me away from the laptop computer - which sometimes almost needs to be surgically removed – but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I don’t know why I waiting so long, I should have just dived back in, because now that I’ve rediscovered craft I’m well and truly hooked, and happier for it.

Craft time is me time. It’s therapy. It stills my mind and satisfies my hands. I’m sure that many of you know exactly what I mean. I enjoy the time spent immersed in a project, and the satisfaction I get from crafting can’t be measured. The doing is as much fun as the having done.  But it’s more than enjoying the process, with craft I know that the finished product will have a purpose, sometimes a decorative purpose, but more often, functional. I think that’s what compels so many of us to plunge into new projects, spreading fabrics, felt and craft accessories all over the dining table.

Here are some mismatched floral table napkins I’ve just made. They’re simply a square of fabric with a coordinating edging, it’s true, but I’ve enjoyed making them so much. A large part of the fun is in selecting the fabrics, all of which I adore and many of which have been sitting in my fabric box for years, longer than I care to think about, but I saved them because I loved them and now they have a new lease of life.

I’m keeping all my floral fabric scraps because plan to do some crazy patchwork where irregular shaped pieces of fabric are sewn together to create a thing of beauty. Quilting is another craft I want to try. I can’t believe I’ve never done any quilting.

While searching through my old fabrics I came across this piece of embroidery that I must have started more than 20 years ago. I think it was going to be a cottage garden scene. I’m going to resurrect this project and I know I’ll have fun choosing the embroidery silks for the flowers. I can’t wait, but I have so many other projects under way and need to clear some space and time before I start on this one.

There are countless crafts to choose from – cross-stitch, appliqué, paper quilling, découpage, scrapbooking, basket-weaving, lace-making, tatting, to name a few. I’d love to hear your thoughts on why you craft and which is your favourite craft, if you can choose a favourite, or do you love them all?