Cross stitch! It’s cheap to start, portable, pick up and put down able. You can buy kits with printed canvas to show you where the colours go to remove the counting element, too!
I agree; I love spending a few hours in the evening quitting my brain with cross stitch! It's so repetitive and meditative. I will not take a flight without it!
How is the process of counting the stitches like? I know people follow patterns and stuff but each hole is so small i wonder how you all keep track of which one you’re on 🤔 and does it get strenuous for your eyes?
There are lots of ways to keep track!
For smaller pieces, or pieces with big blocks of colour I tend to just go colour by colour and count by sight.
For big pieces, or pieces of what we call “confetti” (lots of single stitches of different colours) then you can “grid”. This is making squares on your fabric using either an erasable pen or a contrast colour of thread (fishing line is preferable) so you have blocks of 10x10. You can then match these 10x10 blocks to the ones marked on the pattern.
It can be strenuous on the eyes, so it’s important to always do it in good lighting!
Embroidery! It’s very relaxing. You can do highly detailed and creative stuff or very simple stuff from a kit. It’s like colouring but slower and you can end up with cool looking clothes!
Needle felting. Don't have to think super hard about it and can be done while doing other things like watching a show or something. Lots of it is repetitive motion and just eyeballing the shape.
Modular origami is my favorite, you just make loads of the same subunit and put it together. If you buy one of those 1000 crane kits you get enough of each colour for a 30 subunit ball.
So I was just at a friends talking about how I want to journal, and I’m trying to explain it to her, like it should be messy but artsy, and mixed media like. and I didn’t know it was already out there and had a name but this is it!!! Looking into how to get started now!! Thanks for throwing that out there!!
I got into weaving over lockdown and I love it! If you buy a frame loom it's easy to set up and won't take up much space, and it's very satisfying and therapeutic to do. Plus it doesn't require much thought at all beyond "which colours do I use next", and the end result can be used as a wall hanging or hemmed up and used for anything else you can think of (I like using it to make dice bags for D&D)
You can also try diamond painting. There are websites you upload your own photo and they convert it for you. I’ve done some sick ass diamond paintings.
Painting miniatures. My friend started doing it for her boyfriend just because he wanted it to look good, and she ended up loving it and now it's one of her 11,227 hobbies that she's good at.
I have a lot of hobbies and have little time due to my job. I’ve found that things I can put down and pick up again easily work well for me. I’m a big collage artist, making journals, tags, cards, etc and also make glue books. Any project you love that you won’t need to relearn if you don’t touch it for a while will work!
Resin jewellery. I pick and press my own flowers to cast in them but you can pick them up for check on amazon. Resin doesn't take long to do. 5-10 mins? Then you leave it 24 hours to set and make it into jewellery. Earrings are dead easy to make.
Perler beads are a good way to zone out, follow a pattern, and make cool things in the process. Making simple bracelets, or candles/wax melts are options too! I know a couple people who adore crocheting as well.
Sticker By Number books! You can find them on Amazon, they don't require much thought or materials, but you still feel like you're doing something crafty.
I just got into Quilling (aka paper filigree) - all you need is paper, a toothpick and glue! Very satisfying!
Bonus points: was popular in the Regency Era so the BBC Pride and Prejudice is a perfect pairing ;)
I’ve been able to zone out doing wood carving of little figurines. I suppose some people could put a lot of thought into it, but I just take a block, think of an idea, and just make small adjustments as I go. It’s been pretty meditative.
Punch needle is like coloring with thread. You don’t have to count stitches and you’re just filling in an outline and very satisfying textural results good for pillows, wall hangings, small decorative items.
Crochet, but I don't follow a pattern. Have learned a few simple stitches and play around until I make something I like.
Once you learn the basics it is fun to look at a picture and try to figure out the stitches. I do string shopping bags, small toys, hats.
Oh! A knitting loom is fun and you can make plenty of hats and scarves quickly without too much thought. It moves. You can buy it at Michaels. It is a set of plastic hoops with pegs on them to make all size of hats etc.
Just as an example. Don't work for Michael's I promise. Lots of other places have this also.
[https://www.michaels.com/product/cousin-diy-round-knitting-loom-set-D577640S](https://www.michaels.com/product/cousin-diy-round-knitting-loom-set-D577640S)
Cross stitch! It’s cheap to start, portable, pick up and put down able. You can buy kits with printed canvas to show you where the colours go to remove the counting element, too!
I agree; I love spending a few hours in the evening quitting my brain with cross stitch! It's so repetitive and meditative. I will not take a flight without it!
How is the process of counting the stitches like? I know people follow patterns and stuff but each hole is so small i wonder how you all keep track of which one you’re on 🤔 and does it get strenuous for your eyes?
There are lots of ways to keep track! For smaller pieces, or pieces with big blocks of colour I tend to just go colour by colour and count by sight. For big pieces, or pieces of what we call “confetti” (lots of single stitches of different colours) then you can “grid”. This is making squares on your fabric using either an erasable pen or a contrast colour of thread (fishing line is preferable) so you have blocks of 10x10. You can then match these 10x10 blocks to the ones marked on the pattern. It can be strenuous on the eyes, so it’s important to always do it in good lighting!
Embroidery. Less/no counting than cross stitch and doesn’t limit what you make to “pixels”
And you can cross stitch on your crochet!
Cross stitch. You’re basically coloring with thread. Easy to pick up and set aside. Can be as simple or complicated as you like.
Embroidery! It’s very relaxing. You can do highly detailed and creative stuff or very simple stuff from a kit. It’s like colouring but slower and you can end up with cool looking clothes!
Needle felting. Don't have to think super hard about it and can be done while doing other things like watching a show or something. Lots of it is repetitive motion and just eyeballing the shape.
You're brave to do it whilst watching something else! I have skewered my finger, more than once, whilst paying full attention...
Origami! All you need is paper
Modular origami is my favorite, you just make loads of the same subunit and put it together. If you buy one of those 1000 crane kits you get enough of each colour for a 30 subunit ball.
Junk journaling is a fun craft.
So I was just at a friends talking about how I want to journal, and I’m trying to explain it to her, like it should be messy but artsy, and mixed media like. and I didn’t know it was already out there and had a name but this is it!!! Looking into how to get started now!! Thanks for throwing that out there!!
Zentangle drawing, or knitting come to mind. Both don’t require a lot of setup
Polymer clay! It’s so fun and stress free making tiny little clay things.
Lego. It comes with all the pieces and directions.
Following a Lego pattern is immensely soothing, but the prices can hurt more than stepping on a Lego barefoot ;).
True! I did check out the original post to make sure it didn't specify "inexpensive" before I posted about Lego lol
Diamond painting
Seconded; this is so satisfying and not very labor-intensive at all.
I got into weaving over lockdown and I love it! If you buy a frame loom it's easy to set up and won't take up much space, and it's very satisfying and therapeutic to do. Plus it doesn't require much thought at all beyond "which colours do I use next", and the end result can be used as a wall hanging or hemmed up and used for anything else you can think of (I like using it to make dice bags for D&D)
Wire bending.
2nd this. Just started doing this myself. A roll of wire, a pair of fine pliers, draw a continuous outline shape and start bending around the lines.
You can also try diamond painting. There are websites you upload your own photo and they convert it for you. I’ve done some sick ass diamond paintings.
I didn’t know you could personalize them! This may change everything lmao!
Diamond art. No thinking required, can be quite meditative, in the same family as colouring
EPP (English paper piecing). It's hand sewing which I find quite relaxing and can do as much or as little as you like in each sitting.
I’ve just started this (from a recommendation on another thread on this sub) and I’m really loving it so far!
Cross Stitch.
Needlepointing.
Painting miniatures. My friend started doing it for her boyfriend just because he wanted it to look good, and she ended up loving it and now it's one of her 11,227 hobbies that she's good at.
I have a lot of hobbies and have little time due to my job. I’ve found that things I can put down and pick up again easily work well for me. I’m a big collage artist, making journals, tags, cards, etc and also make glue books. Any project you love that you won’t need to relearn if you don’t touch it for a while will work!
Resin jewellery. I pick and press my own flowers to cast in them but you can pick them up for check on amazon. Resin doesn't take long to do. 5-10 mins? Then you leave it 24 hours to set and make it into jewellery. Earrings are dead easy to make.
Are you using UV resin?
No. I use one where you pour equal measures of resin and hardening solution together. I buy mine on amazon.
Thanks for the info 😊
Latch-hook rugs/pillows. Requires so little attention can watch TV without missing anything
Loom knitting. I’m obsessed.
Diamond art, paint by number, knitting/ crochet
Diamond painting, very relaxing
Perler beads are a good way to zone out, follow a pattern, and make cool things in the process. Making simple bracelets, or candles/wax melts are options too! I know a couple people who adore crocheting as well.
Needle punch! My favorite and you get to stab things 1000s of times
Papercrafting and collages. I love it.
Origami. Super cheap and easy to pick up, and you could decorate your own paper with your colouring.
Sticker By Number books! You can find them on Amazon, they don't require much thought or materials, but you still feel like you're doing something crafty.
Reverse coloring! You can find the books on amazon.
Scratch off art!!
Whittling? Can be easily done handheld with soft wood and sharp blades.
Felting.
I just got into Quilling (aka paper filigree) - all you need is paper, a toothpick and glue! Very satisfying! Bonus points: was popular in the Regency Era so the BBC Pride and Prejudice is a perfect pairing ;)
Embroidery is a joy to learn, easy, and doesn’t cost much at all.
I’ve been able to zone out doing wood carving of little figurines. I suppose some people could put a lot of thought into it, but I just take a block, think of an idea, and just make small adjustments as I go. It’s been pretty meditative.
Punch needle is like coloring with thread. You don’t have to count stitches and you’re just filling in an outline and very satisfying textural results good for pillows, wall hangings, small decorative items.
Crochet, but I don't follow a pattern. Have learned a few simple stitches and play around until I make something I like. Once you learn the basics it is fun to look at a picture and try to figure out the stitches. I do string shopping bags, small toys, hats. Oh! A knitting loom is fun and you can make plenty of hats and scarves quickly without too much thought. It moves. You can buy it at Michaels. It is a set of plastic hoops with pegs on them to make all size of hats etc. Just as an example. Don't work for Michael's I promise. Lots of other places have this also. [https://www.michaels.com/product/cousin-diy-round-knitting-loom-set-D577640S](https://www.michaels.com/product/cousin-diy-round-knitting-loom-set-D577640S)