To be honest, when I heard that this week’s theme would be centered around “personal interests”, I found myself unsure of what to write about. I’m the number one culprit when it comes to picking up a hobby and then dropping it shortly after finding out that I am not immediately good at it (trust me, I know). My room is filled with blank sketchbooks and instruments that haven’t been picked up in years, but a couple of years ago I made a promise to myself that I would try to stick with fiber arts — that is, embroidery and crochet — as I have always enjoyed working with my hands. Though I’m not a total expert, I have stayed somewhat consistent and garnered genuine enjoyment and relaxation from these hobbies.
If you’re like me and are interested in crochet and embroidery but don’t know where to start, here are some tips and links to resources that could help you.
EMBROIDERY
Supplies
Basic supplies include embroidery floss, a sewing needle (one with a wide eye is preferred), an embroidery hoop (ideally a medium-sized one), scissors, and a fabric of your choice. A guide to the ideal fabrics for embroidery can be found here.
When sourcing supplies, it might be helpful to look around your house for materials and ask if your family and friends have any unused supplies before going to buy anything, as many of the necessary materials (e.g., sewing needles and scissors) are household items.
Projects
Before starting any project, I practiced sewing the most used stitches so that I would be able to go into a project with more confidence. This helped me immensely with sticking to the hobby because I didn’t feel too overwhelmed and lost when starting projects. You can start by making a template of sample stitches on a small piece of fabric. This YouTube playlist provides a short yet straightforward guide for 32 types of stitches (no need to practice all 32, but it would be helpful to practice the stitches that you’re interested in using).
Embroidery is a very flexible medium in that it allows you to place designs wherever you want. Embroidery is not limited to framed designs that say “home sweet home” — you can add designs to your jeans, shirts, or tote bags. You can also embroider designs onto a canvas if you would prefer. If you’re anxious about messing up a design, you can follow a stencil and then remove the stencil after you have completed stitching (many YouTube videos show you how to use stencils). Finally, there are a multitude of project ideas on Pinterest that will show you just how beautiful and intuitive embroidery is.
CROCHET
Supplies
Supplies include a crochet hook (I would advise starting with a 4mm or 5mm hook), yarn (acrylic is best for beginners in my opinion), scissors, a stitch marker (which can be a bobby pin or safety pin), and a tapestry needle or yarn needle. Likewise, you could already have these items lying around the house so it’s best to look around for them before purchasing any novelty items.
Projects
Starting with a single crochet square or granny square makes for a solid jumping-off point because squares are the base for many projects like sweaters and coasters. Like embroidery, it can be helpful to practice making squares with different types of stitches because these stitches are often referenced in crochet video tutorials and written crochet patterns.
Pinterest is an exceptional source of inspiration for crochet projects. However, it’s best to start with some YouTube tutorials before jumping into any complex patterns. I’ve linked some of my favorite tutorials in a list below.
Honestly, I found that life got easier after realizing that you don’t have to be exceptional at a hobby. All you really have to do is enjoy it. So, take it at your own pace and enjoy the ride!