As the days shorten and the weather cools, many of us turn our attention to indoor activities. Wreath making (autumn, Christmas or spring), Halloween and Guy Fawkes costumes, poppies and Christmas decorations are the order of the day for some, whereas home furnishings, jewellery or pottery may be what floats your boat.
It’s good for you … and it’s good for the planet
Crafting (in all shapes and sizes) is increasingly recognised as having many benefits, from being therapeutically calming and good for mental health to being a sustainable way to create the things we need and for building relationships. Whether you’re group crocheting post-box toppers, making cards with a grandchild or building your Etsy empire, crafting is thoroughly wholesome.
But what you don’t want to do is promise yourself that you’re going to be the next Instagram crafting influencer or Etsy empress, buy all the kit and then find yourself with a cupboard full of “stuff” that is gathering dust. So, with that in mind, here’s our guide to successful crafting.
Choose one activity
Try just one activity to start, choosing the thing that sings to you the loudest. Even if it means you’re going to end up with 33 knitted scarves and no one to wear them, just choose the one thing that you can lose yourself in for hours and stick at it for a couple of months. You’ll limit your expenditure and maximise your output if you love what you’re doing, you’ll hone your skills and you’ll find your style. And if you don’t enjoy it after a few months, then, and only then, is the time to try something new.
Start small
Set yourself a goal or decide on one project and work towards that. It doesn’t have to be big but do work at it often to keep up momentum.
Get help and support
Whether you want to join a local community group or learn from YouTube videos, it doesn’t matter but just make sure you get a little help when you need it to avoid getting frustrated or demoralised.
Develop your style
This is your chance to get creative and express yourself in a completely safe environment. You don’t have to show anyone what you create if you don’t want to so it’s a great way to experiment and make mistakes. Take inspiration from the great outdoors, from social media and other crafters and then add your own unique twist. Stick to tried and tested methods or throw out the rule book, mix up styles and have fun. Even if you want to make money out of crafting, don’t be tempted to skip this stage as it’s your style and personality that will make your items unique and bring you pleasure as you make them.
Maximise sustainability
Of course, you don’t have to craft sustainably but it is one of the big attractions and can make it cheaper. And there are so many ways to get hold of materials without going to a craft supply store. Ask your friends, visit charity shops and boot sales or put out a request in your village Facebook group. Alternatively, have a good rummage through your cupboards or create things out of your own rubbish and packaging. As kids, we used to use last year’s Christmas cards to cut up and make gift tags the following year. A simple idea that kept us children busy and made good use of the cards we’d received.
Don’t stop at the main materials. Research more environmentally friendly glues, paints, dyes and cleaning agents too. There is plenty of information out there to help you create more sustainably.
Time and space
How often you want to craft is, of course, subjective and will depend on whether you’re doing it just as a means of relaxing or with some greater purpose in mind. However, practice makes perfect (or at least improvement), so it is a good idea to set aside a regular slot for your crafting. Is it your Friday night R&R time or a Saturday morning activity? Carve out monthly, weekly or even daily time and try and make it sacred. If you respect that time, others will too. But don’t forget to build in a little extra time to take a break and have a stretch.
You also need to have your own little space, somewhere you can work but also somewhere you can keep your materials or leave things drying if you need to. Not everyone has a spare corner of their home but if you do, make it your own. Perhaps you want to surround it with scented candles, background music and a sense of calm, or maybe you’re more of a “craft in front of the TV” kind of crafter.
Crafting benches
An important part of your crafting space is your craft bench or table and choosing the right one can make all the difference. Things to think about are:
- how much work surface and storage space you need,
- how much room it will take up, and
- how moveable it is.
Also consider how suitable it is for you – what height do you want to work at and do you need any fitted extras, etc.? Oh, and of course, you probably want it to look nice and be sustainably made too.
Why choose a Greenfields Wood Store craft bench or tables
Greenfields Wood Store make beautiful craft benches and tables in a variety of widths and in either a plain pine finish or treated with oil. The benches are suitable for jewellery making, machine knitting, crafting, pottery finishing and any number of other activities.
The benches can be adapted for bespoke requests, whether that’s for a tall backboard for displaying made items, extra lips to keep beads or balls, etc. from rolling off or with extra shelves for storage. They can also include a range of vices (both large and small) for woodworking hobbyists and a bench pin and anvil for jewellery makers. The Greenfields’ crafting benches come in sit-down or stand-up versions and can be adapted to include castors to make any bench movable.
Made in Sussex
Greenfields Wood Store benches are handmade in Sussex from sustainably sourced wood, portable and easy to put together. Made with heavy-duty, solid pine with excellent workmanship that will stand the test of time. They are stylish, practical and long lasting.
To find out more or to order visit: Beautiful craft benches and tables.
