Interests? Outside of Farming...

What do all you farmers do after the crops have been planted and you wait to harvest?
I know I am not the only one who uses their hands to create, for relaxation, pleasure or obsession.. I am talking about Hand Crafts, of any kind.

I love to craft, constantly working a project or thinking of the next project I will do. It is not limited to one, either!
I Sew (shirts, clothing, home accessories, auto upholstery, aprons,etc) , Crochet, re-finish furniture, weave (a little), Macrame, make Jewelry (med id. bracelets), make Dolls, Paper Mache, Garden, Paint (house/furniture not canvas)...
I tried knitting but CANNOT do it for the life of me!
then there is all the stuff I do with kids crafts, whew!

Not only are these enjoyable pastimes, and they can be economical and earth friendly; many of these are dying arts, and I love to hear about other people like me who are trying to keep these important skills alive and pass them on to the next generations.

My last project was a damask kimono.. its been a while.
My latest Projects have been short or on the realm of maintenance, or home repairs while trying to get my business up and running. I am dying to have the time to start a new one.

Until I can, feed my need and tell us about yours?

 

Great idea for a thread deanarue! I'm not half as talented as you, but do enjoy crafty things. Some of my fav's have been taking found sticks from the forrest(the best is fallen, dead mansinita branches) and putting them in a pot and spraying them with paint. I've done them in silver & gold...and hung Xmas ornaments....a bright yellow/green and hung Easter ornaments & eggs from it. Also did a Valentine tree. My next one will be a black one for Halloween. I've been collecting Halloween ornaments for years.
I work at a Thrift store and am in charge of all display....so creativity is key! I've refurbished old furniture etc. so we can sell it for more money to donate to low income families to buy new school clothes for their children.
I'm a huge fan of all things Holiday...so I go a bit over the top for deco.
Anyone else have some hobbies they'd like to share???

 

There's life outside of Farmerama ?
FYI I'm into brewing my own beer.

 

deanarue - Wow! You have a variety of talents! I enjoy crochet; especially fine thread items and baby gifts. While it's not strictly a hand craft, I also enjoy creating specialty dish gardens and herbal sachets for friends, using plants I grow.

 

So much talent here! Makes me feel a bit inferior. Tho I've always wanted to be, I'm not particularly crafty. I sew, but believe me, it's nothing you'd want to wear in public. Mainly things for my husband. Tho I did make him a fleece beanie as part of a set for Christmas (other piece was vest), out of a pattern I made myself, and it actually came out really good. The vest, on the other hand... Tried my hand at gardening once upon a time, but my thumb is black instead of green. I've killed every cactus I've ever tried to grow, with one exception, and our dog ate that one. My roses do alright, but that's because they're outside, away from my immediate area of influence. Can't draw, can't paint, I make my dog howl when I sing (of course, he's a hound, and howls over everything, so I don't take it personally. Figure he just wants to join in) The one thing I do do reasonably well is write, and occasionally sell some of my writing as a freelance greeting card writer.

 

Anything you do or make with your hands, you are crafting.. whether it turns out well is a whole different topic
Dinner, Beer, a Garden, Clothes, , Knit, Bread..
I may do a lot, and quite a bit turns out well, some to be very proud of, and some were epic fails. Doesn't matter to me, its fun, usually economical (because I hate to spend money LOL) and keeps me out of trouble.

Yesterday, I cleaned out (claimed) the garage. For the first time I have a garage, not just a sewing room or the back porch for doing my STUFF. Really, there is no other way to put it since there is no rhyme or reason what I will try to do next. Gardening yes - off and on, refinish chair or table - time to time, Sew pretty regularly.. But

Construct a picknick table?? that is what I want to do next, and I have never done one.

For a little back story, I recently opened a business in my home, and want to add stuff on the cheap. (As Always)

Brookham I am so using your Ideas, and I mean right way. I had a dead (standing up like it was still alive) Japanese Maple, so cute, so graceful, in my front yard for 8 years, and it just fell over last week. I was so sad, and put it at the side of the house to do I don't know what with! Now I do, Thank you!

Banjoman of course there is, hand me a beer, pull up a lawn chair and let me tell you about my Grandson, he's 3.
I have picture's (don't worry we can check on the farms on my Tablet)


Willow!, Hello fellow crocheter! I find so few of us anymore.. Do a lot of baby Items myself, who doesn't? when you crochet or knit. Lately my fave is bamboo. Have you tried it? recently (around Christmas) did a shrug for myself in a Bamboo/Silk blend that was a Joy to work with.
As Spotbox says not everyone can Garden, and not only that its darn hard work, I know.

But Spotbox, that's awesome! I cannot ever think what to sign, let alone a sentiment that doesn't sound bitchy

So now I have a Garage! I even have lumber, there was quite a bit out there.. only hand saw's. eeek!

And?

 

I love the bamboo blend yarn as well, deanarue. I've got my eye on some skeins in bright blue; maybe next paycheck I can get some. Looks perfect for a nice soft scarf. Best of luck with the picnic table!

 

Lot's of talent in this community. I enjoy baking and I'm not too modest to say I'm really good at it. I just wish I had more people to pawn it off on as my small family can only eat so much. Well we could eat more but not if we don't all want to weigh 300 pounds.

I can't say I write as a hobby as it's what I do for a living at the moment. I do read as a hobby though and quite a bit as I don't watch much TV if at all. I think I would also have to include surfing the net as a hobby as I spend enough time doing that to classify.

 

Oh the horror of writing greeting cards! maybe I should hire you how good can you do them in Norwegian?

 

So many talented people. I grow orchids as a hobby. I also have a Koi pond that takes up a lot of time but I love my pond. I guess I'm into anything to do with nature and animals. I use to paint and want to get back to that but for now photos will have to do.

 

The life of crafts.
All my life been one, had friends into..... and it really is rich to do just to do it.
Threw the years many have had the spotlight, once took 3 years to do embroidered jacket, never do it again but it was fine.
Now I have past the these are cool can you do me up 500 coasters for my party? make a double origami coaster that works and look it becomes a money maker.
Now I done the pet blankets, cage comforters Double cro thermal stitch became my best friend. I still make throw rugs with this stitch, none better cushie and sturdy, and fast no thinking math! also beware men steal them as they are perfect for side road throw downs for car fixes.

Some crafts belong to the young, big sellers in years gone by, were the clear spayed spider webs. Now, I hate spiders but eat crab go figure, but the land guys can be used. you just can go out and get them wild, chase it away spray the web wait then take with you place in black backing frame of glass on glass and 80-200 easy. learning to do silk flowers pedal by pedal really jumps the price.
If you get good at it, you can make em work for you, even use the spider, but that's another story.

As years blur, I find doing dead crafts fun, keeping them even harder. I like doing fringe by hand hundreds of feet needed for a simple curtain, but it changes the most simple thing into a rich addiction to your home, something that will live on.

 

I do lots of things not really as a hobby though since they are simply a way of life. I garden, home can, bake and cook as a normal routine. I do make a variety of jams, jellies, pickles, salsa and relishes that I sell at a weekly farmers market along with fresh eggs and homemade bread. So I guess that's sort of a hobby as I don't have to do it but I get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

I'm not great at sewing as it was a great passion for my Mom. She has a lot of trouble with her hands now with arthritis so I'm trying to learn more and improve. I've just never really done much of it since I didn't have to.

One thing I do for strictly my own enjoyment is embroidery. Makes me feel like an artist even though I can barely draw stick people. I'm currently working on a table cloth for one of my nieces as she is getting married this year. I've tried crochet and knitting and they are just not for me. Sort of funny as I do the really crazy complicated embroidery that requires a great deal of concentration and patience yet I don't have the patience for crochet. Weird.

 

Wow ! We have a great many experts amidst us.

I like to read, draw, paint. Drawing & Painting - earlier I was doing it very often. Now due to heavy work I do that once in several months.

Spoiler: Few of my paintings & drawings

I am happy that I got you all to share my pictures with. I am not an expert. I just look at pictures and paint. I paint for my satisfaction. It give me peace.

Reading all types of books from literature, biography, autobiography, theories, histories, geographies, legal, science and everything that comes in my way. Reading is a part of me and also my profession. Recently I have started reading "Origin of Species" by Darwin. But have not proceeded further than the introduction of Darwin. It was really enlightening. One of my friend said that I should give her an summary as I read the book.

I like visiting new places. Visiting and being with my relatives once in 2 or 3 months. I like gardening very much. That's why I started playing this game. But did gardening only for 3 years when we were in an independent house. Then now for few years did balcony gardening but due to pest problem have only 2 plants- basil & aloevera.

I like photography too. Have been maintaining them for several years. Plan to make them into book some day.
I like to listen to songs, musics and learn a lot about various culture & people.

I like to swing in the bamboo swing in my sister's house. That's my favourite spot in her house. I taught her 1 1/2 year daughter to swing with me listening to music all the while. We became a pair and she became attache to my cell phone because that is where the song comes from. She breaks her mother's brother's cell phone. But keeps mine safe. Her mother is surprised.

Most of all I like to spend time with friends and relatives and spend time chitchatting with them without any care or concern. do that only when I have finished my work.

 

You are so right! Adds pleasure to down time, keeps my mind busy when I am worried. Adds fun and distinction to your home...
My favorite project to date, is when I renewed the inside of our '79 VW Campmobile. We could not go anywhere without people wanting to see it up close. Made curtains (with a step-by-step on Instructables, the crafter's nirvana) re-made sun-visors, re upholstered the seats..
It was AWESOME!

P.S. Looking up that stitch this weekend!

 

12ss12 Those are lovely!

LDCrow, I do know what you mean, yes; these are for my own pleasure first, but all of what you say you do as a way of life, are fading and we doing them for pleasure keeps them alive as a way of life in this age of "oh I am out of Jelly, lets run down to the store and get some filled with preservatives and chemicals"

I love to sew and crochet, but cannot knit at all! cannot learn either, I have tried

On a side note, I am trying to pass on the love of gardening to the kids I care for.. if it will ever stop raining long enough..

 

Yes 12ss12, thank-you for shar'in!
deanarue, just be careful not the single one it's good but the double makes great rugs. And for total brain dead working use a stitch counter on one of the sides, it will be short other pull long, I work totally dead no thinking allowed, put it down anywhere never wait for right count or end of row it really is that easy with marking what side is what.

That's one thing that would make me break out the water grenade, never explain your work, you did it it made a happy end of story.

Can't knit so what? knitting I do but now I just rib with it cables are for others to count, double knitting is cool no coat feels like it and that can be done on a oval loom so no math again and no needles....

 

Thanks for the advice minling, I already found a pdf of the stitch.. I have made rugs before (great for making an odd size) but now I would like some for playing house..
oh, I have looms but never used them. Hmmmm

Thank you everyone for sharing with me! Talking to 3 year old's all day , limits the conversational topics

 

I feel like a gabber here, but pdf? why not you tube how to crochet series? I got books galore, showing my age here but the series shows knit and cro left some but tons of right stitching, step by step, and the stitch guy he has a few but I send everyone that asks to youtube.
Plus, yeah there be tons just type in crochet how too's and you will find tons of everyday people showing step by step as they do a project.
I got one lady her work is so grand...she offers a self made jacket pattern so easy it is a 1st I tell admires of. Anyone can give it a try.
And on every project she shows she offers the info. on size change nice!
I learned how to do the alligator stitch this way the crochet guy gives the clearest info. My bathroom is now full on in that stitch, both types to, open back and solid.

 

I know only the basic needle works. But I am planning someday I will buy a sewing machine and try stitching my clothes as I like it to be.

Wow, everyone is a great at stitching. Why don't you put a picture of your designs etc. I will be happy to see it.

Sometimes I too feel the same without talking to a 3yr old. I then do not post anything. Just likes alone.

 

Back again surprise.
I long ago made muslin patterns for all I love and myself. It will be the best thing you ever do for yourself, I like jackets shirts intended for loose wear not tucked in to cover the backside, A me thing, but I am into styles not found on the rack, ever try to find a nice looking not all flower full length sweater coat? trust me all full length need to be made IMO by yourself, be a cold day when I pay those prices!
I digress, but a self made pattern will make you feel so good about your clothes you will never go back to the rack. and surprise, you can find step by step how to make a duck tape mannequin on youtube.
I don't do pics cams hate me, I would rather do math.