We have all heard of the colouring-book craze, turning a childhood favourite into a soothing pastime. If you are looking for other activities that help calm your mind and get your creative juices flowing, how about crafting? It's a term that covers all kinds of skills, from sewing to tie-dye and everything in between.
We spoke to New Craft House's Hannah and Rosie, who aim to bring old crafts to a new generation, for their top tips on how to get into crafts.
Hannah Silvani and Rosie Scott at the New Craft House
- Insta-Inspiration: get involved with a community online who'll motivate and inspire you. We recommend Instagram because it's a fun visual channel and so welcoming to newbies- check out @sewcialists for sewing and @knittersofinstagram for knitting
- Kit helps: Use kits to help you get into the craft you're interested in. They're easy and have everything you need to make a project, so you don't have to invest in any extra materials
- Read all about it: There's a booming world of blogs and magazines that are easy to follow online and may help you to try out a particular craft outside of your comfort zone. We recommend A Beautiful Mess Blog and Mollie Makes and Love Sewing magazines
- Tutorials: There are so many great classes and tutorials about if you start looking. To build your confidence, try YouTube for the craft you're interested in- it makes it easier if someone else is there to guide you, even if it's via a computer screen
- Simple pleasures: Start things slowly and don't be too hard on yourself if you can't knit a jumper instantly. Celebrate your successes and keep projects manageable. Try making a pair of knickers with a kit, or aim to make a scarf from scratch. We believe in you!
Hannah and Rosie's kits can be found at http://thenewcrafthouse.com/