Hobbies Can Be Beneficial
How do we decide what we do in our spare time? What has captured your interest? This picture shows me wearing a dress I made. A study published online Sept 11, 2023 by Nature Medicine indicates that having a hobby is good for your health, mood, and more. Researchers looked at five large studies involving more than 93,000 people in 16 countries. Participants were all 65 or older, many with longstanding mental or physical health conditions. They were followed for 4-8 years periodically answering questions about their health and well-being. Compared with those who didn’t have hobbies, those who did reported better health, more happiness, fewer symptoms of depression, and higher life satisfaction. While this study doesn’t prove that hobbies CAUSED people to be healthier and happier, it is true that hobbies involve creativity, sensory engagement, self-expression, relaxation and cognitive stimulation which are all linked to good mental health and well-being. In addition, those with hobbies often participate in hobby groups which can help them stay socially connected. (Summary of study found at health.harvard.edu)
How do you find a hobby? You probably have things that interest you – follow those interests and see if any of them develop into a hobby! Take classes, talk to people, attend groups. If you’re really stuck, you could take a personality test and see if that sparks something. You could also talk with friends and family and ask them about their hobbies – maybe even participate with them as they engage in their hobbies as a sort of trial run. Remember that hobbies span all kinds of ways to spend your time from arts and crafts to sports to volunteering, gardening, blogging, participating in clubs and many more.
How I Came to Sewing
I have been circling towards sewing from the time I was in high school. I had a friend who made some of her own clothes, and they looked amazing, and I was so intrigued!! My mother also sewed some things and taught me a bit so that was a good introduction. However, in high school when I dipped my toe in, I made a pair of shorts that could have fit my Dad. It was so discouraging!! I had also cut a camp shirt button up from the same fabric and I don’t think I ever sewed that up! But – I still had that curiosity – so when I was at college I took a sewing class. It was fun and I learned a ton! I now (foolishly) had the confidence to try anything! As a young stay at home mom I started sewing for my kids which was fun. But then I tried sewing for myself, again – but again that was frustrating! I was pretty picky about how things looked and not being able to try something on to know if I would like it turned out to be a deal breaker. I had more fails than wins, and quickly gave up. I didn’t even realize I could learn how to fit the clothes I was making! Around this time, my mom encouraged me to take a twelve week quilting class which I did. I learned all the basics of quilting from this class. It gave me the sewing vibe without dealing with fit issues. Quilts always fit so I was hooked. 🙂 Throughout the time raising my children I also sewed lots of Halloween costumes, play costumes and drapes, pillows and quilts. I did not always have a project going though and it was just something I did occasionally.
Just as my youngest daughter was headed off to college, I was browsing Instagram and saw a post from one of my friends that showed a dress she had made. She included a hashtag for the pattern and information about the fabric in her post. I started exploring and found lots of sewists who post things they make including the pattern and fabric information. This solved my “I don’t like it now that it’s done” problem. I could follow a hashtag for a pattern and look at the same pattern made up on lots of different bodies and in lots of different fabrics. I was able to see how I might not like a pattern one way, but love it another. Or I might love it on this person, but not that person. I started following people with similar body types to me and keeping track of patterns I might want to try. Once I picked out my first project I never looked back! I have sewn dozens of things over the last few years. I still have some sewing fails, but I figure that is the price of knowledge – I always learn something from a fail – and I have fewer of them all the time. I can’t tell you how much I love wearing garments I have made myself! I regularly have people tell me how much they love what I am wearing. I don’t usually tell them that I made it, but if my husband is along, he will. 🙂 Every once in a while someone will say, “I love your shirt, where did you get it?” And I will have to reply that I made it, which is always fun!!
As a way to contribute to the repository of knowledge, I share my sewing adventures as @adventuringsewist on Instagram and Minerva if you want to check it out. Something that has changed in the last 40 years since I first started sewing is YouTube and blogs. There is so much information out there about how to do specific techniques and how to sew a certain pattern. If I ever have questions, I can always find answers on the internet. This is really an amazing development for all hobbyists!! There is so much available to learn and help you improve at your chosen craft.
Just Try Something!
A few months ago, my husband and I realized that my mother-in-law might be happier if she had something to keep her busy. She is not the type to seek out a hobby on her own so we bought her some flower lego kits and diamond art kits and she has LOVED spending her time that way!! (As Amazon affiliates we receive a small commission from purchases made from these links at no cost to you)
The moral of the story is that hobbies can add purpose, dimension and fullness to your life and the lives of those you love. Be intentional about the things you add into your life and make the most of your time!! I hope sharing my hobby journey was at least a little bit interesting 😉 and maybe it will inspire you to try some hobbies of your own. Drop a comment to tell us what YOU love to do!! If it HAPPENS to be sewing – get in touch! I’m always looking for people to share my passion with!!
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