My favorite creative hobbies plus amazing learning resources and beginner-friendly projects to try!
With all the stay-at-home orders, it seems like everyone is suddenly interested in how we introverts spend our time. Not only am I rounding up 4 (four!) creative hobbies to learn during your time at home, I’m also including some helpful resources and beginner-friendly projects! All hobbies on this list can be completed from the comfort of your own home and can be learned all online.
Creative hobbies like sewing, hand-lettering, and journaling have a lot of benefits. Hands-on activities like crafting are great for engaging your mind and enhancing brain productivity. They can help boost your mood, are a healthy distraction, and a great outlet for stress. So go on, craft some peace and enjoy the satisfaction of completing a project!
Next time you’re looking for a hobby to start a home, try one of these!
1. Sewing
Sewing is such a broad category so I’m confident you can find an aspect that interests you. Whether you want to learn to hand-stitch for embroidery or you want to make clothing completely from scratch, you start the same way. Just find a needle and some thread and you’re set to start learning!
Start Here…
Inspiration to sew is all over the place. Whether you want to learn to alter clothing to better fit your body or design your garments, there are so many amazing sewing resources on the internet:
- IG Hashtags to check out #beginnersewists #sewistofinstagram
- Love to Sew podcast and blog
- Tilly and The Buttons has an amazing collection of Learn to Sew blog posts.
- Free PDF sewing patterns at Peppermint Magazine – Try the infamous Peppermint Peplum Top!
- If garment making is your jam, a lot of indie pattern makers create sew-along tutorials to support their patterns
- Helen’s Closet sewing tutorials
- By Hand London sew-along
Get Stitching…
- Sew masks to donate to healthcare and front line workers
- Make a weighted blanket to help with stress/anxiety or just quarantine snuggles!
- Stich comfy shirts and PJs to Work From Home in
- Create cheeky cross-stitch for your home
- Repair small holes and cover stains with visible mending
2. Baking
Bread making may have become a meme now but learning to bake is a tasty hobby to learn! Sure you can live off of boxed-mix brownies or cookies from the freezer but it’s even tastier to make these sweets from scratch.
Sift Through This…
Delicious baking inspiration here!
The amazing food photography of One Sarcastic Baker (especially these chocolate oreo cupcakes!)
Charm City Cakes has a Cake School series to teach cake baking basics.
Whip Up These…
Try my favorite Banana Bread recipe!!
Super easy and equally delicious herb Focaccia Bread recipe.
Make these berry muffins with your favorite berry mix! (If you live in Georgia, I highly recommend picking fresh berries here!)
3. Journaling
If you also have acquired a few too many blank notebooks, journaling will give you some reasons to finally fill them creatively.
Get Inspired…
- Amanda Rach Lee bullet journal playlist for inspiration on flexible journaling custom to your style
- Combine journaling and scrapbooking together in a memory planner
- Keep track of the good things in your life with a gratitude journal
Make Your Own…
Writing about the day’s events or feelings weighing on you can be therapeutic, but your journaling practice can be anything you want. Create a smash book style diary by adding in your favorite photos, stickers, and doodles. All you need is a blank notebook and your favorite pen (I personally love these Pilot G2 Pens) to get started!
4. Hand Lettering
Easily mesmerized by calligraphy or handwriting videos on Instagram? Then this is the creative hobby is for you! Hand lettering can be done with paper and pens or digitally via iPad and Apple Pencil!
Get Started…
Don’t be overwhelmed, just like drawing, hand lettering is a skill you can learn best by practicing.
- Love Letters Handmade offers free lettering practice guides and worksheet downloads!
- Hom Sweet Hom has a newsletter you can sign up to receive creative HOMwork prompts AND a phrase generator, #WTFShouldILetter, for inspiration
- My favorite reference guide for hand lettering!
Try These…
- Send cards to loved ones
- Make typography art for your home
- Create inspirational wallpaper for your phone or computer
Bonus: Amazon’s Camp Handmade
Try a few more crafty projects with Amazon’s Camp Handmade! Camp Handmade is partnering with creative makers to bring instructional, step-by-step videos with curated DIY kits from the makers themselves. There’s a handful of super cute projects like the DIY Floral Salt Soak and the DIY Scented Candle Set. While the other hobbies will always be there, Amazon’s Camp Handmade will only last through Saturday, August 15. Be sure to keep checking in for new workshops that launch!
What are your go-to creative hobbies to stay busy during quarantine?