National Hobby Month couldn’t come at a better time. All our end-of-the-year busyness is wrapped up. Holiday decorations are coming down. There are no big celebrations on the calendar for a while and we’re entering our third year of completely abnormal pandemic living…
It’s the perfect time to distract ourselves and sharpen our minds by reinvesting in an old hobby or finding a totally new one!
Hobbies are usually considered to be enjoyable things we do to pass the time now and then, but sometimes they become a bigger part of our lives. We don’t necessarily have to be good at our hobbies; we just have to enjoy them. Some hobbies are practical (like sewing). Some hobbies are money-savers (like DIY home maintenance). And some hobbies are entertaining (like gaming). If any of these three sound like you or someone you know, here are a few things that can help renew some skills and reignite interest during the quiet of this brand-new year.
For the Sewist
Sewing is skill with practical applications for repairing or upcycling existing goods as well as a creative outlet for designing new pieces, too. No matter the area of concentration, or skill level, every sewist recognizes the value of owning a quality sewing machine.
The Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 is an unbeatable value when it’s time to level up to a new machine thanks to its many features. Younger and intermediate-level sewists will appreciate
helpful features like self-adjusting tension, automatic bobbin loading, and needle threading. Those with more advanced skills and projects will love the hundreds of stitch options including automatic buttonholing and embroidering! More skilled seamstresses and tailors will love the 2-, 3-, and 4-thread stitching capabilities of the Singer S0100 serger machine if they need stronger seams and a more professional finish.
For the Household DIYer
Becoming Mr. or Ms. Fix-It around the house often starts as a have-to money-saving activity. Sometimes those savings or the proud feeling of accomplishment drives a DIYer on to develop real skills. Anyone ready to make repairs or design improvements a regular hobby needs to have a combo tool kit or rolling tool cabinet ready before getting into the middle of a job that suddenly requires it.
Small repair work and general decor (like picture hanging and furniture assembly) can benefit from smaller 3-piece kits that include basics like drill/drivers and impact drivers. More serious work (like creating built-ins and installing fixtures) may need a more-inclusive 6- or 7-piece kit with an oscillator, sander, reciprocating and/or circular saw, and more.
For the Gamer
Hobbyists in the gaming-sphere may get a kick out of leaving their rigs behind and going retro once in a while with old school arcade games. Titles like Pac-Man, Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, and Street Fighter are big names in video game history. Having one or more of them around the house can be as much fun for those who played the original versions as it is for those who will be blown away by how far the technology has come!
Studies say that participating in your hobby just once a week can help reduce the risk of depression. So, whether you’re challenging your brain by skilling up in fabric arts, home maintenance, game strategy, or something entirely different, remember that making time for hobbies is making time to take care of yourself.
