Have you crafted for your Wellbeing?

Crafting can be an incredibly rewarding and therapeutic activity. It’s no wonder that many people are turning to crafts as a way to relax and de-stress. From needle felting to Indian block printing, there are so many different crafts you can try for your wellbeing. Whether it’s creating something beautiful or simply getting lost in the creative process, crafting has been proven to have positive effects on mental health.

Needle felting and Indian block printing are two popular crafts that you can try for your wellbeing.

Needle felt some low calorie cake!

Needle felting is a fun craft that involves using sharp needles to shape wool into 3D objects or sculptures, while Indian block printing is an ancient art form that involves creating intricate patterns using wooden blocks dipped in dye. Both of these crafts require patience and concentration, allowing you to get lost in the creative process and forget about all of your worries!

If you would like to try either of these crafts we have some beginners workshops in February & March that you may like to book onto….pop over to our workshop page to check the next date.

Craft books – how many do you need?

cute dog in glasses yawning on bed

Do you like looking through crafts books? Although we can search just about any craft on the internet and there is usually accompanying video available on You Tube there is something I still find satisfying about looking through a book.

As I have been getting our dedicated studio ready for our workshops in the summer I have been sorting through my collection and I think there is room for more. What also amazes me as I uncover the stash is that a book that has been published more than 20 years ago has the same techniques used today, the only difference is sometimes the materials used.

beige knitted handmade piece near magazine
Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

Like many crafters ( did you know according the National Craft report crafters have as many as 5 projects on the go at once!) I have tried many crafts so the collection includes quilting, rag rugging, needle felting, quilling, teddy bear making, soap making, bees wax, wet felting….and that is just the first shelf!

Now they say that you cannot teach a dog new tricks but I think there is always room to learn something new so over the next few months I will be reviewing some of my books and also comparing some new releases now available on the market and of course if you attend one of our workshops you can have a browse through our collection for inspiration.

Felting in the washing machine

Did you know you can felt in the washing machine?. You may have accidently done this with your favourite knitted jumper that you put on a hot wash by mistake. So why would you want to purposely put the wool in the washing machine?. Well it can save you a lot of time if you have a project that you need to complete in a hurry.

Soap & Agitation

Felt is made by adding water, soap and lots of agitation will make wool fibres attach together and most f the time I do this by hand, I have been making some bird pods lately and these take around 2 hours to lay out and felt but half way through I can add to the washing machine and save about 40 minutes and my arm muscles.

Not all wool will however felt and each time you undertake a project the results may differ due to the type of wool and water temperature. The bird pods are ideal for the washing machine method as they are all unique in colour size and texture.

So the next time you accidently shrink a garment…tell them it was meant to be.