Crafts are usually something that we think of for kids, but calming crafts are also good hobbies for adults who are stressed out and need to relax!
Crafting can be very calming, and crafts that involve repetitious movements and that require focus can be very meditative.
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What are some relaxing crafts?
In general, any craft that involves repetitive motions or that requires focus on details will create a calming effect. This is because focusing on the task will create what is referred to as a “flow state,” where external stimuli aren’t as noticeable as the work becomes the center of the individual’s attention. Artists often refer to this as “being in the zone,” and that being interrupted while in this mental state feels extremely jarring.
Repetitive crafts for adults that involve a lot of counting are also very meditative, so they can be very relaxing. I decorated custom wedding cakes for 20 years, and there were certain tasks that were very zone-inducing.
Some of those were things like piping intricate patterns, and making gumpaste flowers that involved doing the same motions over and over.
I would usually find myself counting to myself as I did those things, and the patterns would make me lose track of time. Any arts and crafts activities that make you focus on things like counting or repetition are good for getting you “out of your head” and into the motion of whatever you’re doing.
You also don’t want to have things be too difficult, so easy DIY crafts and simple art ideas are best so that you don’t get frustrated! Fun, easy crafts that are creative projects but aren’t too hard for your skill level will be the best for avoiding stress.
Ideas for some relaxing crafts include:
- Knitting
- Crocheting
- Sewing
- Quilting
- Cross stitch and embroidery
- Needle felting
- Wet felting
- Bead embroidery
- Drawing
- Coloring
- Cardmaking
- Junk Journaling (and making the journals)
- Making Jewelry
- Cake decorating and making sugar flowers
- Painting
- Origami
- Calligraphy
- Digital art
- Making dollhouse furniture
- Making paper flowers
- Making beaded ornaments (and click here for a demo post)
- Macrame
- String art
- Arranging flowers or dried flowers
- Mixed media collage making
- Woodburning and carving
- Linoleum cutting and printmaking
- Metal stamping
- Scrapbooking
- Glass painting
- Quilling
- Making ribbon flowers
- Mini loom weaving
- Doll making
- Nail art
- Needle punch art
- Latch hooking
- Bible journaling
- Weaving rag rugs
- Knotted rag rugs
- Cookie decorating
- Making wreaths
- Gel plate printing
- Fulling old wool sweaters/Felting wool sweaters
- Making paper beads
- Glass fusing
- Dollhouses and miniatures (Check out my dollhouse blog here: Decoratesmall.com)
How to keep your new hobby fun!
If you’re looking for things to make for some stress relief, the first thing to remember is that when you’re doing DIY artwork and crafting, it doesn’t have to be perfect. This is the joke among crafters who make art and craft items to sell, because we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do everything perfectly, and we don’t consider selling handmade items relaxing as a result!
If you’re going to start a new hobby or craft project, you need to take being perfect out of the equation and remind yourself that you’re doing this for fun, and not for profit.
I promise that you’ll have people tell you that you should start a business when they see the crafts you do at home for fun.
I also promise that if you go that route it won’t be an easy, fun hobby anymore, it will be work. So if you want to do something for fun, do it for fun and keep it that way!
Choose the right hobby for you
Which craft hobby is right for you? It can depend on how much space you have, and whether you want to be social or solitary with your hobby.
How much space do you have available for crafting?
If you don’t have much space for your crafting, you could choose a needlework hobby like knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, or needle felting that don’t require a lot of “spreading out” space. Your materials can be held in a tote bag and carried with you, and you can store them out of the way on a shelf or in a drawer while you’re not working on them.
If you have a table that you can work at and a little space to spread out, paper crafts, journaling, mixed media art, jewelry making, drawing, miniatures, or working with beads could be good options. Those types of arts and crafts need a little more space to spread out in, and if you’re beading or making beaded jewelry you’ll need a flat surface to put your materials on.
If you have a lot of space available, or a sturdy worktable, you can do something that involves more equipment and stress on the work surface. Sewing, quilting, and metal stamping are some examples of crafts that require more space for the machine and a stronger work surface that can stand up to a little more punishment!
Sewing machines create vibrations when they’re running, so you need a sturdy surface for them. Metal stamping requires you to really hit the dies into the metal, so that involves a good amount of force. A fold-up card table isn’t going to be the best solution for either of those crafts!
are simple to carry around with you.Do you want a solo or a social hobby?
If you want to get away from everyone and just be alone while you do your hobby, you can pretty much do anything from the list above. It’s just a matter of declaring “me time” and banning visitors and assistants.
This can be difficult to do, especially if you have young children who want to take part. If that’s your situation, take advantage of the fact that they’re interested and give them their own kid-friendly crafts to do while you work on yours, then take MORE time for yours later when they’re in bed for the night!
For more social interaction, hobbies like glass painting go well with craft (and wine) parties. You can do many fun paper crafts with friends, including making paper flowers or scrapbooking, since everyone can work on their own project while still having a conversation.
Keep in mind that if you really want to be alone to de-stress while you do your crafting, it might be a good idea to not advertise the fact that you’re trying a new hobby.
If the idea is to zone out with a mindless activity, you won’t be able to do that while you’re chatting, and there will always be someone who wants to make it into a social occasion if they hear that you’re trying a new craft. As an introvert, I am not in favor of this, and I’ve learned that the easiest way to avoid it is to not chat about it.
If you want a hobby that you can do both by yourself and when you’re around other people, knitting or crocheting are good choices because they’re so portable. Other types of needlework would also be good for the same reason.
There are a lot of options for group crafts, too, where you can get together with friends and do make-and-take craft events.
Remember that regardless of what craft you choose to try in order to relax, the best ones are the ones that you can immerse yourself in. It can be a craft kit that lets you make one thing, or something that’s less structured that lets you design your own projects, but it should require concentration.
You might have to try a few before you find one that allows you to get into a mental flow, so choose one and if that doesn’t work try another that appeals to you.
Don’t go crazy buying supplies until you’re sure that you like the craft that you chose…Kits that include all of the materials are a good way to minimize your spending.
