Learn how to knit!
It doesn’t have to be winter to be “knitting season”!! Whether knitting for your favorite furry animal friend--or planning ahead for special gifts, taking up knitting is a fun and relaxing activity that is easy to learn. Whether you jump into learning to knit with traditional knitting needles or loom knitting, there are many fantastic knitting books, websites and YouTube tutorials to help you get started!
My daughter loves using the knitting looms! In no time, she was making scarves, hats, blankets, and even Easter plushies for Easter baskets! Here’s a great first starting piece. While she prefers round loom knitting and bought her round looms from Amazon, if you are in need of any supplies, your favorite craft store is also a great place to start!
Try a Clothing Flip!
You know that t-shirt sitting in the back of your closet that you impulsively bought yet have never worn? Or those brand new sneakers you bought online that turned out to not be what you expected so they are just laying around collecting dust? Take the time to turn those clothes into your new favorite outfit! My daughter ordered a pair of ripped jeans online, but when they arrived in the mail, they were way more revealing than she had anticipated. Our solution: stitch lace behind the rips to make them less exposing! She chose some off-white lace with floral patterns that she thought would fit well in the shapes of the rips and holes of the denim. I simply hand-stitched the lace in place with a thread that matched the color of the jeans. These became her most complimented jeans of the school year!
Take this time off and come up with a creative solution to transform your unworn clothes into a whole new piece! You will learn some new skills--and you can't "ruin" clothes that you are already not wearing if it takes a try or two to master a technique!
Get Creative with String Art
Not interested in knitting? There are still unlimited ways to put that extra yarn laying around into good use! My daughter loves to read and did not hesitate to accessorize her bookend. All you need is any type of flat wood, nails, yarn, a pattern or shape to create and your imagination! Another idea is to decorate a jar with hot-glued yarn, or even twine for a more rustic look. That idea is perfect for candles, but enhances any ordinary jar. The possibilities are endless...what will you come up with?
Pick Up an Instrument
Whether it is learning a new instrument completely or trying to play that flute you haven’t touched since high school, learning a new instrument can reduce stress and can be very fun! Luckily, there are a lot of free websites and tutorials to help you, such as Yousician and Simply Piano. Say you already can play an instrument, take it a step further and learn some of your favorite songs--my girls love the EasyViolinLessons on YouTube for a break from school orchestra music! You can even write some original pieces using Flat.io or even just writing the notes down on lined paper!
Try Cake Decorating
A yummy and fun skill to have is cake decorating--which I am sure no one in your house will object to during your Spring-into-Summer-Staycation that most of us are experiencing! Head to Pinterest for some fun ideas to play with! If you are not ready for super-detailed decorating--buy some simply frosting and decorating tips, bake a batch of cupcakes, and decorate each one differently. Maybe have a cupcake competition with your family! Have fun with it and use whatever ingredients you have on hand. Here's one of my daughters' favorite recipes!
All of these skills are easy to begin with online resources, tutorials and traditional books. Turn your restlessness and boredom into a new skill that may turn into a forever hobby or even a side-hustle business!
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