Whether you decide to take a class or simply teach yourself via online tutorials, there is so much pleasure to be found in learning a new craft
When we were children, doing various arts and crafts was just part of everyday life either at home or at school.
But, as we age and the practicalities of life take over, many of us let that side of our personalities lie dormant for years.
If this resonates with you, it’s time to wake your creative streak from its slumber! Adult craft classes are hugely popular right now – not just because of the satisfaction of making something, but for their mindful and meditative benefits that keep us off our phones and focused on the present.
If you’re not sure what to take up, try one of these five delightful options:
Pottery
We all love to look at pretty pottery – and imagine ourselves creating the perfect cylindrical clay formation on a spinning wheel – but how many of us actually take the time to try it? At it’s most basic, it involves creating objects with clay and then firing them with heat to harden. It’s not something that you’ll be amazing at initially but with practice it could quickly become a hobby that you truly love. Take a look at this pottery studio in Kerry for more of what you can expect.
Candle-making
We all love a beautifully-scented candle but with increasing reports about the importance of using natural and eco-friendly ingredients, there’s never been a better time to start making your own. There’s a lot more to it than you may think from the different types of waxes, burn times, wick sizes, which fragrance oils to blend and more. Check out this soy candle-making kit or book a luxury candle making workshop in Galway for a great day out with your friends.
Felting
If you’ve never heard of ‘felting’ before, it’s the process of transforming loose fibres, such as wool, into a dense and warm material for various purposes. Needle felting is an easy craft to learn and uses both coarse and fine needles to create different effects. Wet felting is the process of using a combination of friction, soap and water to make felt out of wool fibres. If you’re interesting in finding out more about this craft, go to feltmakersireland.com or irishfibrecrafters.com.
Woodcarving
Even if you’ve never done it before, it’s easy to imagine why working with wood is very rewarding. Learning a skill set that you can use to create functional or ornamental items really makes you feel accomplished. And even if you’re not looking to deck out your new home with bespoke furniture, taking a woodworking class is a brilliant way to update your existing DIY skills or simply have carpentry as your new hobby. Click here for a list of woodwork classes around Ireland.
Weaving
The tradition of weaving can be traced as far back as 12,000 years ago when the basic principle of weaving was applied to interlace branches and twigs to create fences, shelters and baskets. Now, of course, it is mostly practiced for decorative and sartorial purposes and the three basic weaves are plain, twill and satin. If you’re hoping to learn how to weave this year, the award-winning Irish craft brand Pop Out Projects is a great place to get inspired and get started.
