Looking for a new summer hobby to occupy the long four months until we return to Fairfield? Well, we have the perfect summer plans for you: fiber arts! As the new treasurer and vice president of the fiber arts club on campus, Stags Stitch, we have lots of experience with trying fiber arts for the first time. Here are the top 5 fiber art hobbies for beginners to spark your creativity over this upcoming summer break. 

#5: Knitting

Knitting is a fun activity for all ages! This activity ranks at number five because it is not the easiest craft for an initial introduction to the fiber arts. Knitting involves using two long needles to cast on stitches and transfer them between the needles to create a fabric. If you lose a stitch or make a mistake, it is much harder to remedy than other fiber arts, such as crochet. When you get the hang of it, knitting is a great and practical activity, as you can make actual clothing with it and it conserves yarn better than other crafts. Due to its unforgiving nature, we have placed it at number 5 for beginners.

#4: Cross Stitching

Cross stitching is an extremely simple craft, super easy and quick to learn, and very portable if you put all the parts in a ziploc bag! Cross stitching involves creating pixel arts by threading strands of embroidery floss through a grid-like fabric with visible holes. The motion of threading the floss back and forth is very therapeutic, and the creations make for personalized gifts. One of the best parts of cross stitch is that patterns are easy to find as all you need is pixel art. It’s also super easy to create your own patterns using free tools like FlossCross or even Google Sheets! Cross stitching is one of our favorite crafts, but we have placed it at number four primarily because of how many loose parts it takes and the patience the stitcher needs. Cross stitch patterns require time and dedication, with some larger patterns taking months or even years.

#3: Sewing

Sewing ranks in the middle because it is a vital life skill, but two other crafts trump it in personal entertainment value. Sewing can be done by hand with just a needle and thread, or you can use a sewing machine for bigger projects! Sewing by hand is extremely useful to know if you ever need to repair a piece of clothing or fabric item, like a moth hole on a shirt or a loose button. Sewing machines are more complicated to figure out, but offer a wider variety of uses once you get the hang of it. Sewing machines are also faster and cover a wider area of fabric with ease, so they are useful for alterations or creating your own clothes from scratch! Anyone benefits from essential skills like knowing a basic backstitch or how to close up a hole.

#2: Bracelet Making

Making bracelets has always been a nostalgic summer memory for us due to years of bracelet making at summer camps. These bracelets are made with embroidery floss, which is affordable and comes in hundreds of colors, and the patterns are made by creating knots between the threads in different directions. These simple knots are used throughout every bracelet pattern, so it is easy to rank up from beginner to pro quickly. Not only do you get to make something with your own hands, but you also have the opportunity to give your coveted bracelets to your closest friends and family. Once you learn the knots used for the craft, you can expand to creating keychains and more complicated patterns! 

#1: Crocheting

Crocheting is one of the fastest growing fiber art crafts in popularity among adolescents, and for good reason. The craft only requires only a hook, yarn and a stitch marker to learn. The introduction of the crochet tutorial kit, Woobles, has made crocheting more accessible to the general population and also created a crocheting community in the process. In addition to the close-knit groups of crocheters, crochet is very forgiving when it comes to mistakes. 

Unlike knitting, to undo a misplaced stitch in crochet, all you have to do is pull on the working yarn and unravel your past few stitches. This makes it very easy for beginners to learn. Lastly, crocheting is one of the most versatile of these fiber arts. You can make tapestries, pillows, stuffed animals, clothing and so much more! With a great online mentoring community, easy mistake correction and so many designs to choose from, we believe crocheting deserves the top spot on your summer plans!

Now is the perfect time to pick up a fiber art right before the summer gets kicked into full gear! Whether it be knitting, cross stitching, sewing, bracelet making or crocheting, taking the time to learn a new skill is so rewarding. So, the next time you’re bored in the sweltering heat of summer, remember that the fiber arts are the coolest hobbies around. Happy summer and happy stitching, Stags!