With exam results being released and all the pressures that come with university, it can be hard to find the perfect thing to take your mind off it all. When your brain feels fit to burst with essay plans and timetables, you need something that you can pick up in a spare ten minutes or a well-deserved evening off that will help you recalibrate for the work on your to-do list.
One of my favourite crafts that is perfect as a work-in-progress is embroidery. Its versatility means you can work on any number of different projects depending what you’re into - customise a favourite jacket, design a motivational message hoop or simply repair a tear in some well-worn jeans. The best thing about embroidery is it's a pretty cheap hobby to get into - all you need is a needle, some embroidery thread, a hoop and some sort of fabric/piece of clothing. If you decide needlework is for you, you can expand and grow your thread collection. There’s lots of tutorials online to teach you different stitches and shading but all you need to get started is your basic running, back and satin stitch and you’re ready to go! Pictured below is a project I made for my friends 18th birthday.
For inspiration: Instagram and Pinterest
Tutorials: YouTube has plenty of tutorials on the basic stitches, for floral embroidery Diana Vingert on YouTube has a tutorial for a similar design to the one pictured.
Top tip: To minimise the costs even further, look in your local charity shops as lots of charity shops have yarn and thread for sale!
Knitting is (so I’m told) also a good way to relax and take a momentary break from university stress. Just like embroidery, the equipment list is relatively small - start with wool in your favourite colour and a pair of needles. Once you’ve learned the basic stitches you can create new additions to your wardrobe or improve a slightly suspect sofa with a new throw. However, If even the thought of knitting starts to make you sweat (guilty), a good alternative is punch needling. While a bit more expensive with specialist punch needles and monks cloth, once you get the hang of it, you can easily create beautiful pictures or cushions with bold or neutral colours - whatever your aesthetic! With simple, minimalist shapes, the repetitive stitches require just enough concentration to stop your mind from wandering back to your latest assignment or exam.
For supplies:WholePunching have most of what you need and is where I got my first punch needle. Do It on a Dime has a tutorial for a chunky blanket that doesn’t even involve a needle!
For inspiration and how-to: Studio VerSie does some great videos and talks through how-to with kits
Maybe you don’t want to splash the cash straight away? If you don’t want to invest just yet, there are still loads of options available! Papercraft is a cheap way to take your mind off any unwanted stress. With any past timetables or last week’s shopping list, why not create something? Origami flowers transformed into a garland or sitting in a vase will never wilt and be a good reminder that we are soon approaching spring. It’s also a good way to reduce paper waste! There’s lots of tutorials online and you’ll be surprised how quickly you start making progress.
For how-to: As expected, YouTube has lots of videos depending on what you want to create; personally, I find Google Images is often easier as it saves you having to pause the video and rewind.
My final suggestion: an absolute must. A favourite among us all. Baking. Baking can also be the perfect solution to soothe any nerves, whilst producing some mouth watering goods at the same time. My go-to cupcake recipe for trying times is a chocolate base and rose water icing - not particularly healthy but completely necessary. Even if this means popping to the shop for a cake mix, there’s nothing that can’t be improved by chocolate-loaded calories. If you fancy something that requires a bit of focus, making a batch of plain cookies/cupcakes and trying out a new technique can give you a tremendous sense of achievement during a time when you feel like you are constantly battling with the university workload (warning: can also result in complete disaster).
Recipes: BBC GoodFood has plenty of basic and more experimental recipes and Emma Sweet’s on YouTube has a good tutorial on flood icing that will help you create those professional cookie designs
Inspiration: Peace of Cake has some incredible designs to keep you aiming high and as always Pinterest is full of baking ideas.
The list of activities that you could get involved with is endless and goes on forever however these are just a few ideas to spark your interest and get you inspired to try out some new activities that take you off your phone for an hour or so. Keep in mind Exeter Fashion Society also host regular workshops for members; everything from embroidery to jewellery making, the society hosts it all so keep up to date by following @exefashionsociety on instagram and consider becoming a member (this way all the materials and logistics are sorted for you, you simply have to show up and enjoy!)
What do you do to relax? We would love for this blog to become something where everyone shares ideas so feel free to leave your craft suggestions or inspirations below…
Article by Daisy Finch