I love crafts but I’m a terrible “crafts” person. I have no patience, and I’m awful at basic math, both of which are important for exactly what I love: sewing and knitting. I recently moved my sewing machine to a more accessible place (out of my daughter’s closet) and started working on some pillows. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. It’s fun to rediscover things that I loved before becoming a mom.
I learned to sew on maternity leave before our daughter was born. In fact, I had my last lesson the day that I went into labor. I had always wanted to learn to sew and pictured myself sewing Halloween costumes and clothes for my kids. I’m 0-2 with sewing Halloween costumes, and I can’t even imagine the skill it would take to make clothes now that I actually know to how to sew.
When I went back to work after maternity leave, a colleague told me that I needed one hobby. She suggested that I start running again. To me this seemed totally impossible. I was barely making it through the work day. I couldn’t see how I could have time to add one more thing to my week. Eventually and in my own time, I was able to do something semi-regularly for myself. In fact, I did get back to running and finished a half marathon in October! The more I thought about it the more I realized how important it was to have a hobby. Plus, it was an added bonus that my daughter was seeing her mom have a hobby and even complete a half marathon.
I hadn’t sewed in over a year, probably closer to two, but it felt good to start it again. I had to watch several YouTube videos to get started, but once I got going it was great and relaxing. Sewing provides relatively quick rewards too. I love that I can sit down and 20ish minutes later I have a finished product. It’s times like this that I am reminded to have that “one thing.” I find it so easy to get stuck in a routine of not exercising or not working on any hobbies. It’s fine to let yourself get wrapped up in the day to day and in your kids every now and then, but try to keep at least one hobby in your life that helps YOU relax and recharge.
