Knitting is secretly two hobbies, 1) making stuff and 2) collecting yarn. My mom jokes that her yarn collection is SABLE -- Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. My stash is pretty small because I only allow myself to spend cash on yarn, so internet shopping is right out.
Oh my gosh the SABLE acronym is out of this world. I learned to knit and crochet from my grandma, who learned from her grandma! When she got sick, all of her unfinished projects, yarn, needles, hooks and books passed to me and now I’m always doing an assessment of my current working projects, yarn, prospective projects I have in mind to get to next and I feel like I’m racing against my own mortality and worry what my kids will do with the stuff I leave behind 😅😭
And this is where the problems can crop up. I’m a knitter/crocheter and I wouldn’t want to have no stash because I enjoy playing with yarn and color combinations. Over the years I’ve learned a lot about how I enjoy yarn crafts. I have learned that no matter how beautiful variegated yarn is-there are very few instances in which I like it or would wear it once it’s been knit up. So I look at yarn the way I look at stuff in a museum-appreciate the beauty but it’s not coming home with me. I have also learned that I don’t like sweaters made from hand dyed yarn. I don’t like the color pooling and odd striations that occur even with tonal yarn. Knowing yourself and what you like and don’t like can save a lot of money.
@@llamalluvvYou don’t have to collect patterns. I have folders created by pattern type-socks, sweaters, cardigans, hats, etc. When I see a pattern that I think I might like after looking at all the photos from other people’s projects, etc. I put it in the appropriate folder. Sometimes I end up buying and making it, other times after months or years and I still haven’t made it, I delete it from the folder. No money spent.
This type of spending is my weak spot. I can hold back on buying other things I love - makeup, clothes, food. But my craft hobbies……. I spend like a maniac. My yarn stash is disgustingly huge. I get hyperfixated on a craft and buy ALL the stuff. Then abandon it for a year or so, go back to it when it feels new again, abandon again, rinse and repeat. I ain’t mad about my spending though tbh because getting into crafting got me out of my drug addiction 12 yrs ago sooo my point is that it could be worse.
As someone who does a couple different fibre arts, including sewing and embroidery, I have also seen beginners try and use very cheap or old material and end up frustrated and hating the process because they’re not only learning something new, but are using thread that breaks or frays, or fabric that isn’t suited to the project they’re trying to make, or materials that are unpleasant to work with for any number of reasons. So imo, there is something to be said for investing a little in some decent supplies before starting; maybe a small but quality kit, or going on marketplace and getting some second hand stuff someone else is destashing. Doesn’t need to be the most expensive silk threads or hand-dyed fabrics, but especially for slow crafting hobbies…. Well, the making process *is* the hobby, and fighting against the material or medium will make it way more frustrating than it needs to be, and potentially turn someone away prematurely.
it can also lead to further overspending if you buy cheaper stuff to start with, you pay not only the cost of the lower quality/incorrect item and also for the correct one. I think just working more on researching before starting projects or buying supplies is definitely a good way of reducing spending
So true. Starting with someone to guide you can help so much in making sewing a wonderful hobby. I don't know how many people I know who have failed partially due to buying a brand new cheap machine. i am a lover of old metal sewing machines.
This! I started sewing by trying to upcycle thrifted clothing, however, since I had no idea how fabric works, I bought some knits and slippery polyesters - basically completely nightmarish fabrics to work with. It almost turned me away from sewing.
I realised hobbying hopping was a big issue for me even before the 'shutdown' - turns out it's an adhd symptom which I didn't figure out until 2022. I have a self imposed 1 month wait for any new hobby now. The only hobby that passed that rule is embroidery. I saw a monthly subscription kit (now every other month) by a small business and really wanted it but made myself wait and even after 3 years I still am subscribed. I go through phases of doing it as a hobby but I have 16 completed hoops on my wall and get very happy everytime I hang another
I also have ADHD Hobby Hopping But I also know that I have some hobbies I go back to over and over again--so those ones are worth investing in because I know I'll go back to them. Other hobbies (and new hobbies) I'm cautious about spending much money at the outset to make sure it's something I really do want to do and stick with.
Realized only recently that what turned out to be hobby hopping was most probably ADHD. In my late 50's, so I can say it did serve me well as I did acquire skills when one stuck with me & I am pretty proud of the levels I have achieved in 3 of them (considering full time work & all). My rule though has always been to stick 3 months to a new hobby as being a beginner at something is often intrinsically frustrating & discouraging. But when you find one that sticks, that's a few years of intense satisfaction.
Oh, mood! There are times where I can embroider for weeks at a time and then I don't touch a needle for months. I love embroidery but my brain decides when to touch it u__u
There is also a lot of snobbery in hobbies. I knit and crochet and there is shaming involved of people who use certain tools and synthetic yarns. It’s really sad. Surely the best thing is that people are partaking in the hobby.
I do a lot of these hobbies and hear about the snobbery but have never experienced it myself because the only knitters I know are online. They talk about yarn snobbery as a problem but they don’t do it. I don’t know anyone in real life who knits or crochets so no one notices or cares what I am doing. I wonder sometimes if the snobbery is self inflicted. Thoughts?
I feel like there is snobbery now only because of the huge uptick of people going into fibre arts (crochet, knit, sewing, etc) since 2020. It’s like they are gatekeeping. I understand that feeling to a certain extent as someone who crocheted on and off for 16 years. For people who sell their work they have more competition in price but also in artistic expression/ability.
@@Lisa-vb3gn I think social media plays a big part. We see influencers using particular (pricey) yarn, paints etc and it gets us thinking we need it to be good at the hobby.
Yes it happens, but I tell myself that is an 'online' thing. And it doesn't mean anything to me in my real life. Also I hate snobs and it gives a feeling of them being insecure to make someone else feel bad about things.. You hobby or craft is the expression of your art, and art is different for everyone. Hope you keep creating to your heart's content.. all the best.
Im a crocheter, I've been crocheting since 2015, and over the years I have collected quite the stash of yarn. I would buy yarn for projects and have leftover yarn or I would see pretty yarn on sale and buy it without a project in mind for it. A couple months ago I went on a yarn no buy and made a commitment to not buy any yarn, I did buy 3 skeins for a specific project but other then those 3 I havent bought any yarn and instead have been using yarn up with different projects! Since watching Shawna's videos I have become very conscious of what Im spending my money on and it has helped me immensely!
Lifelong crochet enthusiast here. The struggle is real. I put myself on a no-buy for yarn this year unless I need it to finish a project I’m working on. It’s really easy to get in over your head with yarn🙈
Knitter! 🧶 I think I have enough sock yarn to overfill my sock drawer at this point and two sweater-quantity bags of wool (in my defense, different yarn weights). I’m definitely on a yarn buying moratorium this year. Thankfully, I’ve been knitting for decades and have a wide variety of needles, so very likely will not need any. Shawna: I’d say the entry to knitting is much less than $60. If you wanted to start with a hat*, you could get started for
Every so often I get overwhelmed by how many projects I have on the go/in my head and I do a no-buy except for items to finish projects currently on the go (e.g. I can buy another ball of yarn to finish the second sock that I didn’t finish because I didn’t have enough yarn and got unmotivated but won’t touch because I don’t have enough yarn, or getting buttons to a sweater that currently needs buttons to finish) but I try to be very disciplined with it. That said, moving into a smaller space was excellent because I get overwhelmed very quickly which makes me use it more. Being really “mean” to myself about these things and not letting myself buy anything (with the one exception) until I have finished my wips has helped keep the storage and buying under control.
After reading about the horrors of the fast fashion industry - and I'm pretty mindful about where I buy clothes - as a crocheter I decided I was going to make a lot of my clothes. I started work on a maxi skirt only to have my endocrinologist decide to put me on one of the diabetic weight loss drugs. I seriously hope he doesn't think I'm going to be one of those people who weight loss 'fixes' their diabetes because it's already been determined that it's a complication of other chronic health conditions I have (notice the plural there). As much as I like my doctor, he's not gonna fix me that easy XD. Anyway, there is 70 less lbs. of me and I need to finish tearing out that skirt I started on (along with another) and reclaim the yarn where I can start over. There is also one shirt I need to do this with and probably a second. I have SO. MUCH. YARN. It's an insane amount of yarn where I was planning out a crocheted wardrobe based on the size that I needed at the time. Now I need much less yarn to make the same things and I'm afraid to even get started on things because I have no idea how much more weight I'm going to loose. I've decided though the only yarn I am buying this year - because I am sure there is stuff I don't have earmarked for something - is what I need to finish projects. I seriously hope I ordered enough yarn to make the temperature blanket I want to where I don't have to get more. Ordering a couple skeins turns into a major purchase...
@internetfox eyeshadow pallets is genius! I've been looking at a small travel pallette for a while now, but maybe old eyeshadow compact for the win? I'm gonna look for one Thanks so much for the suggestion 😊
A lot of USA public libraries have an "item" barrow like art supplies, sewing machines, or 3D printers(at location) that u can check out. U have to kinda dig for them but super cool
also consider that your local community college may have classes for a variety of crafts. My local one also has a policy where if you pass the class, you can go into the workshop during out of class hours and make use of all their tools. I'm talking carpentry tools, 3d printers, sewing machines, soldering irons, and laser cutters, plus whatever else they've added since.
I read a book about hoarding, which was not personal until they got to the classifications of different types of hoarders. Most of them are what you'd expect/repulsive, but then they got to the "craft/ art supply hoarders". There I was! I cleared out my art supply cupboards the next day.
I am a serial hobby-collector: polymer clay, sewing, crochet, film photography, and now nail polish. I got into the latter because I got tired of hobbies that left me with a mountain of finished things I had no use for, embracing the ephemeral nature of nail art. I also hadn’t painted my nails for about 5 years, so I made sure to regularly paint them for at least a month using old polishes I already had before I bought anything new. I’ve spoken to others that have polish collections in the hundreds; knowing how easy it is for collections to get out of control from my previous hobbies, I went into buying with a set limit - and to use what I buy, no ‘decluttering’. It’s made me a lot more mindful of my spending, I stick to my allocated storage and the actual process of doing nail art is still more fun than buying the polish, even after 2 years :)
I hobby hopped quite a bit (I’m also one of those late diagnosed adhd ladies), but I started sewing on a whim and I love it. The problem? The constant release of new patterns and fabric collecting. I amassed a huge library of patterns, there was no way I would actually sew all of those if I kept acquiring new ones at that rate. So I just unsubscribed from all the indie patterns newsletters, even unfollowed some on instagram, basically cut myself off from the constant releases and new trends. And I’m forcing myself to sew through my fabric stash.
What I learned from my numerous hobbies: - I can buy new material, but it doesn't come with extra time to use it. - I keep a journal where I enter (new) hobby ideas. That keeps fomo at bay. - If a hobby exceeds the space I have allotted, it is time to use up what I already have. - I have a budget for hobbies - just like I do for rent and transportation.
@@beautrice1202 I love the phrasing of material not coming with extra time to use it. This has been a big problem for me in the past few years, and even though I've almost completely stopped buying fabric, I don't currently have time to go through what I've already got. Which is largely due to some big life changes, but I don't see those changes changing anytime soon so I better learn to make the most of what I can do.
@@shenenigans2037 Oh, I so know what you are talking about! My fabric stash is manageable atm, I am working through my yarn stash currently. Congratulations on your low spend!
For Knitters and Crocheters out there. Thrifting sweaters of superb quality and unraveling them for yarn could be a budget-friendly option to go around with your hobby.
To be completely real, i absolutely cycle hobbies. Like clockwork i want to do crossstitch right up to halloween. Then i want to do a festive felt kit. Then I want to do some yarn work. Then i'm on the sewing machine for about 2 months. Then im weaving, and that takes the longest for me, and it overlaps with gardening. Gardening tapers off into, you guessed it, crosstitch.
Tbf that sounds fairly reasonable to me, to have seasonal hobbies. I'd imagine it adds to your enjoyment of each season, and if you finish off each season with a project suitable for the next season (or all seasons) then you get to enjoy pieces of your hobbies at all times. Ntm any season specific projects you complete can be used for future decoration, even passed down if you wished. Sounds lovely imho 😊
I'm a huge hobbyist, and it often helps to see if i like making miniature versions first. If i dont like crocheting a throw for a barbie, I probably won't like it on a grand scale
As an artist who will wildly overspend on things one good perimeter I give myself is when buying a new supply I’ve never tired I can only get the primary colors + white and black and see how I like that if I enjoy it I can buy more in different colors
I don’t buy supplies I never tried 🤣 I did get new supplies for Christmas tho, but I wouldn’t have bought it on my own. If I enjoy using oil pastels, then maybe when I’m out, I’ll buy more, but I tend to be mindful of what I’m buying because I like to read as well and like buying books as well. But buying books isn’t as expensive because I know places with discounted books
I go back and forth between hobbies, all of which I've spent more than enough money on, including cross-stitching, Spanish learning, Dungeons and Dragons, journaling/planners, and novel acquisition/reading.
I go back and fourth between reading and drawing. And while drawing I don’t buy anything unless I run out of it. Because good art supplies aren’t cheap. Also with reading I have a mind set of when I go to find a new book, to not have any specific books in mind and to check the bargain sections in Walmart first, or go to dollar tree/dollar general
I've actually refrained from taking up new hobbies because I'm scared to sink too much money into it. I've recently take up mosaic and I'm only allowed to get anything when I have an exact and useful project in my mind.
I work at an art supply store, and talk to a LOT of people who want to start new hobbies. The first thing I do is to figure out their budget, and get them set up with the absolute basics for them to experiment. Sometimes people want to spend way too much to just get started in watercolor, or model making, or whatever, without even knowing if they'll enjoy the hobby. I recommend doing research on what materials you actually need (you do NOT need more than 2-3 brushes for most types of painting, for example) before starting to shop, and trying to do that research off social media. I spend way too much on art supplies, partially due to exposure and partially because I have my own issues with spending, and even though it's "bad for business" I don't want customers to end up like me! edit: if you end up with too many art supplies, and want to downsize, I'd recommend trying to donate to local schools, reuse centers (if you live or near a city), or sharing with friends. I just got to the part of the video where Shawna talks about borrowing a sewing machine and wanted to add some "declutter" ideas for art supply collectors haha
I have a lot of friends who do hiking challenges…like visiting all the local and national parks in their area, then either journal or keep digital photo journal as they “collect” experiences. And…you can define your challenge or collection to suit your own skill and ability level. I have a few birdwatching friends who do the same. Also gardening is a great hobby to try out. If you figure out who your gardener friends are, we tend to be very generous getting others started with seeds, cuttings, containers, etc. and it’s something you can start small and see how it goes. This year I received a small greenhouse for Christmas and I’m planning to start my seeds early and give all the extras to friends and neighbors since I only have room for so much, and I hate wasting the seeds.
I love the tips you included for giving yourself time frames to yourself to continue the habit before purchasing. I def fall down the rabbit hole of buying a ton of equipment for hobbies
Thank you for this video Shawna! I was one of those who commented about hobbies as a spending trap/there’s some degree of “pay to play” involved in almost all hobbies. Looking forward to your tips! On a personal note, I started swimming again this year and to avoid spending a bunch of money on swimsuits, goggles, bags, towels, etc., I am using an old swimsuit that still fits, old goggles that work just fine, and the rattiest of our bath towels and I just wash it right away. I asked for a gym bag for Christmas because that was an upgrade I “needed” (I didn’t have a bag that adequately separated things like my shower stuff, slides, and wet swimsuit etc.). You’ve been a huge help!!
I have a hard time with motivation sometimes, even for things I enjoy like my creative hobbies. I realized about a year ago that I was treating buying materials for my hobbies as participation in the hobby itself. I've worked to change that mindset and that has helped me a lot with actually using and appreciating the materials I have instead of buying new materials to get the dopamine hit.
I find that having too much actually stifles my creativity. After I sold and gave away most of my yarns I inmediately tackled knitting a sweater I loved the pattern of but was afraid was too complicated. I finished it in two weeks and want to make another one 😹 No I only let myself buy yarn for the next project, after finishing the previous one.
I am a knitter and crocheter. Most of us have an old set of hooks that we started with that we're very cheap or handed down then upgraded to the preferred set. I personally know someone who wants to learn crochet and I still have that old cheap set so I gave them to her just like they were given to me and I hope she does the same one day
If you want to try out sewing, i would recommend taking a few hands on classes where they provide the supplies at the local craft store. Then move to borrowing a machine from the library, and when you get annoyed with having to check it out, then buy the machine.
Thankfully I don't really have a shopping problem because I'm frugal as hell, but I definitely struggle with hobbies. I've now realized that with many hobbies or things I want to get into I go into it with the vision of "When I'm level 10 at xy hobby, I'll be able to do x, y and z. I can't wait." but then I realize that while I like the vision of me at level 10, I'm not enjoying being at level 1. So like with crocheting I kept looking at pictures of pretty complicated things people made and dreaming about how I could do the same. But then when I actually tried to learn it, I was getting frustrated with simple things and didn't really enjoy the process. It required more patience, focus and dexterity than I have. But there are hobbies that don't require that and that I enjoy doing even at level 1. So I'm trying to focus on those.
I water colored consistently for a few years! But stopped and I am wanting to get back into it again. This is a great reminder to slow down and get consistent first!
For someone who has treated loom knitting as a season hobby, I noticed my habit of getting more yarn. But this year I made it a point to use what I have. And gift with the yarn I have.
What I can recommend as someone who is collecting hobbies: get a contained space for all of them. For me it's three drawers and two plastic boxes. (Exemption are games and consoles, because those are family stuff and sewing machine because it's too masive to lay around in random drawer). For certain I need to get rid of macrame. I did some, I have too much yarn from it left and I think I'll just crochet a baskets from what I have left. I don't have more energy nor space to make more macrames 😂
Having storage space restrictions has definitely helped me reduce spending too! Knowing I only have space for x number of things for a hobby means I think through purchases a lot more (keeping better track of what paint colours etc I already have and only buying to fill the gaps so I don't buy things that are too similar because i only have the space for a smaller selection, only having space for storing everything for one project's stuff so i can only buy and work on one project at a time etc). The downside though is that having less space can also mean you hit the pitfall of buying organization tools so you can make better use of that reduced space, which can get out of hand pretty quickly
@MxchiefMaykr oh this one downside is easy! What I'm using to carry all of my supplies for knitting (not yarn)? An old makeup bag. What is my to-go pencil case with 90% of "most used" art supplies? Expensive, pretty make-up bag I got for free 😂 How am I dividing yarns? Tote bags! How am I dividing knitting projects? Reusable veggie bags that I own too many of (whoops)! For pencils (I have collection I'm not going to use in my lifetime) I store them in box from decorative cup, I don't even own this cup lol 😆 and other little pens, single crayons, coloured-led pencils: box that my fiancé's fancy socks came with! 😂 9/10 I'm reusing some package box, I even have years old tampon boxes that I'm keeping my makeup in 😆😆 The only thing I do bought are little trays from IKEA, beige ones, for shallow drawers, because I ran out of boxes at one point
I'm a bit late to this conversation, but wanted to add my input. One additional way to both extend your time in the hobby as well as save money is essentially going "backwards" in your steps. I am a fiber artist primarily. I also live paycheck to paycheck and can't afford the nice yarns. I also have sensory issues that mean I cant use acrylic fibers. And natural fibers are definitely more expensive. For a long time, I carefully budgeted, bought from destashes, looked for clearance, etc. But a couple years ago i started looking into spinning. Last year i got my first wheel. About six months ago i started dyeing as well. And yes, those things *can* be costly, but they also dont have to be. I can get 2lbs of wool for $20. Spindles can be made out of a lot of things, including free wood outside. I used food coloring and vinegar as an acid dye, say $5 for that. And with those few things, i could spin an entire sweater's worth of yarn. For only around $30-40 total. It definitely extends the amount of time before my finished product, but that's just more time spent enjoying my hobby and the process. I know similar things can be done with other hobbies as well. Make your own paints. Go out into the woods and source your own wild clay. Make some paintbrushes. Make your own paper for a sketchbook or journal using stuff you'd otherwise throw away. Etc. Sometimes you may need additional equipment, but a lot of even those can be made yourself as well, often from waste products themselves, or things can be obtained through thrift stores or things laying around your home or a neighbor's or whatever. There is so much waste in part because we want the finished item, and want to get them in as few steps as possible. If you go "backwards" though, and start closer to the beginning of the process, not only do you save money, but it's more time in the hobby and IMO even more personal connection to the finished piece. It's so cool to be able to say "I made that" and be referring to every step in the process.
I used to dive head first into new hobbies for me to learn I didn’t really like it/it wasn’t for me. I figured out I was buying those items for a dopamine hit. Thanks for sharing! ❤
The thing that impacted me the most with my spending on my hobby was actually tracking how much I was spending. I ended up spending a year tracking exactly how much I was spending each month on my hobby. It was so eye-opening and a real wake up call. Even a few years later I still meticulously track my spending.
This is such an great topic! I have been guilty in the past of spending way too much on sewing and knitting. I was very decicated to these hobbies for decades, but after some major life changes - they are no longer right for me. I wanted to find a new hobby that brought me the same creative joy & kept me from emotional spending, but I was worried about spending too much to figure out a new hobby. After about a year of trying things out, I found that art journalling and paper craft is the perfect thing for me now. I love that it incorporates found materials and can be worked on in small pockets of time. I am taking your tiered spending approach to develop consistency before buying more high ticket items in the craft... and also getting excited about using stuff up instead of hoarding supplies (which is a real problem with yarn and fabric!)
Booktok was HORRIBLE for me when I was doing school online and depressed and having nothing else to do. I would scroll for hours, save hundreds of videos and go to the bookstore at least once a week to buy hundreds of dollars of books. I maxed out my credit card TWICE and drained my savings. It was the only thing I found happiness in for 2 years straight. Thankfully when school ended I was able to move and start fresh and force myself to stop buying after I realized how big of a pain in the ass it is to move over 300 books that I haven’t touched 😅I’ve started selling the ones I impulse bought because they were trendy and I know I won’t actually read and I’m sliming down my collection to just the books that make me happy
i've been painting for 5 years, i like to keep my paint stash limited to primary colors, black and white and some varnish, for sponges i use cheap ones and for mixing paints i use empty food containers, the thing i buy the most is what im going to paint (canvas, mdf and polymer clay to sculpt with), and i dont buy more stuff until my unpainted stuff is over, i find this system to be quite good. I also struggle with buying halloween decor all the time (my house is halloween themed, is my special interest), so i use my hobby to make my own custom halloween decor.
Really depends on the person. Hobbies are nothing but a form of consumerism for some people, but for me, the amount of joy my hobbies bring me has been worth every cent I’ve spent on them. My hobbies make me feel more relaxed, happy, regulated, and inspired. That is priceless. And I’m doing just fine financially because I simply cut back in other areas of my life that I don’t care as much about (fashion, tech, going out, etc). It’s really just about knowing what your personal priorities are.
I've always been fluctuating between all kinds of hobbies and interests without being able to commit long time to anything so this video was definitely for me. It's been frustrating but recently easier to understand since getting an adhd diagnosis this year. This year I've noticed I've been collecting all kinds of arts and crafts supplies without using much of them. My goal for 2025 is to make some sort of inventory of all the supplies I actually own, hoping it'll slow down the "need" to buy new things. Also, I'm aiming for a low buy year, with maybe a small monthly budget to craft supplies, as I know a complete no buy would crash and burn so fast. I think a track record system would be a nice pairing for this, thank you for the tip! My free, easily accessible hobby is writing, journaling, poetry, fiction, stream of consciousness, you name it. My goal for 2025 is to write more, read more, make some progress in my writing skills and hopefully complete a poetry collection. Also a tip for anyone: check out your local library if they have any supplies for the things you'd like to try! For example, in my town many libraries have sewing machines and sergers, 3D printers, musical instruments etc that you can loan for free.
I got into knitting/crochet in 2019 after college. I began buying a ton of yarn and never actually using it. I realized it was a problem when I’d go and spend money on yarn but not even have an idea on what I wanted to do with it. I had to stop buying yarn and actually begin working through what I bought and never used. I am still working through my stash from that period of time but I’m at least using it now.
This video was really great! About "tiered spending": Interestingly, if I ever see men in the sewing community, they are very often absolute beginners who already spent thousands of € to get the best and newest sewing machine and behave like with buying the machine, they've acquired the knowledge from decades of sewing. I've seen this so often now and it's exactly what you should NOT do. I used my mother's sewing machine from the seventies for several years before I bought a new one. I you can't borrow a machine, rather get an old cheap one that does not look super fancy because most people will only know which aspects of a sewing machine are most important for them after sewing for a few years. I understand the urge to buy stuff for a new hobby so much - I see people who have been doing the hobby for many years and I want those cool gadgets etc., but it's just no use buying lots of tools or materials if you don't know that you will enjoy doing the hobby very regularly in the future.
I'm a nuerodiverse hobby hopper, and it can be really hard to let something go when I'm hyperfixating. This year, I was hyperfixated on making wreaths with my family and I forced myself to practise the delay, conscious consumer and secondhand first rules in your [and others] videos. Aside from the wreath rings, everything was either: already in the house, thrifted, or inherited. And I went out of my way to do the mental gymnastics of calculating how much we'd need so as to not over buy, even though it was all secondhand and cheap. Honestly, this was the first time I hadn't bought the whole kit and caboodle of a craft or hobby without trying it out first 😅 and I know it's because this year I went through a whole bunch of no-buy months and conscious consumer exercises this year.
Another thing! Local second hand craft stores! My favorite if you don’t have a local store is Lucky DeLuxe Fabrics! They sell online as well as in person and are based out of CA! High quality materials for extremely cheap, great for picking up a new hobby affordable and sustainably
One of my hobbies is going to concerts. To cut down on how expensive that is, I go to a lot of more local, cheaper shows now. Also not buying merch at literally every single concert I go to. I get to scratch that concert itch without breaking the bank now, plus I get to support smaller artists. I try to only go to big expensive shows 2-3 times per year (if that) now.
This is one of my biggest problems was always buying merch after the show regardless of how much I like the artist. My 2024 resolution is to only buy merch if it's a very specific design I like for the very narrow list of bands I love love love
Sewing has totally been the same as you ^^" I got the sewing machine that was collecting dust in my grandma's attic. I sew maybe one or two articles of clothing a year, and I could do it by hand, but I'm fond of this machine, because my grandma has passed away since. We had a stormy relationship, but I remember her good sides each time I sew with this machine
About six years ago, I began to realise that my make up collection was getting out of control. Then I began to participate in the Project Pan movement, which encourages participants to "pan" (use up) products. Helped a lot!
Hi Shawna! Thank you for another great video. Here are some other recommendations I have to reduce costs: The library may have hobby classes or hobby things that are available. My library loans sewing machines and other hobby items. They also have a maker space where people can come and use random things there like a 3-D printer. Also, I work on a military base, and they have a lot of recreational stuff available from coolers to an RV that military and civilians can use (with a fee). Lastly, something I’ve noticed that brings novelty or freshness into hobbies is inviting my friends into it. For example, I took tennis lessons for a month (which was fun). But not nearly as much fun as when I stopped the lessons and played twice a week with one of my friends.
I’m sure there are others but in my small city we have a place that is kind of like a craft supply thrift store. It’s a sliding scale pay what you can type of place. You can donate hobby supplies you don’t use to them as well. They also have classes and a weekly get together to work on projects. It’s super cool!
Let me just say first that green looks so good on you! My spending is absolutely mostly because of hobbies! The most expensive hobby purchasing thing I did was buy so much stuff for cycling, only to realize that I am scared of cycling in the city and that I don't have access to any other place where it would be safe.
For me, I'm a Dungeons and Dragons player. I tried out the game at a local board game café before I invested in it. They had beginner nights, so I attended a few before I committed to joining a group. I did three nights before buying the handbook because it costs so much. I also wanted to try out painting my minis. I bought a huge pack of weird ones last year, so I figured I'd jazz them up. Rather than invest in a whole bunch of new paint, I used the acrylics I had on hand. The only things I bought were some tiny brushes and a small thing of primer, which ended up being about $20. I did end up getting a yearly subscription for D&D Beyond (it's an app), but only after using the free version for a month. Since I'm addicted to making characters virtually, it was worth the subscription. I did, however, realize it wasn't worth purchasing online versions of books since I own hard copies of the ones I really like. I am also a yarn hoarder, and found out I'm an embroidery floss hoarder as well. I have been using up the yarn I already have by making blankets to donate to charity. The embroidery floss is being used for micro crocheting, since I love making stuffed animals, but they take up too much space.
My hobbies are drawing, reading, video games, and anime/manga. Interestingly, I never really had an issue with art supplies; I only buy something when it runs out or I have a specific project in mind. That said, I do still have a lot of supplies from design school. It's the one area I purposely never decluttered because I find unexpected uses for stuff I held on to. Books, video games, and anime/manga, on other hand, did result in enormous tbr's/backlogs. I've set some rules for them, got to know my own preferences better, and I've learnt to be more picky. Over the years, I've managed to whittle down my tbr/backlog. I also got an ereader. Along with rules, having a designated space you're not allowed to exceed helps a lot as well. I also want to hike more, but I'm not allowed to buy shoes before I've actually done some hikes.
I like to sew since i was a teenager, but something that i noticed some years ago was the amount of unused fabric that i had. I stopped buying fabric and it actually helped me to feel more creative and finally do something with my stash. I'm still working on it, but i was able to do so many things including a new lining for my favorite backpack, some Christmas stuff and also pjs and gifts for my family. Be able to create new things with my old fabrics gave me more satisfaction than actually buying them so many years ago
I pick up a lot of hobbies, but most don't stick or are a one time thing, usually some sort of thing to decorate my home or something I can wear. Usually I dont buy a lot of things for it, just sticking to the one thing (like one diamond painting, or yarn colors for one embroidery) but sometimes, when I go to a specific store that sells hobby stuff for cheap, I get more than I actually use. That is something to stay mindful of I guess!
Some public libraries lend out hobby equipment or may have some on location that can be reserved. My local library has sewing machines and even a 3d printer.
Growing up, as I was trying out different hobbies, I had a few rules: Are the supplies needed for this hobby easily accessible to me (i.e. cheap, available in real stores not just online), Have I had a previous experience with this hobby (i.e. a random field trip, class project, friend or family member are active with it), If I had no money would I still be able to pick up this hobby (i.e. getting things secondhand, for free,etc.), Do I enjoy it after 6 months? While this isn't very set in stone, I noticed I gravitated towards things that don't require a lot of effort or extra supplies - reading, video editing, language learning, hiking, dancing, etc - but I also got into new hobbies like bullet journaling which is a comfort hobby to me and I justify spending more on pretty stickers and washi tapes as ''investing'' in myself and my mental health. I don't spend as much as many people I see in influencer spaces, but it's still a lot for my budget and I'm slowly running out of space to stash all this stuff.
I love this video! I play viola and have for about 14 years. The instrument itself is very expensive, but you really don't have to replace things like the bow, strings, case, shoulder rest and rosin unless they break or wear out. I replace my strings every few years and I rehair my bow every six months or so. It is such a fun hobby!
For books i only allow myself to buy 1 book for every 2 i read, if i get books as gifts it counts as 1 book i bought, ever since i started that system i've spent way less money and read a lot more books! (also im way more picky with what i buy, since i plan to read that book more than once)
A friend of mine recently bought some blank wooden dolls and decorated them to look like his favourite characters. Immediately I wanted to do the same, and the thoughts of who I wanted to make started running away with me until I was considering buying at least 10 of the things. Your videos gave me the ability to take a step back, think logically, and make a plan. I've decided that if take the time to draw out the designs for the dolls on paper, I can buy two and only two, and I can't get any more until I've fully decorated the ones I have.
Semi related comment ramblings: If you ever get around to revisiting the sewing want again, please don't go buy a new sewing machine lol. It's one of those things that gets into pricing tiers, you can get a kinda okay machine for $100, but there's also machines that cost more than a car. The price of a Bernina long arm quilter bundle actually left me speechless. Get your hands on a secondhand or older & recently serviced machine (or buy an old one that says it works, and take it into a repair shop for a tuneup). Mine's from the mid 90's and I'm eventually going to repair an antique Singer I found that's from 1927. (You can also have less anxiety about accidentally breaking something in the machine or sewing over a needle) Also a fair warning - no matter how much you learn, the reality is that you'll almost always need to hand sew something on your projects XD It's not one of the points in your video exactly, but to help myself not spend excess money on my sewing/cosplay hobby AND to not feel guilty about the endless hoard of notions/fabric/materials I own, I'm reducing my things down to my best/favorite tools and setting aside spares. I'll donate those to people who want to get into [hobby]. I'm scheming up a way to bundle things into starter kits or 'care package' type boxes that I can distribute to others for free. There's literally no reason one of my friends needs to spend money if I have more hand sewing needles (of literally every kind) than I will ever use in my life and good quality thread that I can definitely spare. Part of my hobbies that were costing me unnecessary money was, much to my chagrin, trying to SAVE money actually. If I need a tool or a material, and it's something that I *could* save some money on but I really do want a specific one, I really just need to buy that one. I know myself enough that I'll get the cheaper one, not really like it, be unhappy or avoid using it, or have to put a lot of money or work into making it work like the wanted item. "Stop pretending I don't know my own habits" basically 😂
As an aside, Junk Journaling also offered me an out because I now spend time trimming down and saving labels/scrap paper instead of shopping, and all those random paper pieces I already kept for no reason have a purpose!
My machine is from late-80s/mid-90s too. Apparently my Nonno picked it up at some markets and I inheritedit from him. I love it! Its perfect for my beginner to moderate level sewing, not too complicated but solid as a rock. I just got an overlocker from 1999 too, its heading off to get serviced soon but it cost $100 off Facebook marketplace. Sewing is the type of hobby that can be very expensive or relatively inexpensive depending on how patient you can be. I will say I have a fabric stash and 90% of it is for "someday when I'm better at sewing" 😅 but I'm working on throwing out the idea that I need to be a perfect seamstress to sew harder projects! The only way to improve is to try!! (And beg my mum to help me read a pattern 😂)
Your example about the calligraphy was really interesting to me, and is pretty much the opposite of the way I consider these types of things. I obviously don't know what kind of marker you have, but that seems like a valid barrier to learning calligraphy. Sometimes, not having access to the right tools can make a hobby miserable; I thought I hated using markers, but it turns out I hate using water based crayola markers. Maybe I would hate crochet if I only tried it with terrible yarn. I don't think using a marker is going to give you an idea about whether you like calligraphy or not, because it's really not the same as a calligraphy pen. It's hard to know if you actually enjoy watercolors, if you've only ever used those terrible, chalky ones with the plastic brushes. What works for me, is to give it an honest shot and then be real with myself if I like the idea of doing something, or actually doing it. I don't really like painting. I know that it's not a matter of materials- I don't like that I don't feel like I can put it down and come back to it, without the paint drying. And I don't like trying to mix specific colors. The best paint set in the world won't change that for me, so it doesn't make sense for me to get more paint supplies. I'd rather spend the money on hobbies I actually like. Idk, I like to make my hobbies as easy and enjoyable as possible. It makes me more likely to do them, instead of easy things like playing video games or whatever. I just have to try and use what I already have first, and be real with myself about if I actually need something new or if it's just that it's shiny and new.
Actually, depending on the type of letters and the type of markers, they can be an amazing calligraphy tool. I taught calligraphy to design students and markers worked well for a lot of them. More difficult to control, but a flat brush can also be very good. Your general point still stands though. Some work is better or made possible with proper tools.
I teach watercolour, and I've learned to leave the first beginner-level lesson as "here's a blob of real watercolour, here's a sheet of decent paper, here's a decent brush, now just spend an hour playing around", because the difference between material grades is so extreme that people need to acclimatise.
@@Ineffaquibble I still remember when I was younger and tried to learn watercolour techniques with those chalky attrocities. ”:D It was horrible and made me feel like a failure. At least I eventually realized the problem was the medium. I asked for an actual aquarelle set for a Christmas present when I was a teen, and I still got that same set. I’ve only bought some new single pans for it (after previous emptied). Also agree on quality paper. It makes a huge difference. I use quite cheap synthetic brushes, though. I know the natural brushes are able to hold more water but the difference isn’t a major one (to me) so I don’t really get the hype. I’ve gotten a couple such brushes as a gift, but I’ve never bought them myself. Besides, plenty of my synthetic brushes are over fifteen years old and still holding up great.
Ive been a quilter since 2020 and wouldn't have said i was the most concious crafter, ive impulse bought fabric and tools, i have a small storage unit in my office that is full of supplies and fabric but it is manageable and i love the things i have/enjoy using them up. That said, i went to a quilting convention 2 years ago and it completely shocked me, the volume of stuff people were buying, the amount being spent, the sort of frantic atmosphere in buying from the vendors , genuinely people walking around with thousands of pounds worth of fabric while the exhibition hall of all these beautiful quilts was almost empty . It was a big shock to me, put my hobby buying into perspective and made me so sure that i never wanted to participate in that sort of frantic overconsumption at the cost of actually engaging with the craft and other quilters
Sewing is such a great hobby! I started off by making stuffed animals for my daughters and other kids in my family. Ive made a few clothing pieces, mended a bunch, and hemmed some curtains. Now my latest project is making cushions for my bar stools and dining room bench. You should buy a sewing machine! It can save you money over time for sure.
I used to crochet a lot and still have a ton of yarn. One of my goals is to lake it out of the moving boxes and display it. I'm not getting rid of it because it wont go bad. It'll be there when im ready to start crocheting again.
Many years ago, I thought I wanted to take up sewing. My mother never sewed, and I never took sewing in school. My cousin said she would teach me, and she bought her sewing machine over to my house. It only took a very short time until I realized that I hated sewing and there wasn't anyway that I was ever going to enjoy it. I was so happy that I tried it first before I spent the money on a machine.
I've been keeping limited supplies on newer hobbies and I'm proud of it, my yarn stash is on point! Looking at everything, my painting supplies category is the most expensive. I think it's a medium amount of stash. I think the most useful strategy is to actually reflect seriously on your own habits.
I'm a knitter. I started a new method last year of only using the cash back rewards from my credit card to fund my hobby. The monthly payout is not consistent, so I don't include it in my monthly budgets. Instead, I allow it to accumulate and then I use it for yarn. It does limit the amount of supplies I can purchase and forces me to decide if I really want something, but it also allows me to see the rewards build up over time. The waiting for the rewards to build up also gives me a great sense of delayed gratification.
For those looking to start with different art supplies, here are my recommendations on the best affordable ones (imo): Acrylic: Liquitex (get red, blue, yellow, white, black, and brown) Watercolor: Prang Gouache: Artist's Loft (get same colors as acrylics) Oil Pastels: Cray Pas Expressionist Colored pencils: Crayola (Prismacolor Scholar if you don't want carpal tunnel) Chalk pastel: Conte crayon matchbox set (add more colors if you like them!) Alcohol based markers: Ohuhu Water based markers: Crayola Super Tips Ballpoint pens: bic roundstic Fineliners: Micron (black, 0.5 and 0.8)
i have the biggest issue where i find a new craft, researching it making sure i definitely want to do it, i buy a small amount of materials them really enjoy it so buy so much stuff for it then a few months later i pick up a new one and the cycle continues. thankfully once i found crochet a few years ago i haven't been as tempted to start new crafts and I'm just slowly working through all the materials I have bought for everything
I have dumped SO much money into sewing…..mostly the fabric. I rationalize buying more fabric because instead of buying the clothing item I have pinned or saw online, I say to myself “oh I’ll make that for cheaper”. HUGE LIE! I’ve sewn ONE skirt that was cheaper than the one I wanted (from Reformation) and because I’m still sharpening my sewing skills it came out just ok. With the time it took me to source and buy the fabric, make the pattern and actually see the garment I would have just rather bought the higher quality skirt. It’s also a lie to “just buy fabric/sheets at the thrift store”. My local thrift stores have zero fabric like this because all the other sewing girlies in town buy it all up. But it doesn’t matter much because I have SO many yards of fabric waiting to get sewn it’s unreal. And it wasn’t until I started to take underconsumption a little more seriously that I stopped buying fabric. I also want to point out that sewing your own garments generally creates a lot of waste which was not something I realized until I started the hobby. Anyways, hobbies like sewing are glamorized as a more healthy alternative to shopping or buying fast fashion but it has its own pitfalls to deal with in the consumption realm imo
I've seen ways to use scraps but it's really up to you whether you want to do that. Also yeah the idea that it's cheaper is a lie lol I think how a person feels about having lots of items reflects on how they do their hobbies. I hate having excess of stuff so a lot of my choices are intentional.
I think it comes down to: do you enjoy doing the hobby or do you enjoy buying supplies or do you enjoy the research and learning of a new hobby? A new hobby doesn’t need to build skills or be useful in any way beyond being an enjoyable way you spend your free time. Example: puzzles, reading fiction, walking, bird watching, origami etc. Some hobbies require structured learning (sewing, painting, playing an instrument, cooking, photography, knitting etc) and it’s a matter of “do you enjoy planning lessons for your hobby” since all your early projects have to be skills building oriented - not about the final product.
I actually don’t spend enough on hobby’s and that’s my issue! I spend my money on random things to “ fill the void” even if it has no real rhyme or reason… but now I’m trying to jump back into hobbies, actually DOING SOMETHING, not just “ add to cart” be more mindful of what I buy and buy with reason and actually buy stuff so I can USE said stuff..
The two hobbies that have stuck for me over the years are crochet and gaming. Sales for yarn, steam and eshop sales and eBay are absolutely a part of the hobby itself. I love collecting for my stash and backlog and hoarding like a little goblin. Knowing I never pay full price makes me happy but I really have to reign it in. 😂
I was the kind who will buy all the things for a new hobby. But this year I stepped down to getting only the most essential things first but of good quality (not the most expensive at first) like a sewing machine, scissors etc. but fabric, embroidery floss of cheaper price. But not of low quality as many a times that can create frustration for beginners and we might end up giving up the hobby completely. I also put a cap on 1 new hobby in a year and practicing as much as possible in a year. Also giving a fixed budget for a hobby helps greatly. Thanks for the video.
Even if you get a sewing machine, there's going to be times when you're going to have to hand sew. Just keep hand-sewing as your barrier to entry. Sure, it's a time suck, but hand stitching can expand your skills in many other fiber arts. Basically, if you're not willing to be fussy about the details or the slow stuff- then purchasing a machine only because it goes faster doesn't mean you enjoy the craft. You might be better off paying a taylor to custom or alter your fiber goods.
For me I have to complete the entire colouring book before I can buy another one and I colour them in order back to front as there are pages that just don’t appeal as much
I bought way too many running shoes at some point and now I calculate how much they cost me per kilometer and try to hit below 50c per km before I replace the shoes.
One benefit of being someone who perfers to knit and crochet with natural fibers is that they are expensive, so I can only spend about $100 a month on yarn which is roughly 3 skeins (300g) at my yarn store of choice. I
I have always considered myself a reader, even though my Goodreads doesn’t reflect it. A couple years ago, I realized I was buying a LOT more books than I tried to read throughout the year, so I went on a book buying ban on any books that weren’t related to pushing me towards the job I want to have. For these books, I can only buy 1 after I’ve read 3. This has been great to slow me down and appreciate the library I’ve built!
I wish I saw this video days ago - I have such an issue with buying yarn and while I’ve definitely been putting hours in I just have so much and can’t stop buying it!
I was the same! I got to the point where I HAD to set myself up with completing 3 projects to buy another, ie: knitting or crochet project, So I used up my stash 3 projects at a time, than felt I had mental permission to buy a sweater quality of yarn again…than another 3 projects…I still have a stash after a year of 3 to 1 buying splurge cast ons! 12 projects almost complete now, only 3 new items added! …So much yarn still but it’s moving in the right direction! Once I get down to the last 2-3 projects I’ll try to be one to one, or 2 to one etc…shopping for what I want to make, not building stash for just because…I’m years away still lol! ❤ Good luck!
So I'm a planner girlie through a through. I love to write and journal and collage and document my life, especially since I have the memory of a bowl of cottage cheese and struggle with temporality (thanks ADHD). I also have spent - no word of lie - $50k since I graduated from college on this hobby. Did I forsake my bills to do this? No. Do I have no savings because of it? No. But I also don't have my own home, don't own my car outright, and have a significant amount of student loan debt that could have been addressed with that $50k. So now I'm framing 2025 as my year to "grow my creativity" by using what I have to get the aesthetics I like.
A lot of mid to large size cities have "libraries of things" as part of their public library system. You may be able to borrow things from there like a sewing machine, power washer, miscellaneous hobby and craft tools that might be very useful but not necessary to physically have on hand all the time. Borrowing is usually included with your membership. Worth a look if you want to try a new hobby or project!
9:53 when you have practiced with someone else's sowing machine you could look online for secondhand ones. These machines do not change much, you don't need the latest version and older ones have often better quality
I got back into reading 2 years ago and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I haven’t spent ONE penny on books. You sometimes have to wait for holds at the library and that’s about it. Plus so many book communities online, easy to track and make goals, great icebreakers when you meet people reading the same books AND you can check out audiobooks and ebooks all free!
Knitting is secretly two hobbies, 1) making stuff and 2) collecting yarn. My mom jokes that her yarn collection is SABLE -- Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. My stash is pretty small because I only allow myself to spend cash on yarn, so internet shopping is right out.
Oh my gosh the SABLE acronym is out of this world. I learned to knit and crochet from my grandma, who learned from her grandma! When she got sick, all of her unfinished projects, yarn, needles, hooks and books passed to me and now I’m always doing an assessment of my current working projects, yarn, prospective projects I have in mind to get to next and I feel like I’m racing against my own mortality and worry what my kids will do with the stuff I leave behind 😅😭
3 hobbies, because also pattern collecting! 😂
Plus another: organizing all the stuff
And this is where the problems can crop up. I’m a knitter/crocheter and I wouldn’t want to have no stash because I enjoy playing with yarn and color combinations. Over the years I’ve learned a lot about how I enjoy yarn crafts. I have learned that no matter how beautiful variegated yarn is-there are very few instances in which I like it or would wear it once it’s been knit up. So I look at yarn the way I look at stuff in a museum-appreciate the beauty but it’s not coming home with me. I have also learned that I don’t like sweaters made from hand dyed yarn. I don’t like the color pooling and odd striations that occur even with tonal yarn. Knowing yourself and what you like and don’t like can save a lot of money.
@@llamalluvvYou don’t have to collect patterns. I have folders created by pattern type-socks, sweaters, cardigans, hats, etc. When I see a pattern that I think I might like after looking at all the photos from other people’s projects, etc. I put it in the appropriate folder. Sometimes I end up buying and making it, other times after months or years and I still haven’t made it, I delete it from the folder. No money spent.
This type of spending is my weak spot. I can hold back on buying other things I love - makeup, clothes, food. But my craft hobbies……. I spend like a maniac. My yarn stash is disgustingly huge. I get hyperfixated on a craft and buy ALL the stuff. Then abandon it for a year or so, go back to it when it feels new again, abandon again, rinse and repeat. I ain’t mad about my spending though tbh because getting into crafting got me out of my drug addiction 12 yrs ago sooo my point is that it could be worse.
A win is a win 😂
As someone who does a couple different fibre arts, including sewing and embroidery, I have also seen beginners try and use very cheap or old material and end up frustrated and hating the process because they’re not only learning something new, but are using thread that breaks or frays, or fabric that isn’t suited to the project they’re trying to make, or materials that are unpleasant to work with for any number of reasons.
So imo, there is something to be said for investing a little in some decent supplies before starting; maybe a small but quality kit, or going on marketplace and getting some second hand stuff someone else is destashing. Doesn’t need to be the most expensive silk threads or hand-dyed fabrics, but especially for slow crafting hobbies…. Well, the making process *is* the hobby, and fighting against the material or medium will make it way more frustrating than it needs to be, and potentially turn someone away prematurely.
Completely agree.
it can also lead to further overspending if you buy cheaper stuff to start with, you pay not only the cost of the lower quality/incorrect item and also for the correct one. I think just working more on researching before starting projects or buying supplies is definitely a good way of reducing spending
I am of the same mind too. Always get good quality basic essentials supplies.
Like sewing machines, shears, hoops, needles etc.
So true. Starting with someone to guide you can help so much in making sewing a wonderful hobby. I don't know how many people I know who have failed partially due to buying a brand new cheap machine. i am a lover of old metal sewing machines.
This! I started sewing by trying to upcycle thrifted clothing, however, since I had no idea how fabric works, I bought some knits and slippery polyesters - basically completely nightmarish fabrics to work with. It almost turned me away from sewing.
I realised hobbying hopping was a big issue for me even before the 'shutdown' - turns out it's an adhd symptom which I didn't figure out until 2022. I have a self imposed 1 month wait for any new hobby now. The only hobby that passed that rule is embroidery. I saw a monthly subscription kit (now every other month) by a small business and really wanted it but made myself wait and even after 3 years I still am subscribed. I go through phases of doing it as a hobby but I have 16 completed hoops on my wall and get very happy everytime I hang another
That’s awesome! Do you mind sharing the subscription name?
I also have ADHD Hobby Hopping
But I also know that I have some hobbies I go back to over and over again--so those ones are worth investing in because I know I'll go back to them. Other hobbies (and new hobbies) I'm cautious about spending much money at the outset to make sure it's something I really do want to do and stick with.
@@MoreCoffeePlease. it's UK based so might not be much use to you depending on where you are from - it's the Wimperis We Stitch kit
Realized only recently that what turned out to be hobby hopping was most probably ADHD. In my late 50's, so I can say it did serve me well as I did acquire skills when one stuck with me & I am pretty proud of the levels I have achieved in 3 of them (considering full time work & all). My rule though has always been to stick 3 months to a new hobby as being a beginner at something is often intrinsically frustrating & discouraging. But when you find one that sticks, that's a few years of intense satisfaction.
Oh, mood!
There are times where I can embroider for weeks at a time and then I don't touch a needle for months. I love embroidery but my brain decides when to touch it u__u
Growing up in the 90s they taught us that shopping itself was a hobby😭 now I make vision boards to help my habit, 90% all I need is the vision.
They really did! Thanks for the suggestion cuz I need a non-shopping outlet
Me and my mom would go almost every weekend. Didn’t think a thing about it at the time. We’re still TJ Maxx frequent fliers though.
same! I love Pinterest
There is also a lot of snobbery in hobbies. I knit and crochet and there is shaming involved of people who use certain tools and synthetic yarns. It’s really sad. Surely the best thing is that people are partaking in the hobby.
I do a lot of these hobbies and hear about the snobbery but have never experienced it myself because the only knitters I know are online. They talk about yarn snobbery as a problem but they don’t do it. I don’t know anyone in real life who knits or crochets so no one notices or cares what I am doing. I wonder sometimes if the snobbery is self inflicted. Thoughts?
@@Lisa-vb3gnmaybe that’s their experience, like yours is yours?
I feel like there is snobbery now only because of the huge uptick of people going into fibre arts (crochet, knit, sewing, etc) since 2020. It’s like they are gatekeeping. I understand that feeling to a certain extent as someone who crocheted on and off for 16 years. For people who sell their work they have more competition in price but also in artistic expression/ability.
@@Lisa-vb3gn I think social media plays a big part. We see influencers using particular (pricey) yarn, paints etc and it gets us thinking we need it to be good at the hobby.
Yes it happens, but I tell myself that is an 'online' thing. And it doesn't mean anything to me in my real life. Also I hate snobs and it gives a feeling of them being insecure to make someone else feel bad about things..
You hobby or craft is the expression of your art, and art is different for everyone. Hope you keep creating to your heart's content.. all the best.
Im a crocheter, I've been crocheting since 2015, and over the years I have collected quite the stash of yarn. I would buy yarn for projects and have leftover yarn or I would see pretty yarn on sale and buy it without a project in mind for it. A couple months ago I went on a yarn no buy and made a commitment to not buy any yarn, I did buy 3 skeins for a specific project but other then those 3 I havent bought any yarn and instead have been using yarn up with different projects! Since watching Shawna's videos I have become very conscious of what Im spending my money on and it has helped me immensely!
Lifelong crochet enthusiast here. The struggle is real. I put myself on a no-buy for yarn this year unless I need it to finish a project I’m working on. It’s really easy to get in over your head with yarn🙈
Knitter! 🧶 I think I have enough sock yarn to overfill my sock drawer at this point and two sweater-quantity bags of wool (in my defense, different yarn weights). I’m definitely on a yarn buying moratorium this year. Thankfully, I’ve been knitting for decades and have a wide variety of needles, so very likely will not need any.
Shawna: I’d say the entry to knitting is much less than $60. If you wanted to start with a hat*, you could get started for
Every so often I get overwhelmed by how many projects I have on the go/in my head and I do a no-buy except for items to finish projects currently on the go (e.g. I can buy another ball of yarn to finish the second sock that I didn’t finish because I didn’t have enough yarn and got unmotivated but won’t touch because I don’t have enough yarn, or getting buttons to a sweater that currently needs buttons to finish) but I try to be very disciplined with it. That said, moving into a smaller space was excellent because I get overwhelmed very quickly which makes me use it more. Being really “mean” to myself about these things and not letting myself buy anything (with the one exception) until I have finished my wips has helped keep the storage and buying under control.
I hear you! I sometimes just buy the yarn and hope inspiration comes later.
After reading about the horrors of the fast fashion industry - and I'm pretty mindful about where I buy clothes - as a crocheter I decided I was going to make a lot of my clothes. I started work on a maxi skirt only to have my endocrinologist decide to put me on one of the diabetic weight loss drugs. I seriously hope he doesn't think I'm going to be one of those people who weight loss 'fixes' their diabetes because it's already been determined that it's a complication of other chronic health conditions I have (notice the plural there). As much as I like my doctor, he's not gonna fix me that easy XD. Anyway, there is 70 less lbs. of me and I need to finish tearing out that skirt I started on (along with another) and reclaim the yarn where I can start over. There is also one shirt I need to do this with and probably a second. I have SO. MUCH. YARN. It's an insane amount of yarn where I was planning out a crocheted wardrobe based on the size that I needed at the time. Now I need much less yarn to make the same things and I'm afraid to even get started on things because I have no idea how much more weight I'm going to loose.
I've decided though the only yarn I am buying this year - because I am sure there is stuff I don't have earmarked for something - is what I need to finish projects. I seriously hope I ordered enough yarn to make the temperature blanket I want to where I don't have to get more. Ordering a couple skeins turns into a major purchase...
tip for no spend watercolors (except for a brush i guess): coffee, tea, old eyeshadow pallets!
@internetfox eyeshadow pallets is genius! I've been looking at a small travel pallette for a while now, but maybe old eyeshadow compact for the win? I'm gonna look for one
Thanks so much for the suggestion 😊
Wow thank you amazing ideas
Old make up brushes can be used as paint brushes. They are slightly different but still do the job just fine.
My suggestion to yarn Hoarder is that you limit the storage of yarns like one box or shelf or bin, artificially create space constraint!
I actually love this idea and can totally see myself using this, especially the box method. Thank you for sharing.
Genuinely I have no space so I do this automatically anyways😂
A lot of USA public libraries have an "item" barrow like art supplies, sewing machines, or 3D printers(at location) that u can check out. U have to kinda dig for them but super cool
My local library also offer free classes in sewing, painting, 3D printing, etc with all supplies included
also consider that your local community college may have classes for a variety of crafts. My local one also has a policy where if you pass the class, you can go into the workshop during out of class hours and make use of all their tools. I'm talking carpentry tools, 3d printers, sewing machines, soldering irons, and laser cutters, plus whatever else they've added since.
Our library also loans musical instruments like guitars and ukuleles!
Oh no, Shawna has finally come for me 😂
She's come for the yarn addicts!
I read a book about hoarding, which was not personal until they got to the classifications of different types of hoarders. Most of them are what you'd expect/repulsive, but then they got to the "craft/ art supply hoarders". There I was! I cleared out my art supply cupboards the next day.
I am a serial hobby-collector: polymer clay, sewing, crochet, film photography, and now nail polish. I got into the latter because I got tired of hobbies that left me with a mountain of finished things I had no use for, embracing the ephemeral nature of nail art. I also hadn’t painted my nails for about 5 years, so I made sure to regularly paint them for at least a month using old polishes I already had before I bought anything new.
I’ve spoken to others that have polish collections in the hundreds; knowing how easy it is for collections to get out of control from my previous hobbies, I went into buying with a set limit - and to use what I buy, no ‘decluttering’. It’s made me a lot more mindful of my spending, I stick to my allocated storage and the actual process of doing nail art is still more fun than buying the polish, even after 2 years :)
I have 500 polishes in my linen closet from my obsession about 10 years ago. Most never go bad as long as they're stored properly.
I hobby hopped quite a bit (I’m also one of those late diagnosed adhd ladies), but I started sewing on a whim and I love it. The problem? The constant release of new patterns and fabric collecting. I amassed a huge library of patterns, there was no way I would actually sew all of those if I kept acquiring new ones at that rate. So I just unsubscribed from all the indie patterns newsletters, even unfollowed some on instagram, basically cut myself off from the constant releases and new trends. And I’m forcing myself to sew through my fabric stash.
Yes. I did Jacinta Green's 30 yard challenge, on Instagram, and that's really helped me rethink my fabric choices.
What I learned from my numerous hobbies:
- I can buy new material, but it doesn't come with extra time to use it.
- I keep a journal where I enter (new) hobby ideas. That keeps fomo at bay.
- If a hobby exceeds the space I have allotted, it is time to use up what I already have.
- I have a budget for hobbies - just like I do for rent and transportation.
@@beautrice1202 I love the phrasing of material not coming with extra time to use it. This has been a big problem for me in the past few years, and even though I've almost completely stopped buying fabric, I don't currently have time to go through what I've already got. Which is largely due to some big life changes, but I don't see those changes changing anytime soon so I better learn to make the most of what I can do.
@@shenenigans2037 Oh, I so know what you are talking about! My fabric stash is manageable atm, I am working through my yarn stash currently. Congratulations on your low spend!
For Knitters and Crocheters out there. Thrifting sweaters of superb quality and unraveling them for yarn could be a budget-friendly option to go around with your hobby.
P.s. where I live yarn of medium quality costs usd 3,5.
To be completely real, i absolutely cycle hobbies. Like clockwork i want to do crossstitch right up to halloween. Then i want to do a festive felt kit. Then I want to do some yarn work. Then i'm on the sewing machine for about 2 months. Then im weaving, and that takes the longest for me, and it overlaps with gardening. Gardening tapers off into, you guessed it, crosstitch.
Tbf that sounds fairly reasonable to me, to have seasonal hobbies. I'd imagine it adds to your enjoyment of each season, and if you finish off each season with a project suitable for the next season (or all seasons) then you get to enjoy pieces of your hobbies at all times. Ntm any season specific projects you complete can be used for future decoration, even passed down if you wished. Sounds lovely imho 😊
I'm a huge hobbyist, and it often helps to see if i like making miniature versions first. If i dont like crocheting a throw for a barbie, I probably won't like it on a grand scale
As an artist who will wildly overspend on things one good perimeter I give myself is when buying a new supply I’ve never tired I can only get the primary colors + white and black and see how I like that if I enjoy it I can buy more in different colors
Oh yes I did that with extra quality watercolor. Then my mom gave me cash for my b-day and I got myself more paints ❤❤
@@lovers807 I always get a small set 12-24 of paints, pencils, etc.
Yessss
I do this too, but also add in burnt umber bc I know it's always my most used color 😅
I don’t buy supplies I never tried 🤣 I did get new supplies for Christmas tho, but I wouldn’t have bought it on my own. If I enjoy using oil pastels, then maybe when I’m out, I’ll buy more, but I tend to be mindful of what I’m buying because I like to read as well and like buying books as well. But buying books isn’t as expensive because I know places with discounted books
I go back and forth between hobbies, all of which I've spent more than enough money on, including cross-stitching, Spanish learning, Dungeons and Dragons, journaling/planners, and novel acquisition/reading.
I go back and fourth between reading and drawing. And while drawing I don’t buy anything unless I run out of it. Because good art supplies aren’t cheap. Also with reading I have a mind set of when I go to find a new book, to not have any specific books in mind and to check the bargain sections in Walmart first, or go to dollar tree/dollar general
I've actually refrained from taking up new hobbies because I'm scared to sink too much money into it. I've recently take up mosaic and I'm only allowed to get anything when I have an exact and useful project in my mind.
Honestly, one of my hobbies is saving money hahah its so useful but its genuinely so fun to me to look at all the flyers, plan out my meals... 🤓🤓
Teach me your ways. 😂
I work at an art supply store, and talk to a LOT of people who want to start new hobbies. The first thing I do is to figure out their budget, and get them set up with the absolute basics for them to experiment. Sometimes people want to spend way too much to just get started in watercolor, or model making, or whatever, without even knowing if they'll enjoy the hobby. I recommend doing research on what materials you actually need (you do NOT need more than 2-3 brushes for most types of painting, for example) before starting to shop, and trying to do that research off social media. I spend way too much on art supplies, partially due to exposure and partially because I have my own issues with spending, and even though it's "bad for business" I don't want customers to end up like me!
edit: if you end up with too many art supplies, and want to downsize, I'd recommend trying to donate to local schools, reuse centers (if you live or near a city), or sharing with friends. I just got to the part of the video where Shawna talks about borrowing a sewing machine and wanted to add some "declutter" ideas for art supply collectors haha
I have a lot of friends who do hiking challenges…like visiting all the local and national parks in their area, then either journal or keep digital photo journal as they “collect” experiences. And…you can define your challenge or collection to suit your own skill and ability level. I have a few birdwatching friends who do the same. Also gardening is a great hobby to try out. If you figure out who your gardener friends are, we tend to be very generous getting others started with seeds, cuttings, containers, etc. and it’s something you can start small and see how it goes. This year I received a small greenhouse for Christmas and I’m planning to start my seeds early and give all the extras to friends and neighbors since I only have room for so much, and I hate wasting the seeds.
I belong to a garden group and twice a year we do a garden party/plant swap. It’s a great way to try new plants!
I love the tips you included for giving yourself time frames to yourself to continue the habit before purchasing. I def fall down the rabbit hole of buying a ton of equipment for hobbies
Thank you for this video Shawna! I was one of those who commented about hobbies as a spending trap/there’s some degree of “pay to play” involved in almost all hobbies. Looking forward to your tips! On a personal note, I started swimming again this year and to avoid spending a bunch of money on swimsuits, goggles, bags, towels, etc., I am using an old swimsuit that still fits, old goggles that work just fine, and the rattiest of our bath towels and I just wash it right away. I asked for a gym bag for Christmas because that was an upgrade I “needed” (I didn’t have a bag that adequately separated things like my shower stuff, slides, and wet swimsuit etc.). You’ve been a huge help!!
I have a hard time with motivation sometimes, even for things I enjoy like my creative hobbies. I realized about a year ago that I was treating buying materials for my hobbies as participation in the hobby itself. I've worked to change that mindset and that has helped me a lot with actually using and appreciating the materials I have instead of buying new materials to get the dopamine hit.
I find that having too much actually stifles my creativity. After I sold and gave away most of my yarns I inmediately tackled knitting a sweater I loved the pattern of but was afraid was too complicated. I finished it in two weeks and want to make another one 😹 No I only let myself buy yarn for the next project, after finishing the previous one.
I am a knitter and crocheter. Most of us have an old set of hooks that we started with that we're very cheap or handed down then upgraded to the preferred set. I personally know someone who wants to learn crochet and I still have that old cheap set so I gave them to her just like they were given to me and I hope she does the same one day
If you want to try out sewing, i would recommend taking a few hands on classes where they provide the supplies at the local craft store. Then move to borrowing a machine from the library, and when you get annoyed with having to check it out, then buy the machine.
Thankfully I don't really have a shopping problem because I'm frugal as hell, but I definitely struggle with hobbies. I've now realized that with many hobbies or things I want to get into I go into it with the vision of "When I'm level 10 at xy hobby, I'll be able to do x, y and z. I can't wait." but then I realize that while I like the vision of me at level 10, I'm not enjoying being at level 1. So like with crocheting I kept looking at pictures of pretty complicated things people made and dreaming about how I could do the same. But then when I actually tried to learn it, I was getting frustrated with simple things and didn't really enjoy the process. It required more patience, focus and dexterity than I have. But there are hobbies that don't require that and that I enjoy doing even at level 1. So I'm trying to focus on those.
I water colored consistently for a few years! But stopped and I am wanting to get back into it again. This is a great reminder to slow down and get consistent first!
For someone who has treated loom knitting as a season hobby, I noticed my habit of getting more yarn. But this year I made it a point to use what I have. And gift with the yarn I have.
What I can recommend as someone who is collecting hobbies: get a contained space for all of them. For me it's three drawers and two plastic boxes. (Exemption are games and consoles, because those are family stuff and sewing machine because it's too masive to lay around in random drawer).
For certain I need to get rid of macrame. I did some, I have too much yarn from it left and I think I'll just crochet a baskets from what I have left. I don't have more energy nor space to make more macrames 😂
Having storage space restrictions has definitely helped me reduce spending too! Knowing I only have space for x number of things for a hobby means I think through purchases a lot more (keeping better track of what paint colours etc I already have and only buying to fill the gaps so I don't buy things that are too similar because i only have the space for a smaller selection, only having space for storing everything for one project's stuff so i can only buy and work on one project at a time etc). The downside though is that having less space can also mean you hit the pitfall of buying organization tools so you can make better use of that reduced space, which can get out of hand pretty quickly
@MxchiefMaykr oh this one downside is easy! What I'm using to carry all of my supplies for knitting (not yarn)? An old makeup bag. What is my to-go pencil case with 90% of "most used" art supplies? Expensive, pretty make-up bag I got for free 😂 How am I dividing yarns? Tote bags! How am I dividing knitting projects? Reusable veggie bags that I own too many of (whoops)! For pencils (I have collection I'm not going to use in my lifetime) I store them in box from decorative cup, I don't even own this cup lol 😆 and other little pens, single crayons, coloured-led pencils: box that my fiancé's fancy socks came with! 😂 9/10 I'm reusing some package box, I even have years old tampon boxes that I'm keeping my makeup in 😆😆
The only thing I do bought are little trays from IKEA, beige ones, for shallow drawers, because I ran out of boxes at one point
I'm a bit late to this conversation, but wanted to add my input.
One additional way to both extend your time in the hobby as well as save money is essentially going "backwards" in your steps.
I am a fiber artist primarily. I also live paycheck to paycheck and can't afford the nice yarns. I also have sensory issues that mean I cant use acrylic fibers. And natural fibers are definitely more expensive.
For a long time, I carefully budgeted, bought from destashes, looked for clearance, etc.
But a couple years ago i started looking into spinning. Last year i got my first wheel. About six months ago i started dyeing as well.
And yes, those things *can* be costly, but they also dont have to be. I can get 2lbs of wool for $20. Spindles can be made out of a lot of things, including free wood outside. I used food coloring and vinegar as an acid dye, say $5 for that. And with those few things, i could spin an entire sweater's worth of yarn. For only around $30-40 total.
It definitely extends the amount of time before my finished product, but that's just more time spent enjoying my hobby and the process.
I know similar things can be done with other hobbies as well. Make your own paints. Go out into the woods and source your own wild clay. Make some paintbrushes. Make your own paper for a sketchbook or journal using stuff you'd otherwise throw away. Etc.
Sometimes you may need additional equipment, but a lot of even those can be made yourself as well, often from waste products themselves, or things can be obtained through thrift stores or things laying around your home or a neighbor's or whatever.
There is so much waste in part because we want the finished item, and want to get them in as few steps as possible. If you go "backwards" though, and start closer to the beginning of the process, not only do you save money, but it's more time in the hobby and IMO even more personal connection to the finished piece. It's so cool to be able to say "I made that" and be referring to every step in the process.
Shawna your videos are so comforting. Your messages and the way you deliver is like talking to a good friend. My favourite videos to watch right now
I used to dive head first into new hobbies for me to learn I didn’t really like it/it wasn’t for me. I figured out I was buying those items for a dopamine hit. Thanks for sharing! ❤
The thing that impacted me the most with my spending on my hobby was actually tracking how much I was spending. I ended up spending a year tracking exactly how much I was spending each month on my hobby. It was so eye-opening and a real wake up call. Even a few years later I still meticulously track my spending.
This is such an great topic! I have been guilty in the past of spending way too much on sewing and knitting. I was very decicated to these hobbies for decades, but after some major life changes - they are no longer right for me. I wanted to find a new hobby that brought me the same creative joy & kept me from emotional spending, but I was worried about spending too much to figure out a new hobby. After about a year of trying things out, I found that art journalling and paper craft is the perfect thing for me now. I love that it incorporates found materials and can be worked on in small pockets of time. I am taking your tiered spending approach to develop consistency before buying more high ticket items in the craft... and also getting excited about using stuff up instead of hoarding supplies (which is a real problem with yarn and fabric!)
Booktok was HORRIBLE for me when I was doing school online and depressed and having nothing else to do. I would scroll for hours, save hundreds of videos and go to the bookstore at least once a week to buy hundreds of dollars of books. I maxed out my credit card TWICE and drained my savings. It was the only thing I found happiness in for 2 years straight. Thankfully when school ended I was able to move and start fresh and force myself to stop buying after I realized how big of a pain in the ass it is to move over 300 books that I haven’t touched 😅I’ve started selling the ones I impulse bought because they were trendy and I know I won’t actually read and I’m sliming down my collection to just the books that make me happy
i've been painting for 5 years, i like to keep my paint stash limited to primary colors, black and white and some varnish, for sponges i use cheap ones and for mixing paints i use empty food containers, the thing i buy the most is what im going to paint (canvas, mdf and polymer clay to sculpt with), and i dont buy more stuff until my unpainted stuff is over, i find this system to be quite good. I also struggle with buying halloween decor all the time (my house is halloween themed, is my special interest), so i use my hobby to make my own custom halloween decor.
If you are talented and motivated even the cheap supplies can make magic for you❤❤❤
Really depends on the person. Hobbies are nothing but a form of consumerism for some people, but for me, the amount of joy my hobbies bring me has been worth every cent I’ve spent on them. My hobbies make me feel more relaxed, happy, regulated, and inspired. That is priceless.
And I’m doing just fine financially because I simply cut back in other areas of my life that I don’t care as much about (fashion, tech, going out, etc). It’s really just about knowing what your personal priorities are.
I've always been fluctuating between all kinds of hobbies and interests without being able to commit long time to anything so this video was definitely for me. It's been frustrating but recently easier to understand since getting an adhd diagnosis this year. This year I've noticed I've been collecting all kinds of arts and crafts supplies without using much of them. My goal for 2025 is to make some sort of inventory of all the supplies I actually own, hoping it'll slow down the "need" to buy new things. Also, I'm aiming for a low buy year, with maybe a small monthly budget to craft supplies, as I know a complete no buy would crash and burn so fast. I think a track record system would be a nice pairing for this, thank you for the tip! My free, easily accessible hobby is writing, journaling, poetry, fiction, stream of consciousness, you name it. My goal for 2025 is to write more, read more, make some progress in my writing skills and hopefully complete a poetry collection.
Also a tip for anyone: check out your local library if they have any supplies for the things you'd like to try! For example, in my town many libraries have sewing machines and sergers, 3D printers, musical instruments etc that you can loan for free.
I got into knitting/crochet in 2019 after college. I began buying a ton of yarn and never actually using it. I realized it was a problem when I’d go and spend money on yarn but not even have an idea on what I wanted to do with it. I had to stop buying yarn and actually begin working through what I bought and never used. I am still working through my stash from that period of time but I’m at least using it now.
This video was really great! About "tiered spending": Interestingly, if I ever see men in the sewing community, they are very often absolute beginners who already spent thousands of € to get the best and newest sewing machine and behave like with buying the machine, they've acquired the knowledge from decades of sewing. I've seen this so often now and it's exactly what you should NOT do. I used my mother's sewing machine from the seventies for several years before I bought a new one. I you can't borrow a machine, rather get an old cheap one that does not look super fancy because most people will only know which aspects of a sewing machine are most important for them after sewing for a few years.
I understand the urge to buy stuff for a new hobby so much - I see people who have been doing the hobby for many years and I want those cool gadgets etc., but it's just no use buying lots of tools or materials if you don't know that you will enjoy doing the hobby very regularly in the future.
I'm a nuerodiverse hobby hopper, and it can be really hard to let something go when I'm hyperfixating.
This year, I was hyperfixated on making wreaths with my family and I forced myself to practise the delay, conscious consumer and secondhand first rules in your [and others] videos.
Aside from the wreath rings, everything was either: already in the house, thrifted, or inherited. And I went out of my way to do the mental gymnastics of calculating how much we'd need so as to not over buy, even though it was all secondhand and cheap.
Honestly, this was the first time I hadn't bought the whole kit and caboodle of a craft or hobby without trying it out first 😅 and I know it's because this year I went through a whole bunch of no-buy months and conscious consumer exercises this year.
Another thing! Local second hand craft stores! My favorite if you don’t have a local store is Lucky DeLuxe Fabrics! They sell online as well as in person and are based out of CA! High quality materials for extremely cheap, great for picking up a new hobby affordable and sustainably
One of my hobbies is going to concerts. To cut down on how expensive that is, I go to a lot of more local, cheaper shows now. Also not buying merch at literally every single concert I go to. I get to scratch that concert itch without breaking the bank now, plus I get to support smaller artists. I try to only go to big expensive shows 2-3 times per year (if that) now.
This is one of my biggest problems was always buying merch after the show regardless of how much I like the artist. My 2024 resolution is to only buy merch if it's a very specific design I like for the very narrow list of bands I love love love
Sewing has totally been the same as you ^^" I got the sewing machine that was collecting dust in my grandma's attic. I sew maybe one or two articles of clothing a year, and I could do it by hand, but I'm fond of this machine, because my grandma has passed away since. We had a stormy relationship, but I remember her good sides each time I sew with this machine
About six years ago, I began to realise that my make up collection was getting out of control. Then I began to participate in the Project Pan movement, which encourages participants to "pan" (use up) products. Helped a lot!
Hi Shawna! Thank you for another great video. Here are some other recommendations I have to reduce costs:
The library may have hobby classes or hobby things that are available. My library loans sewing machines and other hobby items. They also have a maker space where people can come and use random things there like a 3-D printer.
Also, I work on a military base, and they have a lot of recreational stuff available from coolers to an RV that military and civilians can use (with a fee).
Lastly, something I’ve noticed that brings novelty or freshness into hobbies is inviting my friends into it. For example, I took tennis lessons for a month (which was fun). But not nearly as much fun as when I stopped the lessons and played twice a week with one of my friends.
I’m sure there are others but in my small city we have a place that is kind of like a craft supply thrift store. It’s a sliding scale pay what you can type of place. You can donate hobby supplies you don’t use to them as well. They also have classes and a weekly get together to work on projects. It’s super cool!
Let me just say first that green looks so good on you!
My spending is absolutely mostly because of hobbies! The most expensive hobby purchasing thing I did was buy so much stuff for cycling, only to realize that I am scared of cycling in the city and that I don't have access to any other place where it would be safe.
For me, I'm a Dungeons and Dragons player. I tried out the game at a local board game café before I invested in it. They had beginner nights, so I attended a few before I committed to joining a group. I did three nights before buying the handbook because it costs so much.
I also wanted to try out painting my minis. I bought a huge pack of weird ones last year, so I figured I'd jazz them up. Rather than invest in a whole bunch of new paint, I used the acrylics I had on hand. The only things I bought were some tiny brushes and a small thing of primer, which ended up being about $20.
I did end up getting a yearly subscription for D&D Beyond (it's an app), but only after using the free version for a month. Since I'm addicted to making characters virtually, it was worth the subscription. I did, however, realize it wasn't worth purchasing online versions of books since I own hard copies of the ones I really like.
I am also a yarn hoarder, and found out I'm an embroidery floss hoarder as well. I have been using up the yarn I already have by making blankets to donate to charity. The embroidery floss is being used for micro crocheting, since I love making stuffed animals, but they take up too much space.
My hobbies are drawing, reading, video games, and anime/manga. Interestingly, I never really had an issue with art supplies; I only buy something when it runs out or I have a specific project in mind. That said, I do still have a lot of supplies from design school. It's the one area I purposely never decluttered because I find unexpected uses for stuff I held on to.
Books, video games, and anime/manga, on other hand, did result in enormous tbr's/backlogs. I've set some rules for them, got to know my own preferences better, and I've learnt to be more picky. Over the years, I've managed to whittle down my tbr/backlog. I also got an ereader.
Along with rules, having a designated space you're not allowed to exceed helps a lot as well.
I also want to hike more, but I'm not allowed to buy shoes before I've actually done some hikes.
I like to sew since i was a teenager, but something that i noticed some years ago was the amount of unused fabric that i had. I stopped buying fabric and it actually helped me to feel more creative and finally do something with my stash. I'm still working on it, but i was able to do so many things including a new lining for my favorite backpack, some Christmas stuff and also pjs and gifts for my family. Be able to create new things with my old fabrics gave me more satisfaction than actually buying them so many years ago
I pick up a lot of hobbies, but most don't stick or are a one time thing, usually some sort of thing to decorate my home or something I can wear. Usually I dont buy a lot of things for it, just sticking to the one thing (like one diamond painting, or yarn colors for one embroidery) but sometimes, when I go to a specific store that sells hobby stuff for cheap, I get more than I actually use. That is something to stay mindful of I guess!
Some public libraries lend out hobby equipment or may have some on location that can be reserved. My local library has sewing machines and even a 3d printer.
Hobbies can definitely be consumerism. Been there done that several several times❤😂🎉
Growing up, as I was trying out different hobbies, I had a few rules: Are the supplies needed for this hobby easily accessible to me (i.e. cheap, available in real stores not just online), Have I had a previous experience with this hobby (i.e. a random field trip, class project, friend or family member are active with it), If I had no money would I still be able to pick up this hobby (i.e. getting things secondhand, for free,etc.), Do I enjoy it after 6 months?
While this isn't very set in stone, I noticed I gravitated towards things that don't require a lot of effort or extra supplies - reading, video editing, language learning, hiking, dancing, etc - but I also got into new hobbies like bullet journaling which is a comfort hobby to me and I justify spending more on pretty stickers and washi tapes as ''investing'' in myself and my mental health.
I don't spend as much as many people I see in influencer spaces, but it's still a lot for my budget and I'm slowly running out of space to stash all this stuff.
8:51 it’s absolutely possible to learn how to sew without many supplies. Start with the machine and do hems and alterations!
Me knitting with my Advent calendar yarn from a small dyer while watching this 😬
I always like the idea of the yarn advents but I don’t like surprises. LOVE seeing what people who get them make, though!
I love this video! I play viola and have for about 14 years. The instrument itself is very expensive, but you really don't have to replace things like the bow, strings, case, shoulder rest and rosin unless they break or wear out. I replace my strings every few years and I rehair my bow every six months or so. It is such a fun hobby!
For books i only allow myself to buy 1 book for every 2 i read, if i get books as gifts it counts as 1 book i bought, ever since i started that system i've spent way less money and read a lot more books! (also im way more picky with what i buy, since i plan to read that book more than once)
A friend of mine recently bought some blank wooden dolls and decorated them to look like his favourite characters. Immediately I wanted to do the same, and the thoughts of who I wanted to make started running away with me until I was considering buying at least 10 of the things.
Your videos gave me the ability to take a step back, think logically, and make a plan. I've decided that if take the time to draw out the designs for the dolls on paper, I can buy two and only two, and I can't get any more until I've fully decorated the ones I have.
Semi related comment ramblings: If you ever get around to revisiting the sewing want again, please don't go buy a new sewing machine lol. It's one of those things that gets into pricing tiers, you can get a kinda okay machine for $100, but there's also machines that cost more than a car. The price of a Bernina long arm quilter bundle actually left me speechless.
Get your hands on a secondhand or older & recently serviced machine (or buy an old one that says it works, and take it into a repair shop for a tuneup). Mine's from the mid 90's and I'm eventually going to repair an antique Singer I found that's from 1927. (You can also have less anxiety about accidentally breaking something in the machine or sewing over a needle) Also a fair warning - no matter how much you learn, the reality is that you'll almost always need to hand sew something on your projects XD
It's not one of the points in your video exactly, but to help myself not spend excess money on my sewing/cosplay hobby AND to not feel guilty about the endless hoard of notions/fabric/materials I own, I'm reducing my things down to my best/favorite tools and setting aside spares. I'll donate those to people who want to get into [hobby].
I'm scheming up a way to bundle things into starter kits or 'care package' type boxes that I can distribute to others for free. There's literally no reason one of my friends needs to spend money if I have more hand sewing needles (of literally every kind) than I will ever use in my life and good quality thread that I can definitely spare.
Part of my hobbies that were costing me unnecessary money was, much to my chagrin, trying to SAVE money actually. If I need a tool or a material, and it's something that I *could* save some money on but I really do want a specific one, I really just need to buy that one. I know myself enough that I'll get the cheaper one, not really like it, be unhappy or avoid using it, or have to put a lot of money or work into making it work like the wanted item. "Stop pretending I don't know my own habits" basically 😂
As an aside, Junk Journaling also offered me an out because I now spend time trimming down and saving labels/scrap paper instead of shopping, and all those random paper pieces I already kept for no reason have a purpose!
My machine is from late-80s/mid-90s too. Apparently my Nonno picked it up at some markets and I inheritedit from him. I love it! Its perfect for my beginner to moderate level sewing, not too complicated but solid as a rock. I just got an overlocker from 1999 too, its heading off to get serviced soon but it cost $100 off Facebook marketplace. Sewing is the type of hobby that can be very expensive or relatively inexpensive depending on how patient you can be.
I will say I have a fabric stash and 90% of it is for "someday when I'm better at sewing" 😅 but I'm working on throwing out the idea that I need to be a perfect seamstress to sew harder projects! The only way to improve is to try!! (And beg my mum to help me read a pattern 😂)
Your example about the calligraphy was really interesting to me, and is pretty much the opposite of the way I consider these types of things.
I obviously don't know what kind of marker you have, but that seems like a valid barrier to learning calligraphy. Sometimes, not having access to the right tools can make a hobby miserable; I thought I hated using markers, but it turns out I hate using water based crayola markers. Maybe I would hate crochet if I only tried it with terrible yarn. I don't think using a marker is going to give you an idea about whether you like calligraphy or not, because it's really not the same as a calligraphy pen. It's hard to know if you actually enjoy watercolors, if you've only ever used those terrible, chalky ones with the plastic brushes.
What works for me, is to give it an honest shot and then be real with myself if I like the idea of doing something, or actually doing it. I don't really like painting. I know that it's not a matter of materials- I don't like that I don't feel like I can put it down and come back to it, without the paint drying. And I don't like trying to mix specific colors. The best paint set in the world won't change that for me, so it doesn't make sense for me to get more paint supplies. I'd rather spend the money on hobbies I actually like.
Idk, I like to make my hobbies as easy and enjoyable as possible. It makes me more likely to do them, instead of easy things like playing video games or whatever. I just have to try and use what I already have first, and be real with myself about if I actually need something new or if it's just that it's shiny and new.
Actually, depending on the type of letters and the type of markers, they can be an amazing calligraphy tool. I taught calligraphy to design students and markers worked well for a lot of them. More difficult to control, but a flat brush can also be very good.
Your general point still stands though. Some work is better or made possible with proper tools.
@@d_d-b6s That's a fair point. I was picturing the crayola plastic nibbed markers lol. Forgot other types of markers exist.
Great comment! Shitty materials might be making some things harder or more boring, and like you said, not giving the activity a fair try
I teach watercolour, and I've learned to leave the first beginner-level lesson as "here's a blob of real watercolour, here's a sheet of decent paper, here's a decent brush, now just spend an hour playing around", because the difference between material grades is so extreme that people need to acclimatise.
@@Ineffaquibble I still remember when I was younger and tried to learn watercolour techniques with those chalky attrocities. ”:D It was horrible and made me feel like a failure. At least I eventually realized the problem was the medium.
I asked for an actual aquarelle set for a Christmas present when I was a teen, and I still got that same set. I’ve only bought some new single pans for it (after previous emptied).
Also agree on quality paper. It makes a huge difference.
I use quite cheap synthetic brushes, though. I know the natural brushes are able to hold more water but the difference isn’t a major one (to me) so I don’t really get the hype. I’ve gotten a couple such brushes as a gift, but I’ve never bought them myself. Besides, plenty of my synthetic brushes are over fifteen years old and still holding up great.
One way I've added novelty to my reading hobby is I read so many graphic novels this year which was totally new for me!
Shawna just teaching us how to have an adult perspective of hobbies… seriously revolutionary though. 💁🏼♀️
Ive been a quilter since 2020 and wouldn't have said i was the most concious crafter, ive impulse bought fabric and tools, i have a small storage unit in my office that is full of supplies and fabric but it is manageable and i love the things i have/enjoy using them up. That said, i went to a quilting convention 2 years ago and it completely shocked me, the volume of stuff people were buying, the amount being spent, the sort of frantic atmosphere in buying from the vendors , genuinely people walking around with thousands of pounds worth of fabric while the exhibition hall of all these beautiful quilts was almost empty . It was a big shock to me, put my hobby buying into perspective and made me so sure that i never wanted to participate in that sort of frantic overconsumption at the cost of actually engaging with the craft and other quilters
Sitting here watching while crocheting through my mum’s yarn stash.
Sewing is such a great hobby! I started off by making stuffed animals for my daughters and other kids in my family. Ive made a few clothing pieces, mended a bunch, and hemmed some curtains. Now my latest project is making cushions for my bar stools and dining room bench. You should buy a sewing machine! It can save you money over time for sure.
I was thinking yesterday that I’d love to see more on hobbies, some fab ideas here!
I used to crochet a lot and still have a ton of yarn. One of my goals is to lake it out of the moving boxes and display it. I'm not getting rid of it because it wont go bad. It'll be there when im ready to start crocheting again.
Many years ago, I thought I wanted to take up sewing. My mother never sewed, and I never took sewing in school. My cousin said she would teach me, and she bought her sewing machine over to my house. It only took a very short time until I realized that I hated sewing and there wasn't anyway that I was ever going to enjoy it. I was so happy that I tried it first before I spent the money on a machine.
I've been keeping limited supplies on newer hobbies and I'm proud of it, my yarn stash is on point! Looking at everything, my painting supplies category is the most expensive. I think it's a medium amount of stash. I think the most useful strategy is to actually reflect seriously on your own habits.
I'm a knitter. I started a new method last year of only using the cash back rewards from my credit card to fund my hobby. The monthly payout is not consistent, so I don't include it in my monthly budgets. Instead, I allow it to accumulate and then I use it for yarn. It does limit the amount of supplies I can purchase and forces me to decide if I really want something, but it also allows me to see the rewards build up over time. The waiting for the rewards to build up also gives me a great sense of delayed gratification.
For those looking to start with different art supplies, here are my recommendations on the best affordable ones (imo):
Acrylic: Liquitex (get red, blue, yellow, white, black, and brown)
Watercolor: Prang
Gouache: Artist's Loft (get same colors as acrylics)
Oil Pastels: Cray Pas Expressionist
Colored pencils: Crayola (Prismacolor Scholar if you don't want carpal tunnel)
Chalk pastel: Conte crayon matchbox set (add more colors if you like them!)
Alcohol based markers: Ohuhu
Water based markers: Crayola Super Tips
Ballpoint pens: bic roundstic
Fineliners: Micron (black, 0.5 and 0.8)
Paper crafting, junk journals and collage art…tons of STUFF! So many supplies!!!
i have the biggest issue where i find a new craft, researching it making sure i definitely want to do it, i buy a small amount of materials them really enjoy it so buy so much stuff for it then a few months later i pick up a new one and the cycle continues. thankfully once i found crochet a few years ago i haven't been as tempted to start new crafts and I'm just slowly working through all the materials I have bought for everything
my hobby spending is fine but watching to support the channel!
I have dumped SO much money into sewing…..mostly the fabric. I rationalize buying more fabric because instead of buying the clothing item I have pinned or saw online, I say to myself “oh I’ll make that for cheaper”. HUGE LIE! I’ve sewn ONE skirt that was cheaper than the one I wanted (from Reformation) and because I’m still sharpening my sewing skills it came out just ok. With the time it took me to source and buy the fabric, make the pattern and actually see the garment I would have just rather bought the higher quality skirt. It’s also a lie to “just buy fabric/sheets at the thrift store”. My local thrift stores have zero fabric like this because all the other sewing girlies in town buy it all up. But it doesn’t matter much because I have SO many yards of fabric waiting to get sewn it’s unreal. And it wasn’t until I started to take underconsumption a little more seriously that I stopped buying fabric. I also want to point out that sewing your own garments generally creates a lot of waste which was not something I realized until I started the hobby. Anyways, hobbies like sewing are glamorized as a more healthy alternative to shopping or buying fast fashion but it has its own pitfalls to deal with in the consumption realm imo
Sewing waste is so real!
I've seen ways to use scraps but it's really up to you whether you want to do that. Also yeah the idea that it's cheaper is a lie lol I think how a person feels about having lots of items reflects on how they do their hobbies. I hate having excess of stuff so a lot of my choices are intentional.
I took inventory of my yarn. Put it on a spreadsheet. Got shocked by the total snd stopping buying every yarn i thought was pretty.
One of the libraries I go to has book swaps. They also have puzzle pickups where you can check out puzzles for free.
I think it comes down to: do you enjoy doing the hobby or do you enjoy buying supplies or do you enjoy the research and learning of a new hobby? A new hobby doesn’t need to build skills or be useful in any way beyond being an enjoyable way you spend your free time. Example: puzzles, reading fiction, walking, bird watching, origami etc. Some hobbies require structured learning (sewing, painting, playing an instrument, cooking, photography, knitting etc) and it’s a matter of “do you enjoy planning lessons for your hobby” since all your early projects have to be skills building oriented - not about the final product.
Ohhhh noooo,……..you’re getting close to the line! *hiding my journal scrapbook supplies😢
I actually don’t spend enough on hobby’s and that’s my issue! I spend my money on random things to “ fill the void” even if it has no real rhyme or reason… but now I’m trying to jump back into hobbies, actually DOING SOMETHING, not just “ add to cart” be more mindful of what I buy and buy with reason and actually buy stuff so I can USE said stuff..
The two hobbies that have stuck for me over the years are crochet and gaming. Sales for yarn, steam and eshop sales and eBay are absolutely a part of the hobby itself. I love collecting for my stash and backlog and hoarding like a little goblin. Knowing I never pay full price makes me happy but I really have to reign it in. 😂
I was the kind who will buy all the things for a new hobby. But this year I stepped down to getting only the most essential things first but of good quality (not the most expensive at first) like a sewing machine, scissors etc. but fabric, embroidery floss of cheaper price. But not of low quality as many a times that can create frustration for beginners and we might end up giving up the hobby completely.
I also put a cap on 1 new hobby in a year and practicing as much as possible in a year.
Also giving a fixed budget for a hobby helps greatly.
Thanks for the video.
Even if you get a sewing machine, there's going to be times when you're going to have to hand sew.
Just keep hand-sewing as your barrier to entry. Sure, it's a time suck, but hand stitching can expand your skills in many other fiber arts. Basically, if you're not willing to be fussy about the details or the slow stuff- then purchasing a machine only because it goes faster doesn't mean you enjoy the craft.
You might be better off paying a taylor to custom or alter your fiber goods.
For me I have to complete the entire colouring book before I can buy another one and I colour them in order back to front as there are pages that just don’t appeal as much
I bought way too many running shoes at some point and now I calculate how much they cost me per kilometer and try to hit below 50c per km before I replace the shoes.
One benefit of being someone who perfers to knit and crochet with natural fibers is that they are expensive, so I can only spend about $100 a month on yarn which is roughly 3 skeins (300g) at my yarn store of choice. I
I have always considered myself a reader, even though my Goodreads doesn’t reflect it. A couple years ago, I realized I was buying a LOT more books than I tried to read throughout the year, so I went on a book buying ban on any books that weren’t related to pushing me towards the job I want to have. For these books, I can only buy 1 after I’ve read 3. This has been great to slow me down and appreciate the library I’ve built!
I wish I saw this video days ago - I have such an issue with buying yarn and while I’ve definitely been putting hours in I just have so much and can’t stop buying it!
I was the same! I got to the point where I HAD to set myself up with completing 3 projects to buy another, ie: knitting or crochet project, So I used up my stash 3 projects at a time, than felt I had mental permission to buy a sweater quality of yarn again…than another 3 projects…I still have a stash after a year of 3 to 1 buying splurge cast ons! 12 projects almost complete now, only 3 new items added! …So much yarn still but it’s moving in the right direction! Once I get down to the last 2-3 projects I’ll try to be one to one, or 2 to one etc…shopping for what I want to make, not building stash for just because…I’m years away still lol! ❤ Good luck!
I do spend money on my art hobby - but I also make myself use the stuff before I buy new stuff - and stick to only the brand / range I really love
My shopping vices have always been craft supplies, clothes and decor
Sing it, sister!
So I'm a planner girlie through a through. I love to write and journal and collage and document my life, especially since I have the memory of a bowl of cottage cheese and struggle with temporality (thanks ADHD). I also have spent - no word of lie - $50k since I graduated from college on this hobby. Did I forsake my bills to do this? No. Do I have no savings because of it? No. But I also don't have my own home, don't own my car outright, and have a significant amount of student loan debt that could have been addressed with that $50k. So now I'm framing 2025 as my year to "grow my creativity" by using what I have to get the aesthetics I like.
A lot of mid to large size cities have "libraries of things" as part of their public library system. You may be able to borrow things from there like a sewing machine, power washer, miscellaneous hobby and craft tools that might be very useful but not necessary to physically have on hand all the time. Borrowing is usually included with your membership. Worth a look if you want to try a new hobby or project!
I love that this exists! I don't think I have one near me but I'm still going to double check because you never know
Love this video Shawna! Totally relevant for me right now as I am a bit of a collector. 🌸
9:53 when you have practiced with someone else's sowing machine you could look online for secondhand ones. These machines do not change much, you don't need the latest version and older ones have often better quality
I got back into reading 2 years ago and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I haven’t spent ONE penny on books. You sometimes have to wait for holds at the library and that’s about it. Plus so many book communities online, easy to track and make goals, great icebreakers when you meet people reading the same books AND you can check out audiobooks and ebooks all free!