I remember people saying the same thing to me when I started knitting for my son as a new mother - “you should start a market stall!” Are you kidding? These things take tens of hours of work and love, and are in fact priceless. I’ve knitted gifts for people but that’s as far as it goes for me. 🥰
I’ve not seen hobbies and the joy of random fun spoken about so beautifully, I think ever? I’m with you on knitting wonky beanies - I’ve moved on to embroidery, ceramics, silver smithing at random times just for the fun of occupying my hands and focusing my brain on something that helps rest my brain from work and activism.
I really struggle to read a book and read soooo much less than last year but the hobbies and joy of connecting with strangers over sheer joy are a real pleasure I hadn’t felt since childhood, either. Thank you for this brilliant ode to hobbies and resistance to productivity for the sake of productivity, Yassmin!
Thank you for such a kind comment, Bénédicte ! Glad to hear we share the same love of wonky beanies and fun things to do with our hands. Now, silver-smithing - maybe that's what I should take up next! How hard was it to get into?
It’s such a joy to make wonky items for the process and relaxation, not the sales or the hustle!
Ooohh silver smithing is tricky but not too, too difficult to make small pieces, there are a few 2-3 hour workshops to start with making stacking rings for example, those are pretty affordable. I’ve just finished a 6 week course and that allowed me to make a pendant and some small stacking rings, though I’m not sure I’m patient enough for the amount of precision it requires! But then again… it does involve setting fire to metals and that’s pretty satisfying 👀
i loved this, especially how you've articulated the unconscious way we have become accustomed to viewing ourselves as human capital - it requires active resistance. hobbies for hobbies' sake! i am proud of my wonky crochet, moreso because of its spectacular mediocrity.
loveee the wonky crochet!! today, I am wearing a wonky skirt that I made out of harris tweed... the pocket is backwards (!) and I'm constantly itchy, but wouldn't have it any other way... :D
I remember people saying the same thing to me when I started knitting for my son as a new mother - “you should start a market stall!” Are you kidding? These things take tens of hours of work and love, and are in fact priceless. I’ve knitted gifts for people but that’s as far as it goes for me. 🥰
I’m with you 100% on this!
I’ve not seen hobbies and the joy of random fun spoken about so beautifully, I think ever? I’m with you on knitting wonky beanies - I’ve moved on to embroidery, ceramics, silver smithing at random times just for the fun of occupying my hands and focusing my brain on something that helps rest my brain from work and activism.
I really struggle to read a book and read soooo much less than last year but the hobbies and joy of connecting with strangers over sheer joy are a real pleasure I hadn’t felt since childhood, either. Thank you for this brilliant ode to hobbies and resistance to productivity for the sake of productivity, Yassmin!
Thank you for such a kind comment, Bénédicte ! Glad to hear we share the same love of wonky beanies and fun things to do with our hands. Now, silver-smithing - maybe that's what I should take up next! How hard was it to get into?
It’s such a joy to make wonky items for the process and relaxation, not the sales or the hustle!
Ooohh silver smithing is tricky but not too, too difficult to make small pieces, there are a few 2-3 hour workshops to start with making stacking rings for example, those are pretty affordable. I’ve just finished a 6 week course and that allowed me to make a pendant and some small stacking rings, though I’m not sure I’m patient enough for the amount of precision it requires! But then again… it does involve setting fire to metals and that’s pretty satisfying 👀
i loved this, especially how you've articulated the unconscious way we have become accustomed to viewing ourselves as human capital - it requires active resistance. hobbies for hobbies' sake! i am proud of my wonky crochet, moreso because of its spectacular mediocrity.
loveee the wonky crochet!! today, I am wearing a wonky skirt that I made out of harris tweed... the pocket is backwards (!) and I'm constantly itchy, but wouldn't have it any other way... :D
aspirational!
I need a hobby. 😆