Craft your way out of pandemic stress
Making something is a great way to distract yourself, even if just for a few minutes
If you haven’t already, it’s a good time to pick up a new craft. Making something is a great way to escape the stresses of everyday life, helping to distract you — even if just for a few minutes — from the reality of living in the midst of a pandemic.
Crafts like knitting keep our hands and minds busy and can be therapeutic, says Amelia Lyon, who owns Yarns Untangled, a knitting shop in Kensington Market.
It’s not uncommon for customers to come into the shop looking for ways to relax and de-stress, says Lyon, who has had customers stop in because a therapist or friend prescribed it. “It can help relax you, the repetitive action of your hands, the same one or two stitches over and over. Some days I get wound up and I realize it’s because I haven’t knit in a little while. I pick up my needles and calm right down.”
From knitting to folding origami or updating old furniture with paint, here are some crafts to help you pass the time and feel a little more relaxed — using stuff you probably have at home or can easily get at a local shop with curbside pickup.
Keep little hands occupied with origami
All you need is paper and a little patience to make simple origami creations. There are countless shapes to fold paper into; the paper crane may be the most well-known design of the age-old Japanese art. It’s a great craft to keep kids entertained and, as an added bonus, it requires minimal materials and makes very little mess.
Any type of paper can be cut into a square and used to fold origami, says Jocelyn Tamura, a student at the University of Toronto and member of UTFold, an origami club whose community projects include an origami program at the Hospital for Sick Children. Origami is a way for patients to relax, says Tamura, who hosts workshops that patients and their families can attend before or after appointments.
“It requires focus and distracts from any other thoughts or worries related to their hospital visit; it’s similar in some ways to meditation,” says Tamura. “Instead of focusing on the breath, we focus on the folds of the paper. It’s surprised me how much it can help young children, who may start off in a bad mood and leave far happier and calmer.”
If you don’t have origami paper on hand, it’s easy to make your own squares. A typical A4 size sheet of paper works perfectly. Help younger children get started by cutting paper into squares and try models beforehand to make sure the difficulty level is appropriate. Tamura recommends choosing simple models like animals and paper airplanes to start.
There are lots of how-to videos online but, for inspiration, look to Oriland, an online paper fantasyland of origami creations run by internationally recognized artists Katrin and Yuri Shumakov from Toronto. Learn origami, find 70-plus free design diagrams and instructions on basic folds. The couple have written over 30 books about origami and created more than 800 unique designs. Find supplies at the Paper Place.
Jump on dried flower trend
It’s no secret that flowers are a great pick-me-up, but fresh flowers don’t last forever, which could be one of the reasons dried flowers are making a comeback.
“Dried flower arrangements now make up about one-third of our business” says Shannon Whelan, a floral designer and owner of Euclid Farms in Toronto. “The idea of buying something that you can enjoy, and will also dry and last, definitely makes sense,” says Whelan. “If a bouquet doesn’t sell I can hang them upside down and dry them.”
It’s easy to do yourself. All you need are fresh flowers and string. After you’ve enjoyed the flowers, tie string around the stems and hang them upside down so they are spaced apart. Keep them out of direct sunlight and humidity, and leave them to dry until the base of the flower head is strong and brittle, about two to four weeks.
A good rule of thumb is to choose blooms with a woody stem and avoid flowers that hold a lot of water, like tulips, which have thick, watery stems that won’t dry well and end up mouldy, says Whelan. Opt for heartier stems like roses, hydrangea varieties like Annabelle, or eucalyptus.
Get creative arranging dried blooms in vases, jars or other containers that you have around the house. A quick search online will yield project ideas and video tutorials, from making a wreath to something as simple as filling a cloche with leftover dried flower heads. “People are buying gold hoops to use as wreath frames and only decorating one small portion of it, and it becomes this really interesting hanging element,” says Whelan.
Learn how to knit
Anyone can learn to knit, says Lyon of Yarns Untangled, which offers small-run, handdyed yarn suited to Toronto’s knitting and crochet community. “I have yet to find somebody that I can’t teach to knit, if they want to learn. It just takes the right combination of tools and the right teacher, video or instruction,” says Lyon, who learned to knit as a child.
Beginners should learn the basics by focusing on smaller projects like a mug cosy or coaster, before moving on to bigger projects like a sweater or blanket, says Lyon. “A lot of people start with a scarf, but these days we’ve been gently steering people away from that, because they take a really long time. The beginning of your project is going to look like you were learning, but by the end it will look smooth.”
Stick to an acrylic blend yarn when starting out; it’s inexpensive and a basic approachable material, says Lyon. She also steers beginners away from traditional straight needles to circular needles, which are more versatile and just as easy to use.
While the shop’s classes have been cancelled and weekly stitch nights have moved online due to COVID-19, Lyon recommends looking online for howto videos or books. “Once you know the basic stitch, you can make a scarf, a hat, all kinds of different things.”
Transform old furniture
Spring is a good time to get outside and start a paint project. Whether it’s an old chair or table in need of sprucing up, or painting terracotta pots — perfect for the kids — painting can be a relaxing and satisfying DIY.
“It’s wonderfully soothing to pick up a paintbrush,” says Annie Sloan, an artist and inventor of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. Her first flagship shop opened its doors in Toronto last spring.
“Finding a creative outlet can make a huge difference to one’s well-being during these worrying times. If you are able to get your hands on a tin, then now’s the time to start painting those walls or transforming a piece of furniture,” says Sloan.
If you’ve got a little leftover paint from a past project, try adding a stripe or two to jugs and vases, or stencil trays and tables: the simplest splashes of colour and pattern can breathe fresh life into your home and can also be a great way to keep children occupied.
Get creative with some fruit and vegetable printing. “It’s not just for potatoes,” says Sloan. “Try using some lemons, limes, peppers, okra or whatever you have available in the kitchen, to add some fun prints to napkins or an old tablecloth.”
Head to anniesloan.com for project ideas.