I am, without a doubt, a cross stitcher. It’s my thing. But it isn’t the hobby I have. Sometimes, taking a break from cross stitch can be a great way of getting back your cross stitch inspiration. However, there are also other times, like injury, or simply bad eyesight that you might have to change up your hobby for a short period.
With January being National Hobby Month, we thought we’d go over some of the other hobbies that any cross stitcher would also be great at!
Blackwork
In our next year in cross stitch post from a few weeks back, we spoke about some of the biggest trends in cross stitch in the next year, and blackwork was right up there. Sharing many similarities with cross stitch, and being stitched on aida and linen, blackwork takes a very similar form but makes up images using repeating patterns of backstitch, rather than cross stitches. It might not be great if you’re suffering from injuries, but blackwork is sure to make its way into cross stitch patterns over the next few months, so you might want to get into it now.
Blackwork (link back to next year in cross stitch) https://lordlibidan.com/next-year-in-cross-stitch-2020/
In addition to blackwork, we also want to give a quick note to sashiko. Whilst it is very different to blackwork, its another embroidery that is really hitting it off at the moment, and worth checking out too!
Diamond Painting/5D Cross Stitch
5D cross stitch is a great example of a hobby similar to cross stitch, hence the name. Despite being called cross stitch, its actually just diamond painting. Using cross stitch patterns, or diamond painting kits, you place small beads or crystals on a grid. It looks very similar to cross stitch when completed, but doesn’t require as much movement from the wrist, which is great if you have a repetative strain injury!
Knitting & Crochet
Knitting, or its slightly more complicated sibling, crochet, is a fantastic hobby. It requires a fair bit of hand-eye coordination, but once you’ve picked up the first few stitches, its a simple case of repeating it. You can make real products using one color, or you can go fancy and make patterns in things. I personally knit hats for winter and something simple to pick up on a winter evening like knitting to while away as you watch TV is a great way of taking a break from cross stitch, whilst not straying too far away from needles and thread!
Sewing
Finally, I want to hit on sewing. I don’t mean embroidery here either, I mean sewing clothes or other objects. It might seem super far away from the world of cross stitch, but it really isn’t. You follow a pattern, use a needle, thread and cloth, and you have to think about spacing and placement of threads. It’s more hands-on, there is a steep learning curve, and you need a sewing machine (which isn’t cheap), but you can go on courses that give you the basics and get you ready to stitch up everything you can imagine! And while its no where near as stress free as cross stitch, its a fantastic hobby. The feeling of being about to use your sew clothes in the real world is something you just don’t get with cross stitch.
User Submitted Hobbies:
Water Colors/Painting – You can also paint onto your aida, which works a lot like printing on aida, giving you a great selection of fabric to use.
Weaving – A great way to start making textiles of your own!
Bobbin Lace – A super intricate lace technique that involves you swapping over ‘bobbins’ in different orders to build up a design.
Macrame – A knot based technique that looks a lot like lace once finished, but made out of standard string.
Redwork/Candlewicking – Similar to blackwork, but using just red threads, or pale thread with French knots.
Punched Needlework/Rug Hooking – You can use cross stitch patterns to make rugs.
Felted Wool – If you’re a fan of the stabbing method of cross stitch, this is similar, but you stab felt onto fabric to built up a 3D design.
Are there any hobbies you think we’ve missed? We’d love to hear what you think cross stitchers would be great at if they’d give it a go! Drop us a line below.
If full size clothing daunts you, try sewing dolls clothes. It’s fun, doesn’t take much fabric, is much faster than a full-size garment and it teaches you how to create the real deal when you’ve got your confidence up. DJ Requiem on Etsy has some great patterns that are simple to follow, and covers a variety of dolls (Monster High, Barbie etc). And you can give the clothes you make to any kids in your family or sell them.
Plus, you can hand-stitch them if you’re nervous about using the sewing machine. I love hand stitching. I have a sewing machine, but sewing it the old fashioned way is just so satisfying and rewarding.
Sewing smaller projects, like a table runner or napkins and placemats are not only fun and easy, but functional and fast.
I also draw, and Santa brought me a nice set of watercolors to play with. I’m excited to try using them not only for art, but to also paint my Aida cloth. I’ve done some beading, and rock painting, as well as knit and crochet. I’ve also made a couple of quilts in the past.
This year, in addition to trying to paint my Aida I want to do resin art, as well as a doll repaint to go with the clothes I’ve made.
There are 2 other hobbies I have that haven’t been mentioned. First is weaving. I use pin looms and small frame looms which are very inexpensive. They are also quite portable, and lots of things can be made with them. I also have a small rigid heddle that I use mostly for scarves and bags.
The second hobby I have is bobbin lace. While it looks complicated because of the many bobbins on the pillow, actually only four are used at a time. And there are only two basic moves with those four: a twist or a cross.
I’ve always wanted to try weaving, is it easy to get into?
Too easy. An inexpensive loom is the pin loom or a frame loom. And they are much more versital than one would think. Both types of looms have Facebook groups devoted to them. My favorite is the pin loom because it is so easy to take with me.
Great ideas for alternate needlework types! There are lots of types, aren’t there? A few more: 1) redwork, which is blackwork but with red thread/floss; 2) needlepoint, which is basically half cross stitches; 3) making rugs, which are either punched or hooked; 4) felted wool, which is done by punching wool into fabric; 5) punched needlework, similar to punched rugs but not all the area is worked; 6) plastic canvas projects, which are done in half cross stitches; 7) felt projects, which use felt, yarn or floss, and often sequins and/or beads; 8) macrame, which is hand-knotting; 9) embroidery, which uses various stitches; and 10) candlewicking, which is embroidery using light-colored thread/floss similar to blackwork and redwork, but often includes French knots. I’m sure there are more, though! 🙂 As always, a great post, and gives one lots to think about!!!
Never heard of candle wicking before! Sounds a bit like hell with all those French knots to me though 😛
The other ideas are ace though!
LOL!!!
Hi,
First of all, I disagree about sewing. I have cross stitched since I was a kid and recently started quilting. I love it and find it every bit as relaxing and stress free as cross stitch. The learning curve is not that steep at all. Most patterns are very detailed and easy to follow. And quilting is far more practical.
I have never hear of diamond painting being called 5D cross stitch. It is similar to perler beads that my daughter does.
And these are just a few options. Stitchers I know also enjoy running and working out, painting of all different types, woodwork, restoring antique vehicles, hunting and fishing, and many other things.
Ha! Maybe I’m just bad at sewing. 😛 I attempted to sew a shirt last week, it didn’t go well…
Have you sewed anything before? If not, or if you used a fabric and/or a seam type you’re not used to, you might try making a smaller practice piece with the same fabric and thread… Also, if it had a zipper, they can be challenging – in fact, when I sewed years ago, I ended up skipping the one zipper in the pattern (zipper in the top of the jumpsuit) by changing to buttons. Ha! 😉 I think I also changed that jumpsuit into two pieces… Hmmm.
Yeh, but it was a long time ago, and I thought it would be like riding a bike; it would all come back to me. It didn’t.
To be honest, it’s serviceable, but hardly a great show of skill.
I have done latch hook kits in the past, and saw a FB post recently of someone who had made her own bath mat from one of her existing cross stitch patterns.
I have a friend in the US who does Rug Hooking, which is slightly different to latch hooking. This is a “Pioneer” craft; they were making rugs to make their newly built homes more comfortable back in the 1600s when the first settlers arrived in the New World.
Latch hook is a great idea! It’s starting to become more popular at the moment too!
I think in the UK we call rug hooking, yarn hooking instead. I didn’t realize it was from 1600s America.