As an aspiring professional and hardcore feminist, people always find it amusing that all my hobbies are rather domestic. This summer has been less about resume crafting and more about baking, sewing, and knitting. And I’m not ashamed. You see, these hobbies aren’t archaic and antifeminist. Rather, they’re calming, useful, and rather fun. If you’ve never tried your hand at cooking or DIY projects, allow me to share my experiences and hopefully pique your interest.
First piece of advice – be wary of Pinterest. Yes, it is the digital Martha Stewart, and it can fill you with excitement and hope for your DIY future. But once you realize you don’t own two feet of chicken wire nor half a yard of cerulean suede fabric, you tend to feel jealous and resentful of the successful pinners. By all means, use Pinterest for constructive inspiration. Just…proceed with caution.
Baking
Unlike my other two hobbies, I did quite a bit of baking during my first year at Notre Dame. Partially because I lived in the dorm with unarguably the best kitchens on campus (Go Lewis!) and partially because, well, I love food.
I became the girl on the fourth floor baking muffins at midnight, the girl who signed up for section snack three times per semester, the girl who spent half her flex points on canola oil and baking powder. I wrote earlier about my struggles making from-scratch cinnamon rolls, and believe me, I’ve made many more mistakes. From the time my boyfriend and I excitedly baked brownies but forgot the eggs, to letting the brown sugar crystallize so much I had to use a makeshift hammer to break it up. Still, I find baking to be strangely therapeutic. No one can resist a freshly baked treat and everyone has a smile reserved for the eager baker. Ready to make some friends? Baking’s the way to go. And you can always pad their waistlines instead of yours.
Chocolate chip cookies baked on a lazy Sunday morning at Notre Dame
Knitting
I’m the resident grandma of my friend group, and possibly all of Notre Dame. I’ve been known to knit during Freshman Seminar, sitting on benches in Debart before class, in the dining hall…everywhere. It’s a handy hobby that fits comfortably in a backpack or purse. It’s dirt cheap – all you need are needles and yarn, patterns are free all over the internet. Best of all, it’s unique. While everyone has their smartphone out in a waiting room, you can bust out your needles and calmly avoid the incredulous stares.
I got into knitting my sophomore year of high school, learning new stitches through internet tutorials and knitting magazines. Most of the scarves I wear in the winter, I’ve made. I’ve made a few hats, and even one sweater (which took three months). When I see fancy knit garments sold for outrageous retail prices, I scoff and think “I could knit that.” Often times, I can. If you’re interested, there are plenty of beginners guides and YouTube videos. For patterns, try www.knittingpatterncentral.com, my database of choice.
The sweater I knitted last summer, modeled by my lovely younger sister
Embroidery
As if I couldn’t get any more ancient, right? I know, I could just buy embroidered pillows and handbags from the store, but isn’t it much more satisfying to make it yourself? I picked up embroidery just this summer, the creative urge was insatiable and I just needed a new hobby. I strolled into JoAnn’s and picked up a plywood embroidery hoop, some cotton squares, and a bag of assorted floss (thick embroidery thread). I pretended to know what I was doing. Again, the internet proved my savior, and within a couple weeks I had a few decorative pillows under my belt. I’m not very good at sewing the pillows together, as I don’t have a machine and my hand sewing is messy at best, but the embroidery is a great way to keep my hands busy when I’m watching TV.
Embroidery is another easy hobby and is just as inexpensive as knitting. The stitches can be confusing at first (it took me two hours to tie a successful French knot!) but the effect is wholly rewarding. Adding a little beauty to plain things, isn’t that what DIY is all about?
My latest embroidery project, a multicolored peacock. This would later become a throw pillow.
Of course, DIY takes many forms. Friends of mine dabble in whittling and carpentry, others sew costumes, and still others design artisan cakes. But these are my adventures, and I’m looking forward to learning more and adding beauty to the world in my own small way.
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