My Foray Into Other Needlecrafts - 4 Crafts You Can Try Too

Feather Charm
9 hours ago
6 min read

Hello Everyone!

Today I’m going to be talking about crafts other than crochet. I’m talking about knitting, sewing, embroidering and even cross stitch. Why? Well, this is an arts and crafts blog, after all, why wouldn’t I talk about needlecrafts? In all seriousness, I have tried other needlecrafts that I occasionally venture into and would like to develop, but I've not been able to just yet, after all, I’m a very busy woman, and I haven’t got all day (shoutout to those who know that reference…which might be all of you) but I do still give them a go, because why not. It’s always good to try something new.

Now, before I dive into things, you should know that not all of these crafts might appeal to you, and that’s ok. Just give it a try, and if it doesn’t work, then you can either sell the tools you bought, or donate them to charity. So, what are the needlecrafts I’ve tried, and which ones do I recommend? Read on and find out.

1. Knitting

For decades, knitting was seen as a “grandma” thing to do, but like crochet, the art of knitting is picking back up in young adults and teenagers. I don’t understand why people kept saying it’s a granny thing to do. It’s actually quite relaxing…most of the time, and it’s an easy craft to pick up. Yes, it might seem complicated at first, and instructions can get a bit confusing, but like crochet, once you understand the basics, and the terms they use, it’s so simple, and you can make so much with the skill.

I mean, who doesn’t want to tell their family and friends that they knitted their own sweater, and didn’t buy it from a shop? Who else wants to try and live sustainably, by making the things they want, with their own hands? Knitting is one of the needlecrafts I highly recommend trying out. In fact, if you become proficient enough in the skill, you can even knit a scarf with a pair of chopsticks or pencils. You don’t always need knitting needles (although I wouldn’t recommend that, especially for a beginner. You’ll want to learn how to do it first, with the right tools).

2. Sewing

Sewing is another craft I take up once in a while. Honestly, I would like to get better at it, so I can sew my own clothes together, and maybe make something out of the clothes I no longer wear, as well as use up all the fabric squares, I have in my storage bins. Sewing is another craft that I delve into from time to time. I don’t always practice, because (and this is one of the main reasons, if not the main reason) I don’t have any space to in my room or home to practice. The sewing machine I use is tucked away safely in my parents’ bedroom (because yes, I do still live with my parents – I haven’t had nor currently have enough money to move out), but every now and then, when I’m not busy with other things, I do break it out and give sewing another try.

Now, mind you, the things I sew together are simple pieces, small pouches and bags, test cushion covers and the like, but one day, I hope to start sewing my own clothes. Of course, it will take time, patience, research and a lot of practice to get there, but like with all crafts it’s never late to start. In fact, one of the best ways to start is by hand sewing, and while I haven’t started that yet, I will soon. If I can’t break out the sewing machine, I’ll give good old hand sewing a try, so that I can understand the intricacies of the craft, before understanding the intricacies of a sewing machine.

3. Embroidery

I think you know where this one came from. After all, embroidery is another form of hand sewing. Rather than patching up a torn piece of clothing, with another piece of fabric, you can decorate that tear with some embroidery. Make pretty little pictures to cover that glaring hole or that unsightly piece of fabric. Embroidery is another needlecraft that can help beautify your old and worn clothes, cushions, blankets and whatever other fabric pieces you have in your home. If you do learn how to embroider something, you’re tapping into one of the most ancient art forms known to womenkind. After all, embroidery has been around for centuries, millennia even, so join your ancestors in making beautiful pieces for your home.

Now, have I really delved into embroidery before? Not really. It’s a tricky art to master, and those who have mastered it, I applaud them. I don’t think I have the vision enough to make anything complicated, and any embroidery piece I do make may not be proportionate (since art and sketching isn’t my forte), but like with sewing, I hope to make my own embroidery pieces that I can hang up proudly on my wall, or even wear on my clothes, and like with sewing, it will take time, patience and practice.

4. Cross Stitch

This craft is something I do know about, and hope to, one day, master and make my own patterns for. Cross Stitch, like embroidery is a form of creating pictures, art and images that you create using a needle and thread, but instead of using different kinds of stitches, you simply make crosses across a canvas that fills in the space. It’s like pixel art, except, instead of colouring in a square, you fill in a square with a cross made with needle and thread. I’ve been practicing cross stitch for almost as long as I’ve been crocheting, and honestly, it’s one of my favourite pastimes. If I’m not crocheting, I’m cross stitching.

If you find hand sewing or embroidery too difficult to understand, try cross stitch. It’s much simpler, and you can still make beautiful scenes, images and samplers, to decorate your wall, your clothes, and your home décor, just like embroidery. It might not look as smooth as an embroidery piece, but it most certainly is eye catching, and if one is hanging on your wall, and guests take a closer look, they’ll be impressed by your tenacity and creativity, because it takes a lot of time and patience, to create a cross-stitch piece. Trust me! I took about 2 years to finish a piece for my mom, and she has hung it proudly by the front door, for everyone to see.

Give These Needlecrafts A Try

Ok, so I may be biased, but I do love the crafts that don’t need too many resources, or bulky machinery, as you can probably guess by now. Of course, it’s no wonder why, who wants to keep setting up a heavy piece of equipment (ok, so a sewing machine isn’t that heavy, but it gets tiring having to set it up and put it away), just to make a small pouch? I would suggest, before buying the tools, start with hand making things, with just a needle and thread (or yarn), and work your way up from there. I guarantee you’ll be fine.

Of course, if yarn crafts or needlecraft isn’t your thing, then give other crafts a go, like maybe painting, or jewellery making, or even clay art! That’s something my cousin has been getting into, although she hasn’t gotten far with it…who knows, I might give it a go later down the line. We’ll see. The point is, crafting something shouldn’t have to be a chore, but it should be something you should explore, because it may help you try to live more sustainably, instead of buying something from a shop that underpays for labour. Why buy mass produced, when you can make something unique for yourself? Ok, that’s a topic we’ll cover another time, when I’ve learned to be more self-sufficient myself. Regardless, take up a craft, you never know, it might just be something you’ll love to do.

Anyway, that’s it from me today, I’m going to go finish of another cross stitch pattern my mom’s commissioned from me. While I go do that, in the meantime, please don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, share and follow me, here on Feather’s Charm, on my YouTube channel, on my other social media channels (Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok), and on Patreon. Your support really helps me make more content like this, for you guys.