A NEW BREED OF HOBBIES

In recent years many people who have never previously attempted to create or make anything have started to 'have a go' at various crafts and hobbies. 

Spurred on by TV series such as Great British Bake Off and Kirstie's Handmade Britain, men and women have been making bread and cupcakes, trying their hand at embroidery, making things for the home and garden and much more. 

Also, people are discovering websites such as Pinterest which show literally thousands of pictures of hobbies & crafts with inspirational ideas and new things to try.

Colouring In

Next we have adult colouring books (which sounds rude but they're not) with pages graced by exotic images of jungles, cities or mythical creatures for you to colour in with colouring pencils or sharpies, creating the most beautiful pictures, but, more importantly, they are scientifically proven to relax and de-stress you.

     

Drawing and Cutting

Just recently, papercutting seems to have caught a lot of peoples imagination. You might use a template that you design, copy or buy, and, quite literally cut a pattern using a sharp knife on paper or card.
The list of  things you can make go from basic birthday cards or bookmarks,  to incredibly detailed artwork.
People have claimed this craft to be addictive, as well as mentally stimulating and relaxing.
Again, a search on Google or Pinterest reveals a plethora of ideas for you to try.

Drawing, Cutting and Crafting

Taking this simple idea just one step further, many people are now rediscovering the forgotten art of scrollsawing.
Modern scrollsaws are relatively inexpensive, some excellent machines are in the £100 -£200 bracket.
They allow you to take a piece of wood, attach a drawing or template, and simply 'cut out' the design. There is very little effort involved - the scrollsaw blade does all the cutting and you just guide the wood following the lines on the template. Once again, a relaxing and mentally stimulating pastime. Once you get started you realise its actually not all that difficult, and skills can be built up quickly with practise.

Hobbies have a Pinterest page of Projects for the Scrollsaw, which is designed to inspire you to create your own projects. You can easily trace patterns and ideas onto wood and cut them out to make things as diverse as childrens toys, jewellery stands, home and garden ornaments, Christmas decorations etc.
Here's just a few ideas of what various people have made with their scrollsaw.
The limit, as they say, is your own imagination.

 

Once you have cut the shapes out of the wood, the edges can be sanded smooth and the piece can be stained, painted and finished off with a lacquer or finishing oil.

 

There are some great ideas for things you can make as gifts or even Christmas presents. A present that has been handmade is much more impressive and appreciated than anything mass produced or shop bought !

  

And if you enjoy quirky or alternative things such as zombies for example, why not create a piece to enjoy yourself ?

 

Some childrens toys are great fun for any age of child, even the grown-up ones.

 

Create wall art for your home, get ideas from magazines or the internet.
Above all, be creative and enjoy trying new things !

Create a work of art with your scrollsaw and a little imagination

Ask woodworkers or crafters what their favourite scroll saw project is and an overwhelming majority will say Intarsia. Why? Because the craft of Intarsia is fun and easy to learn, requires very few materials, and offers an unlimited range of artistic projects that you’ll proudly display, give as cherished gifts, or even sell at craft fairs.

Intarsia is a woodworking technique using various shapes, sizes, & species of wood which are then fitted together to create a mosaic-like picture that has the illusion of depth. Intarsia is created through the selection of different types of wood, which uses their natural grain pattern and colour to create variations in the pattern, sometimes stain and dyes are used.

Books, such as the Big Book of Intarsia Woodworking or Intarsia Woodworking Projects show inspiring, beautiful designs, created with expert step-by-step instructions along with crisp, colourful photos, detailed patterns, and tips & techniques that guarantee success.

Here are some pages from the Big Book of Intarsia Woodworking which show just some of the inspiring projects from that book, and great examples of what can be achieved.

 

 

A great chart showing different woods, their colours and uses for the purposes of Intarsia can be seen on the Scrollsaw Woodworking & Crafts Magazine website.