1-1-1: you need adult hobbies
read about how knitting changed my life (it's not as boring as it sounds, I promise) and how to choose a hobby of your own
february, 2025
edition 66.
I was in the shower brainstorming what to write about for this newsletter and I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the new community I am nurturing here in london. I had always seen craft nights and hobby nights plastered all over my pinterest and tiktok: girls in cute sweatshirts making clay oven-bake fridge magnets or baking together or having dinner parties. while the authenticity of social media is a topic best left for another time, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I wanted a life that looked similar, inauthentic or otherwise. so to be sitting here on a tuesday afternoon (with the sun shining in my eyeballs I might add!) talking about how I have a hobby group and do hobby night?! it’s almost like a weird manifestation.
I feel like hobbies and community building go hand in hand. on one hand, they’re both something that takes time and effort to nurture. hobbies are, more often than not, a skill. on the other hand, hobbies and communities can be so intertwined that the emergence of one leads to the other, or vice versa. in the case of knitting, the community came first and the hobby followed soon after.
a final note before I shut up and you can read my thoughts on hobbies: this substack edition is a little more conversational than the usual newsletters I write. I also love the idea that, because it’s in digital format, I can easily add pictures and links in the substack. is this something you enjoy? or do you prefer the straight newspaper style? please leave a comment below either way, I’d love to hear some input.
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you can expect one email from me every week containing:
one quote that has been inspiring me
one journal prompt
one piece of advice*
* = if you want to submit a question for my upcoming emails, you can find the form here.
podcast
there are tons of guest episodes on the podcast from 2024 that are worth checking out — listen to them here <3
one quote
“it’s easy for hobbies to turn into things we avoid because of the pressure we put on ourselves. but I promise, you have nothing to prove.
if you enjoy drawing, draw. it doesn’t have to be museum worthy. your baking doesn’t need to be master chef worthy every time you do it.
hobbies are hobbies because they make you happy and you enjoy doing them. there is no pressure for you to become a professional in everything you enjoy; enjoy it for the lack of pressure. try and let yourself participate in things without tying your worth to the final products.
if it makes you happy, anything that comes from that is worth it.”
— constellatedlove via tumblr, emphasis added
one journal prompt
what is your favourite activity or hobby, and why do you love it?
one piece of advice
“any advice on how start a new hobby?”
this is an old question from 2022 (which I can’t believe was three years ago now) but I thought answering a hobby-related question was appropriate based on my plans last night: hobby night at my friends house!
this week was the second iteration of hobby night and I can already say that it has changed my life for the better already. it came about because I became really interested in the fabric makeup of my sweaters a few months ago. I learned a lot about poly blends and natural fibers and, while I was out shopping, I was struggling to find something good quality in the price range I was looking at. cue: my interest in knitting. using my ever-present ‘how hard can it be?’ mindset, I recruited my knitting friends to take me to their favourite yarn and haberdashery shop where I picked up very basic needles and 100% wool blend yarn and set off making a hat.
well, my first project wasn’t a hat but a headband for me to wear during my trip to copenhagen (I wish I could have made the hat in time but I still cannot knit that fast) — see the cover art for my headband!
and now I am maybe 10 or so rows away from completing my first (second? does the headband really count?) project: a rollover beanie that I’m sure will be plastered on my instagram once it’s finished. the best part about my headband is that you won’t notice that I redid it multiple times, or that I accidentally added two extra rows when my yarn split and I got confused. the imperfections are what make the project mine and show something even more important: that I’m learning.
another few satisfying things about knitting is that there is no pressure for me to be good. there’s no expectation that I’m going to monetize this hobby. the process is the point of the hobby, not the finished piece.
this is actually my first ‘adult hobby’ in years. I say this and I emphasize hobby because social media has skewed our perception of what a hobby actually is: it’s something we do because we enjoy it. it’s not a side hustle or another quick and easy way to make money. it might not look like ‘skilling up’ or being applicable to our career paths (although it might). it’s not something we have to make a new instagram account to show off. it can be something just for us, the hobby do-er, to enjoy in our off hours.
knitting inspiration from my pinterest:
the Klara cardigan pattern from etsy
from pinterest with no source
from pinterest with no source, similar to this toast sweater that I have been eyeing
so here are some things I’d recommend if you’re looking to start a new hobby:
do I actually enjoy the process?
is it something I feel like I have to do every day, or is it something I can do when I feel inspired?
is there a community, mine or otherwise, that already exist around this hobby? can I enter this community at a low or no cost basis?
am I tracking my progress publicly or is this something that is just for me?
how do I feel after I do my hobby?
is this similar to something I enjoyed as a child? (more so that you can tap into your inner child, less that this is a criteria for a good hobby)
most importantly, is it screen free?
things that could be your next hobby, if you’re interested:
learning a new language (someone started taking a language placement course during hobby night last night!)
crafting: beading, knitting, crocheting, friendship bracelet making, air dry clay, etc
painting, drawing, doodling, sketching, etc
reading, book journaling
sewing or making/upcycling clothing
cozy gaming (jacey has so much good hobby stuff but I know her best from cozy gaming)
dancing, playing an instrument, singing
casual running and sports
and to end, a (very short) list of what I would consider hobbies, and why I don’t consider a few things I do ‘hobbies’:
knitting/crocheting (hobby)
reading (hobby)
playing old childhood games (hobby, but I prefer my screen-off hobbies)
social media and content creation — not a hobby because it’s about growth and monetization and external validation
studying — not a hobby because it’s not something I do to wind down and it’s something I feel like I have to do
watching youtube — not a hobby because theres’s no process to enjoy, each video is a stand-alone and for me, it falls within ‘consuming’ content
reading updates
currently reading: the life impossible by matt haig, into thin air by john krakauer
finished this week:
n/a
reading challenge: 9/50
if you want to keep up with my reading throughout the week, this is my goodreads :)
discount codes
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Runna: personalised running training plans — katieeu for 2 weeks free
lululemon: my current list of favourite things
enjoyed this edition?
until we meet again,
katie