Raise your hand if you ever wanted to learn something new or sign up for an exciting hobby but time just wasn’t on your side. Well, you’re not on your own with that. A 2019 survey from the HBR reveals that from 2.5 million respondents, 80% answered that they did not have enough time on their hands to master all their daily tasks – let alone pursue a hobby.
Nevertheless, experts are now urging people to spend less time working and more time on hobbies.
It is simple to get caught up in our hectic routines in today’s world and forget to take time for ourselves. But picking up a new pastime can be really beneficial for our mental and physical well-being. One such pastime that has grown in popularity over time is sewing. It is soothing as well as being a useful talent to have.
The mental stimulation that comes with learning a new skill, like sewing, is one of the biggest benefits. Concentration, focus, and problem-solving abilities are necessary for sewing. When we participate in an activity that involves mentally challenging tasks, it can assist improve our mental abilities and maintain the sharpness of our minds. Additionally, it can help us feel better and reduce stress. Our sense of purpose and drive can be increased by the sense of accomplishment we feel after finishing a sewing project.
Additionally, a great technique to increase our hand-eye coordination and dexterity is sewing. Using our hands to manipulate the cloth and needle while sewing can assist to build stronger hand muscles and a better grip. Our hand-eye coordination can be improved by sewing, which also involves precision and accuracy. This can help us in various aspects of our lives.
The practical abilities we might pick up by taking up sewing as a hobby are another benefit. We can manufacture our own clothes, adjust them to fit us better, and even create home goods like tablecloths and curtains thanks to the ability to sew. In the long term, learning to sew can save us money because we can fix existing garments rather than buy new ones. It can also help us feel self-sufficient and independent.
Sewing can have social advantages in addition to its utilitarian benefits. Getting involved in a sewing group or club might help you meet new people who share your interests. It might be a way to meet people and create enduring friendships. Another way to exhibit our creativity and show off our individual flair is through sewing.
And finally, sewing is good for the environment. We may lessen our impact on the environment by sewing our garments because fast fashion is one of the largest sources of environmental pollution. We have the option to produce our own clothing out of sustainable and natural resources rather than purchasing clothing made in unethical conditions and synthetic fibres. Old clothes can be upcycled and transformed into new, lovely items with the help of sewing.
Our emotional and physical health, our practical abilities, our social life, and even the environment can all benefit from taking up a new pastime like sewing.
For Corina Costinas from Dublin, her hobby became her profession. “I never wanted to be a seamstress,” she tells The Circular, but now she cannot imagine doing anything else. Watch the documentary below to get inspired by Corina’s story and spend a day in the life with her.
