Crafting is a booming business, says the Craft & Hobby Association, an organization of more than 6,000 companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of craft and hobby products.
The crafters with whom we talked said they enjoy crafting because it helps them relax, reduces stress and builds self-esteem. They learn how to do something constructive and it's fun to do something beyond the normal grind. We talked to three women who take craft classes in subjects with which they were unfamiliar, or which they had not pursued in years.
“I have not painted with oils for, well, since I was a kid, maybe a hundred years ago, or so it seems,” said Judy Russell. “I've been wanting to work with them again but they can be intimidating.”
When she saw a class offered at a small craft center, the dialysis and oncology social worker decided the time was right to learn.
“I really enjoyed the way (the instructor) showed us how to paint the things we can see, like clouds and trees,” said Russell, who also does needlework and more recently has worked with acrylics and pastels. “It didn't seem as intimidating, the way she taught oil painting.”
That is a good thing, says Sandy Dennis, the instructor. “People like to express themselves in various ways. Oil painting is a medium you can make changes in if you don't like something. You can get that softness in blending that you can't get
Calling painting “a healing process,” Dennis said, “Some people have a gift. They are born artists. Others learn painting techniques. When you teach someone step-by-step, it can be stressful at first but once you learn, it is very rewarding. I am in my own little world when I paint.”
Chris James took a beading class. She said it's something for which she's long had an interest. When she learned of the class offered at a nearby art studio, “I seized the opportunity,” she said.
James is a gifted artist. She draws, paints and sketches. “But I like to try different types of art and keep up on what is popular.”
Since taking the class, she has made her daughter a bracelet and necklace. “It isn't difficult, but it takes some skill. I enjoy combining various colors of beads and am always fascinated to see not only my creation, but those of the others in class.”
Beading was very popular in the 1960s, said Seaman, who makes her own glass beads. “Like all things, it lost its popularity for a while, but it has made a resurgence.”
People like it because it is accessible, she said. “Beading doesn't require a lot of skill until it comes to finishing off a piece, but you have to know how to read a pattern if that is what you enjoy.”
When Mary Wilder started noticing sweaters and other knits with 3-D flowers on them, she thought, “Gee, I like that and I think my mom and sisters would, too.”
Although she knitted several years ago, she never crocheted. “I always wanted to learn, but after the 70s it didn't seem that popular and I guess I lost interest.”
However, crocheting is one of the top 10 crafts, according to B.J. Grisez, education coordinator at Jo-Ann Etc., a craft store where Wilder decided to take a class.
“I thought if I didn't learn now, I might never figure it out,” said Wilder. “Besides, I wanted to know how to make those crocheted flowers for sweaters and things, and the only way I could do that is by learning how to crochet and read the directions in the first place.”
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