When we hear things about the year 2020, the first thing that comes to mind is probably something negative. What most people fail to see is that 2020 actually gives us an opportunity to take a step back from the chaos of our daily lives and simply take a break. On the other hand, being at home 24/7 causes something that many of us experience every day: boredom.

The first couple of months of quarantine were more eventful. With the last weeks of the school year taking place, students were occupied with tasks to do. But by the time summer came along, many were faced with the realization that they could not travel to spend their summer with loved ones out of town.

With feelings of frustration, impatience and longing creeping in, I knew that I needed to busy myself with a new hobby to lift my spirits. I was clueless at first. But as I reflected on the different things I could do, I remembered my love for crafts.

When I was younger, I became fond of making Rainbow Loom bracelets. A Rainbow Loom kit came with a loom tool and rubber bands. From little trinkets to keychains, and even bags and accessories, one can make so many different things with just rubber bands.

As I came to realize that crafts were something I enjoyed at one point in my life, I became interested in bigger projects. I still love the concept of creating bracelets and accessories that others can wear so I decided to try friendship bracelet making.

I felt immensely excited to learn with YouTube tutorials to guide me. On top of that, the only supplies that you need to make them are embroidery threads which aren’t expensive at all. If you’re interested in learning how to make these little trinkets, I recommend watching Kinsey B for the basics. Eventually, you can start to read patterns from a website called bracelet book.

Friendship bracelets

My favorite thing about making friendship bracelets is giving them out to my friends and family. Seeing how happy people get when they receive and wear my creations is a familiar feeling that I’ve come to love. And little did I know that the process of creating them helped me develop values like patience and persistence at the same time.

After months of working on friendship bracelets, I learned that many other things could be made with the same materials. The embroidery thread that you use to create friendship bracelets can also be used to embroider and cross-stitch. The only other things that you will need are needles and fabrics.

I am learning how to crochet. I am not a pro but it’s been a fun ride learning how to make different products. The materials needed to crochet are different but they are very affordable. You only need a crochet hook and some yarn to create plenty of different things.

If you are doubtful about learning different crafts, don’t be. They are simpler than you think and cheap as the materials can be used for various purposes. And with today’s easy-access technology, you can learn plenty of tips and tricks on the internet that can help you start and develop as a craftsperson.

The art and beauty of crafts is that you have the freedom to express yourself through them as they are entirely yours. The sky is the limit. —CONTRIBUTED