Water Cooler: Get to work, with your hands

This era of working from home and virtual schooling has highlighted how much time, labor and learning are spent typing away in front of a computer screen. As important as computers have been to keep us connected during quarantine, their sedentary and carpel-tunnel-inducing nature can tend to leave a little something desired in our lives.

With a bit of quarantine and a stretch of winter left ahead of us in the Inland Northwest, it’s not a bad idea to start or rekindle a hobby that gets us working with our hands and creating personally satisfying projects.

Although the point is to get away from our computers, they make a great starting point for developing a new hobby. Online resources for hobbyist information and communities are plentiful and offer an incredible amount of free information. It is important to remember, however, that just about anyone can publish informational tutorials online with varying levels of expertise, so consulting multiple sources as well as published articles and books is the best way to get reliable information.

That said, YouTube is a great place to start out. Many people love sharing their journeys with hobbies online and can offer not only experience and advice, but also provide an incredibly helpful visual reference for tools, techniques and completed projects. It can also be a great way to browse through different types of hands-on hobbies before trying one. Here are a few videos for popular hobbies, but remember there’s a whole world out there with activities like jewelry making, glass blowing, bike restoration, crocheting, knitting, metal working, furniture restoration and much more.

Woodworking

“A Total Beginner’s Guide to Woodworking,” posted by Steve Ramsey – Woodworking for Mere Mortals – An introduction to woodworking for those who may be intrigued by woodworking, but have no idea what it actually entails or what tools are needed to get started. A fun discussion on what woodworking means to different types of “makers” and why people love it.

“Start Woodworking With Only $100 | A Beginner’s Tool Buying Guide,” posted by Woodbrew – Woodworkers always seem to have huge shops with walls full of tools, but this video will show you how to get started on a small budget and explore what projects can be completed with your new equipment. The young hosts show that woodworking can be a fulfilling hobby for people of all ages.

Sewing

“Sewing for Beginners – How to use a sewing machine – How to sew,” posted by Tock Custom – This video is essential for new sewers. It features one of the most affordable sewing machines available to consumers, the Singer Tradition. Tock Custom offers down-to-earth advice and is a great example of the diverse sewing community.

“Beginners Sewing Course – Day 1 – The Basics,” posted by Made to Sew – This video is part of a series with the nitty gritty, step-by-step advice that is needed for introducing beginners to the world of sewing.

Pottery

“Pottery at Home! Step 1: setting up,” posted by Pottery to the People – An introduction of the most basic pottery setup you could have at home, making what may seem like an out-of-reach hobby for those living in small spaces into an approachable art.

“Basics of Ceramics Clay Stages, Storage, Handbuilding Tools and Clean Up,” posted by Clay Corner Studio – Get a better understanding of the full process of creating pottery with details on techniques, materials and tools.