5 Hobbies to try this Spring
All of us here at Coco & Wolf are unashamedly longing for spring. It may be colourful and spring-like in the studio but the season’s cold spells have kept us firmly in winter’s embrace and now? We’re over it. It is time to awaken from the season of hibernation, I'm sure you will agree. With spring comes the glamourising of being overtly productive and spring cleaning everything within an inch of its life, but what about easing into the new season by doing something just for you?
We think spring’s natural sense of renewal lends itself particularly well to trying something new and today we’re sharing 5 hobbies to try this spring. And before any guilt creeps in let me tell you that hobbies are good for the soul and should absolutely not be cast to one side. Proven to relieve stress, help you find a new passion, hone skills and create new relationships, there’s little reason not to embrace a new pursuit this spring. Now you just need to pick one!
If you enjoy writing letters, cards & place names… Try calligraphy
When I was growing up, once a year, every year, my mum used to receive a beautifully hand written letter from an old work colleague. While I’m sure their content was incredibly interesting, I was, and still am, most in-awe of the calligraphy which adorned the paper. Who doesn’t appreciate good penmanship via a luxuriantly written gift tag, place name or envelope? Calligraphy is an incredibly relaxing hobby, which can be practiced easily at home with just a few tools, and the sense of satisfaction from creating beautiful lettering is hard to beat.
How? You will find many modern calligraphers such as Imogen Owen and Babooche Calligraphy offer online courses and you can also often find in-person courses at your local adult education centre.
If you want a bit of invigoration in your life… Embrace cold water swimming
We’ve waxed lyrical about the benefits of cold water swimming before and it’s not a flag we’re going to give up flying anytime soon. Proven to boost your immune system, improve circulation and give you a natural hit of endorphins which is great for improving mood, all while connecting with nature in a magical escape from modern living, cold water swimming is the outdoor hobby you didn’t know you needed.
How? Join a local swimming club or the Outdoor Swimming Society is a great way to stay safe and swim with fellow wild swimming enthusiasts. Please never partake in cold water swimming alone and always do so safely.
If you want to put down your phone… Start reading & join a book club
If you too are looking to cut down on screen time and include some escapism in your life I fully endorse embracing reading. I know it doesn’t sound particularly sexy but with a genre for everyone, free access through local libraries and the opportunity to socialise thanks to book clubs, in our opinion, reading is one of the easiest and best hobbies to adopt. My last book took me on a wonderful, mind-holiday to glorious Greece without going anywhere near an airport or spending a penny!
How? Join your local library first and foremost (did you know, authors and illustrators actually earn more every time someone borrows their books from a library vs. a sale through a platform like Amazon). Search local Facebook groups for book groups with similarly minded people. While reading is a solitary hobby, sharing the love of a book over a glass of something is a great way to socialise!
If you like crafting… Learn how to patchwork.
It will come as no surprise that patchwork has a very special place in our Coco & Wolf hearts! Anything that involves working with fabric is a fantastic hobby in our book, especially when it results in a beautiful creations, so if you’re a keen sewer or embroiderer, this is the perfect next endeavour. You don’t need much to start, a machine isn’t even essential. In fact, hand sewing is incredibly therapeutic and a wonderful way to slow down. If you’d like to make a Liberty patchwork, you know where to come for your fabric!
How? You can find plenty of online tutorials or scour your local charity shops for books. If you want a more comprehensive introduction try local haberdashery stores, they often have details of nearby lessons.
If you like gardening, growing & eating… Discover the world of preservation.
Generations before us often made the most of a bountiful harvest by preserving and we love that this hobby allows us to reduce food waste, spend some slow time in the kitchen and enjoy food at its peak flavour. You might want to learn about curing and smoking, fermentation, or making pickles, jams and jellies, there’s plenty of ways to preserve. Jars of preserved fruits and vegetables look beautiful on kitchen shelves and who isn’t thrilled with a jar of homemade chutney at Christmas? Definitely something to try!
How? Borrow a preservation book from your local library or book yourself onto an online course to learn the basics. I’ve just booked a ‘Preserve the Seasons’ course River with Cottage's food preservation expert Rachel de Thample.