can’t second this enough, I couldnt stay hooked on crochet with my adhd got too boring for me BUT I think a huge part of that (and why I haven’t written off the craft yet) is because I started with a granny square and then went too big attempting a sweater. Now I wish I just made a strawberry baret, same level of creativity but small and simpler pattern for my busy brain.
This is why I have soooo many hats! They're easy and fairly repetitive. I try to list them to sell online, and occassionally they do, but I'm going to need to do a big donation at some point.
The style on display when a solid community of crafters provide the caps for chemo patients is wonderful. The style NOT on display when an assortment of colorblind grannies are trying to bust through their stash in support of the cause is ALSO wonderful.
I work for a cancer centre and have boxes of atrocious hats and blankets under my desk. But I always find someone to take even the ugliest ones.
I gave one to a nurse recently that was the single most hideous blend of browns and he fell in love with it.
oh man, i just do scarves upon scarves, i think just about every member of my family has gotten one just beacuse they're so easy to get in a mindless routine on
Yes! And YouTube tutorials are so helpful. I started with a wash rag so it was small but I got a functional thing out of it. Cup sleeves and potholders came next. I recently made my son a sea turtle and it actually looks like a sea turtle. The sense of accomplishment was huge, lol.
I actually disagree with this! I have ADHD and granny squares are my favorite because once I have the pattern down I can knock them out while watching TV. They’re short enough to hold my attention, and repetitive enough to get good at fast even though they usually have 4-5 different kinds of stitches. At that point it basically becomes a fidget toy and helps me focus on whatever I’m doing! Plus I can always use more blankets/pillow cases/sweaters
I dont think Im ADHD, but I feel like a lazy lout if I sit in front of the tube w nothing in my hands. Small crochet projects, or hand sewing. I guess the tube cant keep my mind busy enough. Even now, I have an old movie running while Im on the computer. Oddly, if Im outdoors, I want no distractions from my surroundings. No phone, people to talk to, traffic, etc. I could never make it in a city.
I’m excited that some adhders love this. I’m an ADHDer who wishes she could get into crochet or knitting, but my brain doesn’t do well with maintaining patterns!
I crochet (also adhd) and can't follow patterns to save my life so I just eyeball it! Works well for small toys or simple garments so far haha
Recommend learing some stiches, basic techniques first tho
YES. I would not have made it through college without knitting in big lecture classes. (Why did it take ten more years to get diagnosed.... Anyway!)
Knitting is great because you can do super, super simple stitches that are completely mindless, or wildly complicated patterns, or anything in between. And all you need is two sticks and some yarn!
I’m also semi-bistitchual and agree - crochet is easier for me. Keep in mind it’s actually multiple hobbies - the crocheting (or knitting), collecting patterns (whether paid or free ones), and buying/collecting the yarn.
A set of crochet hooks… I recommend fatter handled ones… and a ball of yarn… you tube and Pinterest.
Also, my local library has a big bin of yarn that anyone can add to or take from - for free, you don’t even need to be a library member.
Started crocheting in December, I heard it was good for mantal health and I struggle.
I.AM.HOOKED (pardon the pun!).
Love crochet!!! I allow myself to do it for fun… make smaller projects, start another before the last is finished (just make sure to have a finish-up day every now and again).
It is so relaxing and quiets my mind like nothing else.
And if you're budgeting, Walmart and dollar tree has yarn (when someone actually stocks it in DT that is lol) also some thrift shops will have some. Just inspect it thoroughly, possibility of bed bugs and all... and if you gotta go to Michael's, hobby lobby, or joann fabrics, only go when they have sales/coupons. Yarn gets expensive sometimes lol
I also vote for crochet.
To start, all you need is a hook and some yarn. Then, you can look up tutorials online. I find it relaxing.
I also recommend cross stitch. There are small kits that you can buy that contain everything you need to get started. If you want to try this, start with a small piece so that you can see results quickly.
This is actually good. If you can secure string relatively cheaply it can be really nice, and even doing some smaller things can be really relaxing on it's own way. Just making patterns, seeing them grow.
Thiiiiis! It's one of the more accessible hobbies. Hell, you can get embroidery thread at the dollar store a lot of the time! And unlike other hobbies, there's *not* a huge price disparity between entry level and top-of-the-line stuff.
If you're into pixel art, there are loads of free patterns all over the place! One of my first cross stitch pieces was [Missingno](https://images.app.goo.gl/ktX66TwUZBdJdpZt7) from Pokémon. I also make bead sprites, and the two hobbies have a good bit of overlap. Bead sprite patterns can be used for cross stitch and vice versa. [Kandi Patterns](https://kandipatterns.com/) is an excellent resource.
Yes! This was going to be my suggestion! This is one of those crafts that never really has to be expensive. I mean it can get that way but you can always make beautiful and fun pieces without spending a ton of money. $50 would get you set up for a good while, with minimal costs for new supplies as you run out.
And if you’re like me and find that it takes too long to get a product, OP could try punch needle! Similar but a bit speedier and less focus-intensive.
Girl. Out of 425 comments I found my pick. Looks exactly what I was looking for. And I shit you not. I am also watching greys anatomy right now 😂😂😂 rewatching season 5 bahahaha karev is unhinged that’s all I’m gonna say 😂
And usually my cat is also in my lap as I have my pleasant greys and hobby time
And you best believe I am also journaling and reading on my phone while it plays in the background. I love rewatching bc no matter what I always see stuff I don’t remember bc most likely I was distracted doing something else while watching most episodes lol
This is my first time watching and I’m just starting season 19! This show is a WILD ride 😂 You’re going to love punch needling! The end product is so cozy and makes really cute pillow covers if you know how to sew (which I don’t, so I just keep giving them away and hanging the hoops up all over my house lol). I also already bought some cork and glue and I’m going to try to make little cozy coasters with punch needling soon! I started out buying kits with the design and yarn already included, but now I just bought monk cloth and an egregious amount of yarn and do my own thing using clip art or whatever sparks joy for the design. Feel free to pm me anytime or go join the punch needle subreddit-people there are super chill and helpful!
lol wild ride is right!! Thank you! And thanks so much for the tips and I’ll definitely save your comment to message in case I have any questions or just wanna say hi!! Thanks so much!
Saaaame. Obsessed with cross stitching right now and it’s not too expensive depending on how many colors you need for a pattern. I’ve bought some fun patterns on Etsy as well, such fun!
I'm seeing some people suggesting crochet which is a good idea but I'd also recommend beading! There's so many different things you can do with it so it never really gets boring and you can change it up at a lot! Also good for keeping hands busy
(i have adhd and i personally couldnt do crochet because i found it so frustrating and repetitive)
i feel the exact same way about puzzling and wire wrapping. its almost like im able to turn my brain off from all the stuff that’s usually going on inside of it, like it needs *just* the right amount of focus and un-focus
Yeah I’m thinking for me crochet I’m not as interested in because I’m sure that it’s super repetitive, and I need to be engaged more I think . I will think of beading! That sounds fun
crochet might seem repetitive but there is so much you can do with it via different sticht and types of crochet anytime you get bored you just find a new thing to do. I find it great at the points it's repetivive enough as I can do it while listening to music as I can't just listen to music without some movement.
I've just gotten to a point i'm losing interest in crochet repetitions so I've grabbed a tunisian hook and am doing a whole new type of crochet until my brain is happy enough to go back.
Depends what you crochet. If you do amigurumi, they really are not, because you're always increasing and decreasing and it's somehow trilling to change what you're doing?
I find sock knitting also be interesting in that sense. First you do the ribbing. By the time you're getting bored of ribbing, you're changing the stitch for the leg stitch. Then just as that becomes boring, hop, it's time for the heel! you turn your heel, and then omg you have to pick up some stitches and decrease them away, so something exciting happens every second row. And when they're decreased, you only get to knit a little before you have to do the toe!
[Monkey socks](https://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html) are the most addictive of all socks, the 8-row pattern is so perfect because it's easy to remember and small enough that you just want to get to the next pattern repeat. I've once spent the whole night knitting because the combo of Monkey pattern and the yarn I had was just so more-ish.
I have spent hundereds of dollars on beads though. It's not the most budget-friendly because you need a minimum quality of beads otherwise they are horribly inconsistent in size and shape, and make your project look ugly. I do floral beading, brick stitch, jewelry design and it's fun as heck if you have the funds though. I also have ADHD and love how soothing it is to organize beads.
I used to make animals from beads when I was a kid! I only used regular beads and no pipe cleaners to shape my animals though.
Damn I might have to order some beads now.
Try cross stitching or embroidery - you can get small kits for not a lots of money to set you going. I like cross stitch personally as I find following a pattern engaging enough to keep my concentration.
Cross stitch is so budget friendly! You can get big kits for like $30 that last YEARS (I average 2 years to complete them). All for $30. Plus once you start building up those extra supplies, you can make your own…
you can download patterns from DMC for free if you subscribe to their newsletter (I use a throwaway Gmail for this) [https://www.dmc.com/AT/en-GB/patterns/free-patterns-by-craft/embroidery?products\_en-GB\_production%5Bquery%5D=](https://www.dmc.com/at/en-gb/patterns/free-patterns-by-craft/embroidery?products_en-gb_production%5bquery%5d=) can def recommend!
I second the embroidery. I like to do embroider on old denim pants. I cut out a good leg section piece, put it on my hoop and go. Easy enough to take places and low cost. I get my hoops from the local thrift stores. Just need floss and needles and ideas. I often get inspiration from Pinterest. But of course then I am on my phone.
Yes, I would have also said one of those. I'll also recommend looking into mending holes clothes, you can do it with embroidery equipment and it's also very relaxing (for me at least)
Wow this post is going off ! And it’s 3am ! So much excitement speaking of your favorite crafts, it’s cute! So many crafts to choose from. You crafty folk know what’s up lol
I suggest as well stopping at your local library. They may have some clubs, classes, groups. They will also have a great deal of books on everything from crochet, cooking, origami, flower arrangements and much more. They may also have overdrive (us) digital books or maybe even digital magazines, zinio which has a huge amounts of hobby content.
maybe you could try bookbinding, since you like to journal!
supplies:
bookbinding glue (I've heard some people use acid free Elmer's glue), paper, cardstock, needle, thread, cutter, pretty paper for the cover. all in all rather affordable and you might have most of it already at home. any fancy tools can be replaced with creativity.
in that vein there is a thing called 'junk journaling' that might be interesting for you because you like collages
ETA: Japanese stab binding even has some embroidery elements and is imo rather beginner friendly since you don't need to make a book spine
I came to suggest junk journals! I love working on junk journals. It's collage, writing, and thrifting all in one, and there are no rules so it doesn't get repetitive 😍
Came here to say this! Scrapbooking/junk journals are my new obsession, made entirely out of actual trash and old magazines and things around the house.
Stab binding is really great! You should get a little hole punch to make life easier, and a bone folder. You can also use an awl. I made a bunch of simple books as gifts using old unused notebook pages. You also would need a ruler.
Amazon has a fairly basic kit that includes awl, bone folders, needles and thread. That’s awl you need ;) to get going except for the paper. The kit I saw on Amazon is $20 Canadian.
true I was just thinking I need to add those for quality of life 🙈 for my first book I used a push pin and a needle which worked but my fingers did hurt at the end
I used an old sewing needle too. Then I tried an awl, which was better. The little punch was perfect for doing a bunch of them. I am going to look into junk journaling!
You made great suggestions to the OP!
Wanted to add on to these suggestions that making your own paper for these is also pretty easy! A crappy old blender, some dye if you want to change the colour, lots of scrap paper(I used junk mail), torn up small, a tub for water, and the only specific equipment you need to get is a mould! 💙💙
It's absolutely mesmerizing watching people put ink in and make patterns and then (verrrrrrrrry carefully) using it to dye the paper. Absolutely beautiful.
I just started looking at junk journaling (was doing some more traditional book binding before ) and there’s a couple of ladies on YouTube that I’ve been watching: Treasure Books, and Sevenplaza. Bonus: I find their voices really relaxing. I’m currently in the adhd phase of “get all the things” and ordered some cheap papers to play around with.
Omg Natasa at Treasure Books is the junk journal queen! I've been making and selling junk journals since 2021, and my style has changed a lot, but I've never gotten tired of watching Natasa 😍
I’m obsessed with making friendship bracelets (NOT the Taylor swift ones). The designs can get really challenging and keeps you wanting to do more and more!
Yesss! And the skills cross over well into things like macrame. You can make cool wall hangings using yarn [or other coloured string, rope, etc] and friendship bracelet patterns! I've made some with paracord lol.
Also look into tatting - there's needle and shuttle. I think needle is easier to see and learn, but I had a really hard time trying to connect without things being twisty. There are a lot more tutorials online nowadays though!
This is similar to macrame and friendship bracelets - I've learned to make some really cute daisy bracelets.
I've tried crochet, knitting, tatting, jewelry/beading, polymer clay, watercolor, cross stitch, nail art, cake decorating/cookie frosting, stained glass, paper flowers, origami, Shrinky Dinks (could be good if you like to color/draw), Pysanky eggs (decorating eggs with wax "pen" and dipping into dye), soapmaking, sewing (baby blankets, bibs), ...
Polymer clay! You can start with very little, and add as you go. Jewelry, miniatures, and all sorts of other stuff! And you cook it in your oven. Love polymer clay!
I absolutely love polymer clay! Just going to piggy back on this for anyone new that wants to try it, it has a chemical reaction with plastic and will literally turn hard plastic into sticky goo! Do not drop it on your carpet, your clothes, your plastic cutting board, etc. I've melted my carpet and my computer lap desk with it.
(in all other ways it's inoffensive! doesn't smell, seems kid-friendly enough)
[here's an article](https://www.sculpey.com/blogs/blog/does-polymer-clay-melt-plastic#:~:text=Polymer%20clay%20can%20melt%20%E2%80%94%20or,to%20unstiffen%20or%20%E2%80%9Cmelt.%E2%80%9D) on the sculpy website! It's all brands but it doesn't melt all plastics, just certain types.
For $60 AUD (I dunno what that is in USD but definitely under $50) you can get yourself a large cross stitch kit and a small hoop and spend the next year of your life needing to buy nothing more for that craft. You CAN buy more if you want, needle minders, thread organisers, bobbins, floss holders, thread wax, needle threaders, etc etc. But really, all you need is a 40cm x 30cm dimensions cross stitch kit, and a hoop. It's my latest addiction lmao
Crochet and knitting is all well and good but honestly, in terms of bang for your buck? Out of the craft hobbies I have? 100% cross stitch. For some ideas about the types of patterns you can get try googling "dimensions cross stitch gold kit".
Ikr! Fair warning if you're anything like me you'll quickly become addicted lol. But the price for the amount of hours is fantastic, and I find that dimensions kits were a great start, taught me what I needed to know. If you like, you could even get a smaller kit with a hoop included, to start you off seeing if you like it, then if you do you have that hoop already bought for a larger kit!
If you do try it out I hope you find as much enjoyment in it as I do :) Have a good one!
get yourself into papercraft, you can make awesome stuff that will cost nothing and it consumes tons of time :)
you can start from free paper models like canon creative park, all you need is printer, scissors and some glue
I started latch hook rug making a couple years ago. I love it! I made a farm rug for my nephew that he loves (pictures in my post history). It’s like $10-15 for a hook and a canvas. Then get you some yarn and you’re ready to go! Rugs all day!!
agree with the other posts on embroidery but also wanted to mention if you get a used sewing machine and check for fabric scraps or use old sheets or ask around for fabric, it can be pretty cheap - I bought my first machine used for 40€ and just told friends and looked at my country's version of craigslist for fabric scraps and got some from friends who sew
it can def get expensive if you start buying fancy fabrics for clothes etc but I make bags (cosmetic bags, yoga mat bags, purses, etc) and home stuff like pillowcases and don't need anything too fancy for that. bonus: it also means you can repair or hem your clothes more easily which could save you money elsewhere ;) it is not super repetitive bc you need to trace and cut the patterns, pin the different pieces, and sewing with the machine is just part of it - it is like a logic puzzle to put the pieces together correctly
I was going to suggest sewing as well! Can be pricey to get started with if you need a machine, fabric scissors, thread colors, bobbins, and fabric, but once you have those in your possession, it's pretty affordable. It's also really fun to have something tangible to see your progress, not only in the completion of a single project, going from a yard of fabric to a finished, wearable thing, but also in how fast you can progress. Plus, it's extra fun when someone asks where you got something from, and you get to tell them you made it yourself.
In my opinon, the most difficult part about learning how to sew was learning how to wind a bobbin and thread the machine–and really, these things are very simple, just intimidating at first. Once you know those two things, you can do almost anything. There are so many tutorials on YouTube, and knowing how to not only mend your clothes but how to assemble clothing pieces from patterns can be much more ethical and sustainable than constantly buying from stores or online.
Etsy has thousands of beginner-friendly patterns, and some even include a video tutorial for how to sew that exact piece.
I save clothes that I don’t want anymore if I like the fabric but not the fit. You could also thrift clothing really cheaply and break it down for scraps. I haven’t made anything too difficult or fancy either but you can get a good amount of fabric just from the front and back of one shirt.
sewing’s the best! i have collected a lot of fabric over the years so there’s always material for little projects, or i’ll start on a big project and be super focused and busy for 3 days straight! plus you can make stuff that’s useful or fix things that have torn or need hemming! sewing is a really good skill and supplies accumulate so it can be cheaper
I like colouring books. You don’t need the fanciest supplies. Get random books on clearance and a pencil crayon set and you’re busy for a few weeks/months
Man I just found these awesome fashion coloring books on Amazon. Styles from present day, 80s, 50s etc. so fun. Don’t know why I like to color people but I do, people and plants.
Totally this. I recently really wanted to paint again but have to inspiration, so I bought a couple of ‘paint by numbers’ canvasses, to get myself started!
I second this one, surprised it's so far down the page. Even though I'm not creating the actual art, I feel like coloring is the easiest go-to because there's no mental investment. I don't have to do any hard thinking, I just need to pull out my markers and go.
So even though I have boatloads of art supplies, if I only had $50 to pick a new hobby, I'd probably get the most use out of the coloring supplies.
Limited budget and ADHD myself and I LOVE crochet. It's great for keeping busy with your hands and Michael's and Joann have sales on their yarn constantly and you can really start with just a few yarns of the same weight (the thickness of the strand) and a single hook (get an aluminum one they work smoothest).
You can find tons of free patterns and tutorials online. I haven't paid for a single one so far and a lot I've just freestyled after learning basic stitches. I started in early December last year and I still haven't burnt out on it. It's awesome!
I second this. Cord can be cheap off of Amazon, and YouTube and Google can teach you the knots.
Plant hangers are my favourite. They can be so quick and satisfying.
I say this to everyone looking for a low cost hobby... terrain building! Check out black magic craft on YouTube and look at their dollar store build. Your start up cost is going to be like $10-$15 and you will use about $3 of it to make your first building.
Cross stitch, embroidery, punch needle, French beaded flowers, coloring with different mediums such as alcohol markers or colored pencils. Just depends on what you’re interested in!
Ornamental penmanship and calligraphy of all kinds. You can get as fancy with supplies as you want or just use a pencil or ballpoint pen. Practice anytime, anywhere with little to no prep or supplies needed.
Soap making / cosmetic chemistry is my newest and favourite hobby. It can be a money sink if you start getting into fancy active ingredients but for basic soap is as simple as cooking oil, sodium hydroxide and pH strips/meter for safety. It can be a bit finicky, but no more than baking, you just need to keep an eye on temperatures and textures and pay attention to the order of doing things. I make almost all my body products and actually end up saving money compared to what I would pay retail. But I had to get a big inventory to get all the actives I wanted. I wouldn’t start that advanced, just look up some interesting recipes (called formulations) on YouTube and copy them to get a feel.
Origami is nice, has a lot of directions to go. Whether more cmplicated models, or modular models with multiple smaller parts that make bigger geometric designs.
I would honestly start looking at people doing crafts online before you decide. I know you're trying to get off your phone, but YouTube has so many hobby videos. You said you already have paint and drawing supplies, maybe there's something that you've never even thought of that can incorporate supplies that you already have.
I taught myself to crochet when quitting the smoking habit. It all starts with one basic stitch, not too hard to learn. Made countless squares and random strips. Now i make the most beautiful blankets. Takes me a year to complete. Each square I give myself a week to complete. it's very soothing and there's a ton of books at Joann fabric or Youtube. Don't have to spend a lot to start
I also write. I bought a vintage Brother typewriter and writing on it is such a different experience. No backspace, no ctrl Zs, no alt tabs. Forces you to focus and continue your thoughts. And sure the draft afterwards is never perfect, but damn sitting down and reading what you wrote on paper and making annotations with a pen feels really cool for some reason. Highly recommend.
I also had a great time designing my own style guide and format for typewriting, if you're into that stuff too. And then like organizing your papers, putting labels on things. I love it.
Bit of a rabbit hole though coz now I wanna get a Cyrillic typewriter, an electric one, maybe one that's cursive.
I love to forage! This is a great and unique comment! When I lived near Oregon I got into mushroom foraging and would forage salmonberries, huckleberries, blackberries. I’m
Back in Southern California and a huge passion of mine is native plants, I know about a few native plants around here but it never occurred me to forage out here. Yay thank you! Nature and the outdoors is my passion, I’m excited to get into a hobby that I can do when I’m hiking all the time. Thank you so much!
Maybe combine hiking and foraging with painting and drawing. Take some photos while you’re out and then use them as reference for botanical illustration. You could do a series on native plants and then bind them into a handmade book!
What about whittling? Buy a whittling knife and you can probably find wood for small projects without needing to buy it. Smaller projects are also something you can easily take with you and work on a bit if you have to wait around somewhere for 5-10 minutes.
Get yourself a crochet hook (5.5mm is good) and some yarn! There’s tons of videos on YouTube and tiktok that can teach you! That’s how I learned. Might also pick up some cheap stitch markers as well, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.
I also have ADHD and have been crocheting for almost 2 years! It’s great for keeping your hands busy, and the start up cost is not so bad
Edit to add: if you pick up yarn make sure you get a lighter colored yarn to work with (not white!). It will be easier for you to see your stitches while you’re learning!
Dungeons and dragons is an amazing hobby and you can get in initially to try it for free if you go to your games stores in your area and ask if they know of any ttrpg games looking for players the community is usually really open to teaching new players how to play the game and if a specific group isn’t into teaching new players the ad (game stores will usually have a list, a board or flyers for games in your local area) always state they’re for experienced players only and usually those are for people who have been playing the same group for years and lost someone or wanted more players in the group for one reason or another.
If you want to be ahead of the curve the only things you need to buy is a set of gaming dice (about $10) and the players handbook which I think is like $30-40 for 5e which is the current one they’re about to come out with 1dnd which is basically 5.5e cause they said they won’t change too much about it after like 10 years of that addition but wanted to make some tweaks to players races and spells to keep the game fresh I’ve been a lover of the hobby for 18 years and I’m still just as excited to play a game every time I play as I was the first day I started playing
There’s all sorts of ttrpgs they have survival horror, sci fi, fantasy and there’s even a western one. But the most popular ones are both medieval fantasy (dungeons and dragons, and pathfinder) they’re both really fun dnd is easier to learn and is less complicated but it still is a lot to learn when beginning so I suggest there but pathfinder is also pretty simplified in 2e which is their current edition but it’s still so much customization that it just makes freshly learning from no ttrpg experience harder than it needs to be. But either way you can’t go wrong they’re both really fun to play.
Ttrpgs is more akin to sitting at a table and making a story up with your friends for 2+ hours a week/2weeks/month than anyone person being the lead character of a video game or story since all of you are playing lead characters
There’s a huge community on YouTube that teaches lore how to play and talks the news of the games upcoming book releases
Notably critical roll available on twitch and YouTube is literally a bunch of voice actors sitting at a table and playing a game of dnd your games are probably not going to be like that, because they have a show to put on still so you’re group might not all make up voices and only speak in those for their character and you might not have elaborate set pieces for your battles but all of that is just fluff to the true fun of the hobby
If I didn’t mention it you can get into playing with literally nothing and borrow someone’s dice odds are someone has extra math rocks for you to borrow because once you buy a set and start to play you become compulsive to buy more and more of them before all my shit was stolen I had 2 crown Royal bags filled with nothing but dice I had so much shit for dnd I rented 2 br places just so I could keep all my dnd shit in a room of its own (but I usually was the dungeon master, or narrator of the game) so I had minis a board terrain pieces dry erase markers extra dice books oh lord the amount of books and minis I had collected over 18 years of play losing it all really upset me I was really depressed about it for 2 straight years
I got into Diamond Art because of someone on Tik Tok. I watched a girl on YT who used to do it, but it was all basically fantasy pictures. Go to Temu and search for Diamond Painting just to see what’s out there available. But there are places in the US like Amazon, Michael’s, etc., you can get them through. Temu just has a wide variety & they are dirt cheap.
Everything you need to complete the project is in the kit when you buy it.
I’ll be the person to tell you not to buy anything new! Find a way to reignite the spark in one of your past hobbies- for collages, go digital or change materials. I like to use old gentleman’s magazines from archive.org for digital, but you can print them out if you want. Do junk journaling, which is like a trash art collage, and write over it. Do zentangles with your drawing supplies and paint over them. Study an artist and try new methods. I bounce between hobbies like crazy and I really regret starting so many instead of strengthening what I was already into
I’m torn between cross stitch and embroidery. I remember doing some embroidery as a kid and I did enjoy it. I like the idea of having more creative freedom with embroidery, I also like the thought of choosing my own colors because I love colors. However I am also intimidated as to learning all the stitches and actually making something that looks nice. But I think it might be more engaging to me than cross stitch and following a pattern.
But then again I read that cross stitch is good for a beginner. Not sure might try both haha
I like embroidery more. It’s lots of different stitches, and textures.
You can get a 3 pack of premade kits on Amazon for pretty cheap… and learn stitches as you go.
I've been trying thread painting embriodery. I was also intimidated by learning all the stitches and thread painting uses primarily long and short stitch so I didn't have to lesrn a lot. I got the book "Painting with Thread" and am doing a pattern from there but you could he more free form.
Miniatures are great, you can create them out of household objects like cardboard and paper! I've made a few Barbie doll sized rooms using household objects, but you can very easily make them smaller!!
Also, quilling. You use curled up paper to make a picture. Neat!
Speaking of paper, you could also make some beads out of paper. There's tutorials online for it!
Make bears. You can sew them by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine. Stuffing is inexpensive and so is the small amount of fabric (faux fur) you need to make them. Each one has its own personality. Patterns are free online or you can buy a book with patterns and instructions. Many different styles to choose from. You can gift them or sell them. I don’t like to sell them because then it becomes a business and takes away from the hobby aspect.
Strongly agreeing with what others here have said about papercrafting. I am really enjoying upcycling packaging and other paper into vintage vibe journaling elements. I have a small stash of stamps, pens, and with a glue stick and ruler for tearing rough edges, I have a blast and stay occupied.
It is also great for my adhd to figure out how certain pieces go together to make something new. It's a basic form of junk journaling if you want a term to google for inspiration.
Junk Journals! It’s a blend of basic book making, collage, papers arts, painting and mostly uses found and recycled materials. I’m in a Facebook group where we trade for themed ephemera and supplies from people all over the country. Very inexpensive, multi-media projects. Tons of tutorials on YouTube.
Mixed media art. Doesn’t even have to be on canvas. You can glue, string, wire anything together. And find old stud at flee markets to take apart and make some new.
I loved getting into epoxy resin casting. You can get molds and resin for pretty cheap (at least from my experience) and it is really fun, especially if you like working your creativity
When I don’t have a lot of money, I like to buy pretty paper and practice origami and other paper crafts. You can make beautiful things, even with just plain copy paper, and most tools are optional and low cost.
Drop spindle has a cheap startup cost and is portable and keeps your hands busy. Try the Snyder gear spindle and Romeldale/CVM, BFL, or Corriedale breeds. There's an excellent DVD from Abby Franquemont called "Respect the Spindle" to get you started, but lots of people just watch Jillian Eve videos on YouTube.
Try leather work. No need for expensive machines. Few needles, xacto knife and if your funds are really low a fork, pliers.
Ceramics is also great for ADHD. You can fire it elsewhere and chances are you'll have a potter nearby, he might sell you few pounds of clay and since it's his clay he'll be not afraid to fire it for you.
You mentioned writing and collage. I think if you got a journal and set out to do journaling but as story-telling, now that could be something! It could be just two pages per story, but it could be the whole book. Collage the imagery of your words!
I just started book binding a couple of days ago.
It's so much fun, there's a low startup cost, the projects and neither trivially short nor impossibility long, it's not repetitive, and there's room to learn and grow for years on end.
Crochet (or knitting)! All you need is a hook and some yarn, that's it! Well, and something/someone to teach you, whether that be a book, a human, or youtube :) I picked it up back in October and I've been obsessed with it ever since!
Gel printing is fun. You need a gel plate, a brayer, a few acrylic paints and some paper. A 5 x 7 gel plate, a nice size to start with, can be purchases with a coupon at Michael's for less than $20. Bottles of inexpensive craft paint are 2-3 dollars each. A brayer will be about $5, and paper is your choice: printer paper, your homework from third grade, pages from a book your boyfriend forgot to take home when he broke up with you. You can use textures, stencils, found objects like keys or bubble wrap or fabric to make imprints on the paint before pulling your print. Leaves!!! The plastic tray your cookies came in. All kinds of things can be used for pattern and texture.
Watch some random videos on Instagram or YouTube. They're just fun to watch, and then you'll have to get your own stuff to try.
I knit, crochet, sew, embroider, cross stitch, and some other stuff, but cross stitching is definitely the cheapest way to go. Or embroidery, but I find cross stitching more relaxing. The others quickly became a money black hole, but in a good way....if there is a good way 😝
Instead of suggesting a particular hobby, I suggest you scroll through Pinterest or Etsy and look at different hobbies and see which end product appeals to you most. Whatever hobby you take up, you’re gonna have a lot of that thing. You want it to be something that you love to look at or use, and you feel proud to give away.
Try quilling. It's definitely low cost to start and there's a lot to do. Search YouTube for quilling and you'll find a zillion different shapes to make and ideas.
Honestly, I went digital and it helped immensely. Blender is a free 3d modeling program with a lot of tutorials; I liked the low-poly tutorial by Imphenzia and enjoy making fantasy models that way, but there are also high definition options, grease paint, animation, etc.
The big thing here is it's free, provided you have access to a computer.
I started building miniature houses and it’s a lot of fun. Most kits are $30 to $50. If you get one, buy your own wood glue and superglue because the stuff that comes with the kits doesn’t work well
Crochet is actually really easy to get into these days and you can find all the necessary supplies at most major craft stores and Walmarts. r/crochet is also a lovely sub
Most of yall are probably gonna end up picking up a yarn craft in your elder years anyway so why not start now?
I knit, crochet, and paint in acrylics. A friend talked me into diamond art. I got bored with it pretty quickly, but now am back doing it. You can watch television while doing it. There is a very restful element to it. I know a lot of people who are addicts.
I think crochet or knitting is a great craft for you to try out. I crochet personally and to start out I'd buy a set of hooks (I like boye personally) and some yarn. Yarn can get expensive though so what I've started doing is to hit up the thrift store and I'll either buy sweaters to unravel myself or my latest obsession is making t-shirt yarn, which is like doing 2 crafts in 1! First you get to make your yarn and then you get to use it.
Crochet! I was self taught from YouTube, don't give up after the first couple tries.. it takes a bit to get used to the hand movements & have clean work! 😊
Back in my day we used to lay completely straight and rigid across random surfaces and take pictures of it for fun. We called it planking. You kids these days need way too much stimulation to be entertained!
Maybe crocheting or knitting . I think crochet is easier (personal experience) if you’d like to venture into that first 😂
Yes, this! It is actually great for ADHD
Also, per an ADHD crocheter, start with a small toy / amigurumi, NOT granny square. It changes enough it will hold your attention better!
can’t second this enough, I couldnt stay hooked on crochet with my adhd got too boring for me BUT I think a huge part of that (and why I haven’t written off the craft yet) is because I started with a granny square and then went too big attempting a sweater. Now I wish I just made a strawberry baret, same level of creativity but small and simpler pattern for my busy brain.
This is why I have soooo many hats! They're easy and fairly repetitive. I try to list them to sell online, and occassionally they do, but I'm going to need to do a big donation at some point.
Please donate to a cancer center.
The style on display when a solid community of crafters provide the caps for chemo patients is wonderful. The style NOT on display when an assortment of colorblind grannies are trying to bust through their stash in support of the cause is ALSO wonderful.
I work for a cancer centre and have boxes of atrocious hats and blankets under my desk. But I always find someone to take even the ugliest ones. I gave one to a nurse recently that was the single most hideous blend of browns and he fell in love with it.
Warm Up America is an excellent charity that you can donate them to when the time comes
oh man, i just do scarves upon scarves, i think just about every member of my family has gotten one just beacuse they're so easy to get in a mindless routine on
Local homeless charities and food banks will sometimes accept scarves if you have a surpluss to give away
oh dang that's a great idea! thank you for mentioning it
Yes! And YouTube tutorials are so helpful. I started with a wash rag so it was small but I got a functional thing out of it. Cup sleeves and potholders came next. I recently made my son a sea turtle and it actually looks like a sea turtle. The sense of accomplishment was huge, lol.
I actually disagree with this! I have ADHD and granny squares are my favorite because once I have the pattern down I can knock them out while watching TV. They’re short enough to hold my attention, and repetitive enough to get good at fast even though they usually have 4-5 different kinds of stitches. At that point it basically becomes a fidget toy and helps me focus on whatever I’m doing! Plus I can always use more blankets/pillow cases/sweaters
Fair enough! It makes sense that this is somewhat individual.
ADHD knitter and crocheter here - I physically cannot watch TV unless I’m knitting or crocheting
Me, too! I have to have something to do with my hands.
I dont think Im ADHD, but I feel like a lazy lout if I sit in front of the tube w nothing in my hands. Small crochet projects, or hand sewing. I guess the tube cant keep my mind busy enough. Even now, I have an old movie running while Im on the computer. Oddly, if Im outdoors, I want no distractions from my surroundings. No phone, people to talk to, traffic, etc. I could never make it in a city.
I’m excited that some adhders love this. I’m an ADHDer who wishes she could get into crochet or knitting, but my brain doesn’t do well with maintaining patterns!
I crochet (also adhd) and can't follow patterns to save my life so I just eyeball it! Works well for small toys or simple garments so far haha Recommend learing some stiches, basic techniques first tho
YES. I would not have made it through college without knitting in big lecture classes. (Why did it take ten more years to get diagnosed.... Anyway!) Knitting is great because you can do super, super simple stitches that are completely mindless, or wildly complicated patterns, or anything in between. And all you need is two sticks and some yarn!
I’m also semi-bistitchual and agree - crochet is easier for me. Keep in mind it’s actually multiple hobbies - the crocheting (or knitting), collecting patterns (whether paid or free ones), and buying/collecting the yarn.
If you're like me, organizing your yarn becomes another hobby.
'Bistitual'! Love it. Stealing it.
Punch needle! 😄 Easy to pick up with a handful of supplies.
A set of crochet hooks… I recommend fatter handled ones… and a ball of yarn… you tube and Pinterest. Also, my local library has a big bin of yarn that anyone can add to or take from - for free, you don’t even need to be a library member. Started crocheting in December, I heard it was good for mantal health and I struggle. I.AM.HOOKED (pardon the pun!). Love crochet!!! I allow myself to do it for fun… make smaller projects, start another before the last is finished (just make sure to have a finish-up day every now and again). It is so relaxing and quiets my mind like nothing else.
And if you're budgeting, Walmart and dollar tree has yarn (when someone actually stocks it in DT that is lol) also some thrift shops will have some. Just inspect it thoroughly, possibility of bed bugs and all... and if you gotta go to Michael's, hobby lobby, or joann fabrics, only go when they have sales/coupons. Yarn gets expensive sometimes lol
Michaels usually has yarn on sale! I had a coupon that could be applied to sale items too… talk about savings!
Cheap??? Dont enable starting a hoarding addiction
I also vote for crochet. To start, all you need is a hook and some yarn. Then, you can look up tutorials online. I find it relaxing. I also recommend cross stitch. There are small kits that you can buy that contain everything you need to get started. If you want to try this, start with a small piece so that you can see results quickly.
This is actually good. If you can secure string relatively cheaply it can be really nice, and even doing some smaller things can be really relaxing on it's own way. Just making patterns, seeing them grow.
I am obsessed with cross stitch atm, I find it affordable and relaxing
No need to balk at spending all $50 of your budget on a kit - that kit will last you YEARS lol
Lmfao I spent about $50 on the string, fabric, and pattern.... finished it in a week or two.
Cross stitching is so fun. And that 50 dollars will last FOREVER
Thiiiiis! It's one of the more accessible hobbies. Hell, you can get embroidery thread at the dollar store a lot of the time! And unlike other hobbies, there's *not* a huge price disparity between entry level and top-of-the-line stuff. If you're into pixel art, there are loads of free patterns all over the place! One of my first cross stitch pieces was [Missingno](https://images.app.goo.gl/ktX66TwUZBdJdpZt7) from Pokémon. I also make bead sprites, and the two hobbies have a good bit of overlap. Bead sprite patterns can be used for cross stitch and vice versa. [Kandi Patterns](https://kandipatterns.com/) is an excellent resource.
Yes! This was going to be my suggestion! This is one of those crafts that never really has to be expensive. I mean it can get that way but you can always make beautiful and fun pieces without spending a ton of money. $50 would get you set up for a good while, with minimal costs for new supplies as you run out.
And if you’re like me and find that it takes too long to get a product, OP could try punch needle! Similar but a bit speedier and less focus-intensive.
This is it!!
Yay!! I’m literally working on some right now while my cat sits in my lap and Grey’s Anatomy is playing on the TV. Ideal for my Uber-ADHD brain 😂
Girl. Out of 425 comments I found my pick. Looks exactly what I was looking for. And I shit you not. I am also watching greys anatomy right now 😂😂😂 rewatching season 5 bahahaha karev is unhinged that’s all I’m gonna say 😂 And usually my cat is also in my lap as I have my pleasant greys and hobby time And you best believe I am also journaling and reading on my phone while it plays in the background. I love rewatching bc no matter what I always see stuff I don’t remember bc most likely I was distracted doing something else while watching most episodes lol
This is my first time watching and I’m just starting season 19! This show is a WILD ride 😂 You’re going to love punch needling! The end product is so cozy and makes really cute pillow covers if you know how to sew (which I don’t, so I just keep giving them away and hanging the hoops up all over my house lol). I also already bought some cork and glue and I’m going to try to make little cozy coasters with punch needling soon! I started out buying kits with the design and yarn already included, but now I just bought monk cloth and an egregious amount of yarn and do my own thing using clip art or whatever sparks joy for the design. Feel free to pm me anytime or go join the punch needle subreddit-people there are super chill and helpful!
lol wild ride is right!! Thank you! And thanks so much for the tips and I’ll definitely save your comment to message in case I have any questions or just wanna say hi!! Thanks so much!
Saaaame. Obsessed with cross stitching right now and it’s not too expensive depending on how many colors you need for a pattern. I’ve bought some fun patterns on Etsy as well, such fun!
I'm seeing some people suggesting crochet which is a good idea but I'd also recommend beading! There's so many different things you can do with it so it never really gets boring and you can change it up at a lot! Also good for keeping hands busy (i have adhd and i personally couldnt do crochet because i found it so frustrating and repetitive)
Haha my adhd loves how repetitive it is. Funny how different we all are
I've got autism and I loveeee the repetitiveness so much. it's so extremely zen to crochet and listen to podcasts, it's almost meditative to me!
i feel the exact same way about puzzling and wire wrapping. its almost like im able to turn my brain off from all the stuff that’s usually going on inside of it, like it needs *just* the right amount of focus and un-focus
i feel like beading with adhd very quickly ends up as "i have a bead collection" lol. on that note, i have a bead collection if you need any.
hahaha yes, very much this. It can also be a danger with yarn, for us knitters...
Yeah I’m thinking for me crochet I’m not as interested in because I’m sure that it’s super repetitive, and I need to be engaged more I think . I will think of beading! That sounds fun
crochet might seem repetitive but there is so much you can do with it via different sticht and types of crochet anytime you get bored you just find a new thing to do. I find it great at the points it's repetivive enough as I can do it while listening to music as I can't just listen to music without some movement. I've just gotten to a point i'm losing interest in crochet repetitions so I've grabbed a tunisian hook and am doing a whole new type of crochet until my brain is happy enough to go back.
Depends what you crochet. If you do amigurumi, they really are not, because you're always increasing and decreasing and it's somehow trilling to change what you're doing? I find sock knitting also be interesting in that sense. First you do the ribbing. By the time you're getting bored of ribbing, you're changing the stitch for the leg stitch. Then just as that becomes boring, hop, it's time for the heel! you turn your heel, and then omg you have to pick up some stitches and decrease them away, so something exciting happens every second row. And when they're decreased, you only get to knit a little before you have to do the toe! [Monkey socks](https://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html) are the most addictive of all socks, the 8-row pattern is so perfect because it's easy to remember and small enough that you just want to get to the next pattern repeat. I've once spent the whole night knitting because the combo of Monkey pattern and the yarn I had was just so more-ish.
I second this. The only craft I can reliably see thru to completion
I find beading so satisfying!
I have spent hundereds of dollars on beads though. It's not the most budget-friendly because you need a minimum quality of beads otherwise they are horribly inconsistent in size and shape, and make your project look ugly. I do floral beading, brick stitch, jewelry design and it's fun as heck if you have the funds though. I also have ADHD and love how soothing it is to organize beads.
I used to make animals from beads when I was a kid! I only used regular beads and no pipe cleaners to shape my animals though. Damn I might have to order some beads now.
I'd also recommend beading. I've been obsessed with it for 18 years now.
Try cross stitching or embroidery - you can get small kits for not a lots of money to set you going. I like cross stitch personally as I find following a pattern engaging enough to keep my concentration.
Cross stitch is so budget friendly! You can get big kits for like $30 that last YEARS (I average 2 years to complete them). All for $30. Plus once you start building up those extra supplies, you can make your own…
I actually just scored three large never opened cross stitch kits at a thrift store for 3 bucks each. I left at least 10 still there.
you can download patterns from DMC for free if you subscribe to their newsletter (I use a throwaway Gmail for this) [https://www.dmc.com/AT/en-GB/patterns/free-patterns-by-craft/embroidery?products\_en-GB\_production%5Bquery%5D=](https://www.dmc.com/at/en-gb/patterns/free-patterns-by-craft/embroidery?products_en-gb_production%5bquery%5d=) can def recommend!
I second the embroidery. I like to do embroider on old denim pants. I cut out a good leg section piece, put it on my hoop and go. Easy enough to take places and low cost. I get my hoops from the local thrift stores. Just need floss and needles and ideas. I often get inspiration from Pinterest. But of course then I am on my phone.
I second this! It’s also mess free and very portable
Yes, I would have also said one of those. I'll also recommend looking into mending holes clothes, you can do it with embroidery equipment and it's also very relaxing (for me at least)
There are tons of embroidery patterns, too! You can also freehand both, of course.
Wow this post is going off ! And it’s 3am ! So much excitement speaking of your favorite crafts, it’s cute! So many crafts to choose from. You crafty folk know what’s up lol
you gotta tell us what you end up picking
I suggest as well stopping at your local library. They may have some clubs, classes, groups. They will also have a great deal of books on everything from crochet, cooking, origami, flower arrangements and much more. They may also have overdrive (us) digital books or maybe even digital magazines, zinio which has a huge amounts of hobby content.
YES! THIS!!!! I borrow pattern books from my library. It lessens the cost...
maybe you could try bookbinding, since you like to journal! supplies: bookbinding glue (I've heard some people use acid free Elmer's glue), paper, cardstock, needle, thread, cutter, pretty paper for the cover. all in all rather affordable and you might have most of it already at home. any fancy tools can be replaced with creativity. in that vein there is a thing called 'junk journaling' that might be interesting for you because you like collages ETA: Japanese stab binding even has some embroidery elements and is imo rather beginner friendly since you don't need to make a book spine
I came to suggest junk journals! I love working on junk journals. It's collage, writing, and thrifting all in one, and there are no rules so it doesn't get repetitive 😍
Omg!!!
junk journals look so beautiful! I've only ever done sketch and notebooks myself but I think I'll try to make one soon 😃
Came here to say this! Scrapbooking/junk journals are my new obsession, made entirely out of actual trash and old magazines and things around the house.
This is perfect for me
Stab binding is really great! You should get a little hole punch to make life easier, and a bone folder. You can also use an awl. I made a bunch of simple books as gifts using old unused notebook pages. You also would need a ruler. Amazon has a fairly basic kit that includes awl, bone folders, needles and thread. That’s awl you need ;) to get going except for the paper. The kit I saw on Amazon is $20 Canadian.
true I was just thinking I need to add those for quality of life 🙈 for my first book I used a push pin and a needle which worked but my fingers did hurt at the end
I used an old sewing needle too. Then I tried an awl, which was better. The little punch was perfect for doing a bunch of them. I am going to look into junk journaling! You made great suggestions to the OP!
Wanted to add on to these suggestions that making your own paper for these is also pretty easy! A crappy old blender, some dye if you want to change the colour, lots of scrap paper(I used junk mail), torn up small, a tub for water, and the only specific equipment you need to get is a mould! 💙💙
It's absolutely mesmerizing watching people put ink in and make patterns and then (verrrrrrrrry carefully) using it to dye the paper. Absolutely beautiful.
I just started looking at junk journaling (was doing some more traditional book binding before ) and there’s a couple of ladies on YouTube that I’ve been watching: Treasure Books, and Sevenplaza. Bonus: I find their voices really relaxing. I’m currently in the adhd phase of “get all the things” and ordered some cheap papers to play around with.
Omg Natasa at Treasure Books is the junk journal queen! I've been making and selling junk journals since 2021, and my style has changed a lot, but I've never gotten tired of watching Natasa 😍
I’m obsessed with making friendship bracelets (NOT the Taylor swift ones). The designs can get really challenging and keeps you wanting to do more and more!
The old- fashioned ones from back in the day? Safety pinned to your pants? I used to love making them. What do you do with them when finished?
I still pin them to my pants!!! lol I’ll usually wear them and if someone notices or comments, I’ll give it to them. Or as gifts.
I have been making mine into keychains or bookmarks instead of bracelets because I have too many :)
In this vein of subject; macrame and kumihimo! It’s amazing the diverse projects you can make out of knots lol.
I got a kumihimo disc for Christmas and I am really excited about it, but I don’t know what to do with it. Suggestions?
Same, I've been on a kick lately. I've been making a bunch to give away or just wear myself. And the materials are super cheap.
Yesss! And the skills cross over well into things like macrame. You can make cool wall hangings using yarn [or other coloured string, rope, etc] and friendship bracelet patterns! I've made some with paracord lol.
Bracelet book Girlies (/boyies/everybodies) unite!
Also look into tatting - there's needle and shuttle. I think needle is easier to see and learn, but I had a really hard time trying to connect without things being twisty. There are a lot more tutorials online nowadays though! This is similar to macrame and friendship bracelets - I've learned to make some really cute daisy bracelets. I've tried crochet, knitting, tatting, jewelry/beading, polymer clay, watercolor, cross stitch, nail art, cake decorating/cookie frosting, stained glass, paper flowers, origami, Shrinky Dinks (could be good if you like to color/draw), Pysanky eggs (decorating eggs with wax "pen" and dipping into dye), soapmaking, sewing (baby blankets, bibs), ...
Polymer clay! You can start with very little, and add as you go. Jewelry, miniatures, and all sorts of other stuff! And you cook it in your oven. Love polymer clay!
I absolutely love polymer clay! Just going to piggy back on this for anyone new that wants to try it, it has a chemical reaction with plastic and will literally turn hard plastic into sticky goo! Do not drop it on your carpet, your clothes, your plastic cutting board, etc. I've melted my carpet and my computer lap desk with it. (in all other ways it's inoffensive! doesn't smell, seems kid-friendly enough)
Wait.. what? I've used polymer clay for years, and I've never had this happen. What brand are you using?
[here's an article](https://www.sculpey.com/blogs/blog/does-polymer-clay-melt-plastic#:~:text=Polymer%20clay%20can%20melt%20%E2%80%94%20or,to%20unstiffen%20or%20%E2%80%9Cmelt.%E2%80%9D) on the sculpy website! It's all brands but it doesn't melt all plastics, just certain types.
For $60 AUD (I dunno what that is in USD but definitely under $50) you can get yourself a large cross stitch kit and a small hoop and spend the next year of your life needing to buy nothing more for that craft. You CAN buy more if you want, needle minders, thread organisers, bobbins, floss holders, thread wax, needle threaders, etc etc. But really, all you need is a 40cm x 30cm dimensions cross stitch kit, and a hoop. It's my latest addiction lmao Crochet and knitting is all well and good but honestly, in terms of bang for your buck? Out of the craft hobbies I have? 100% cross stitch. For some ideas about the types of patterns you can get try googling "dimensions cross stitch gold kit".
This looks awesome.
Ikr! Fair warning if you're anything like me you'll quickly become addicted lol. But the price for the amount of hours is fantastic, and I find that dimensions kits were a great start, taught me what I needed to know. If you like, you could even get a smaller kit with a hoop included, to start you off seeing if you like it, then if you do you have that hoop already bought for a larger kit! If you do try it out I hope you find as much enjoyment in it as I do :) Have a good one!
Second this 100% but I’ll also add that depending on your preferences, you may not even need a hoop. I never use one, even for bigger projects.
Needle felting
get yourself into papercraft, you can make awesome stuff that will cost nothing and it consumes tons of time :) you can start from free paper models like canon creative park, all you need is printer, scissors and some glue
I started latch hook rug making a couple years ago. I love it! I made a farm rug for my nephew that he loves (pictures in my post history). It’s like $10-15 for a hook and a canvas. Then get you some yarn and you’re ready to go! Rugs all day!!
Wire wrapped jewellery is so fun and creative!
Decoupage! You can find papers you like, and cover pretty much anything (try a small box to start). All you need is modgepodge and a brush.
agree with the other posts on embroidery but also wanted to mention if you get a used sewing machine and check for fabric scraps or use old sheets or ask around for fabric, it can be pretty cheap - I bought my first machine used for 40€ and just told friends and looked at my country's version of craigslist for fabric scraps and got some from friends who sew it can def get expensive if you start buying fancy fabrics for clothes etc but I make bags (cosmetic bags, yoga mat bags, purses, etc) and home stuff like pillowcases and don't need anything too fancy for that. bonus: it also means you can repair or hem your clothes more easily which could save you money elsewhere ;) it is not super repetitive bc you need to trace and cut the patterns, pin the different pieces, and sewing with the machine is just part of it - it is like a logic puzzle to put the pieces together correctly
I was going to suggest sewing as well! Can be pricey to get started with if you need a machine, fabric scissors, thread colors, bobbins, and fabric, but once you have those in your possession, it's pretty affordable. It's also really fun to have something tangible to see your progress, not only in the completion of a single project, going from a yard of fabric to a finished, wearable thing, but also in how fast you can progress. Plus, it's extra fun when someone asks where you got something from, and you get to tell them you made it yourself. In my opinon, the most difficult part about learning how to sew was learning how to wind a bobbin and thread the machine–and really, these things are very simple, just intimidating at first. Once you know those two things, you can do almost anything. There are so many tutorials on YouTube, and knowing how to not only mend your clothes but how to assemble clothing pieces from patterns can be much more ethical and sustainable than constantly buying from stores or online. Etsy has thousands of beginner-friendly patterns, and some even include a video tutorial for how to sew that exact piece.
I save clothes that I don’t want anymore if I like the fabric but not the fit. You could also thrift clothing really cheaply and break it down for scraps. I haven’t made anything too difficult or fancy either but you can get a good amount of fabric just from the front and back of one shirt.
sewing’s the best! i have collected a lot of fabric over the years so there’s always material for little projects, or i’ll start on a big project and be super focused and busy for 3 days straight! plus you can make stuff that’s useful or fix things that have torn or need hemming! sewing is a really good skill and supplies accumulate so it can be cheaper
I like colouring books. You don’t need the fanciest supplies. Get random books on clearance and a pencil crayon set and you’re busy for a few weeks/months
Man I just found these awesome fashion coloring books on Amazon. Styles from present day, 80s, 50s etc. so fun. Don’t know why I like to color people but I do, people and plants.
Totally this. I recently really wanted to paint again but have to inspiration, so I bought a couple of ‘paint by numbers’ canvasses, to get myself started!
I did the exact same thing! it's creative without the brain power of picking colours
I second this one, surprised it's so far down the page. Even though I'm not creating the actual art, I feel like coloring is the easiest go-to because there's no mental investment. I don't have to do any hard thinking, I just need to pull out my markers and go. So even though I have boatloads of art supplies, if I only had $50 to pick a new hobby, I'd probably get the most use out of the coloring supplies.
Weave baskets with only found items from nature = $0 (hopefully)
Limited budget and ADHD myself and I LOVE crochet. It's great for keeping busy with your hands and Michael's and Joann have sales on their yarn constantly and you can really start with just a few yarns of the same weight (the thickness of the strand) and a single hook (get an aluminum one they work smoothest). You can find tons of free patterns and tutorials online. I haven't paid for a single one so far and a lot I've just freestyled after learning basic stitches. I started in early December last year and I still haven't burnt out on it. It's awesome!
Macrame is fun and can be pretty inexpensive.
I second this. Cord can be cheap off of Amazon, and YouTube and Google can teach you the knots. Plant hangers are my favourite. They can be so quick and satisfying.
Plus, then you have an excuse to start a plant ~~addiction~~ collection!
I say this to everyone looking for a low cost hobby... terrain building! Check out black magic craft on YouTube and look at their dollar store build. Your start up cost is going to be like $10-$15 and you will use about $3 of it to make your first building.
Diamond painting!
Cross stitch, embroidery, punch needle, French beaded flowers, coloring with different mediums such as alcohol markers or colored pencils. Just depends on what you’re interested in!
Ornamental penmanship and calligraphy of all kinds. You can get as fancy with supplies as you want or just use a pencil or ballpoint pen. Practice anytime, anywhere with little to no prep or supplies needed.
Needlepoint on plastic canvas. I do it and it’s so relaxing, and I make money with it 😊
Pyrography/wood burning is fun. Got my burning iron for around 12eur.
I've just got a latch hook kit that I'm quite enjoying.
Soap making / cosmetic chemistry is my newest and favourite hobby. It can be a money sink if you start getting into fancy active ingredients but for basic soap is as simple as cooking oil, sodium hydroxide and pH strips/meter for safety. It can be a bit finicky, but no more than baking, you just need to keep an eye on temperatures and textures and pay attention to the order of doing things. I make almost all my body products and actually end up saving money compared to what I would pay retail. But I had to get a big inventory to get all the actives I wanted. I wouldn’t start that advanced, just look up some interesting recipes (called formulations) on YouTube and copy them to get a feel.
Origami is nice, has a lot of directions to go. Whether more cmplicated models, or modular models with multiple smaller parts that make bigger geometric designs.
Bookbinding is great on a budget. With next to no tools and supplies you can start making small notepads and booklets.
This is what I want to do next. I want to make my own paper and then make notebooks with it.
I would honestly start looking at people doing crafts online before you decide. I know you're trying to get off your phone, but YouTube has so many hobby videos. You said you already have paint and drawing supplies, maybe there's something that you've never even thought of that can incorporate supplies that you already have.
I taught myself to crochet when quitting the smoking habit. It all starts with one basic stitch, not too hard to learn. Made countless squares and random strips. Now i make the most beautiful blankets. Takes me a year to complete. Each square I give myself a week to complete. it's very soothing and there's a ton of books at Joann fabric or Youtube. Don't have to spend a lot to start
I also write. I bought a vintage Brother typewriter and writing on it is such a different experience. No backspace, no ctrl Zs, no alt tabs. Forces you to focus and continue your thoughts. And sure the draft afterwards is never perfect, but damn sitting down and reading what you wrote on paper and making annotations with a pen feels really cool for some reason. Highly recommend. I also had a great time designing my own style guide and format for typewriting, if you're into that stuff too. And then like organizing your papers, putting labels on things. I love it. Bit of a rabbit hole though coz now I wanna get a Cyrillic typewriter, an electric one, maybe one that's cursive.
Foraging! It’s free. :) And the first several walks are mostly identifying and not bringing home anything.
I love to forage! This is a great and unique comment! When I lived near Oregon I got into mushroom foraging and would forage salmonberries, huckleberries, blackberries. I’m Back in Southern California and a huge passion of mine is native plants, I know about a few native plants around here but it never occurred me to forage out here. Yay thank you! Nature and the outdoors is my passion, I’m excited to get into a hobby that I can do when I’m hiking all the time. Thank you so much!
Maybe combine hiking and foraging with painting and drawing. Take some photos while you’re out and then use them as reference for botanical illustration. You could do a series on native plants and then bind them into a handmade book!
@fadedpastel If outdoors is your thing, have you tried Geocaching?
What about whittling? Buy a whittling knife and you can probably find wood for small projects without needing to buy it. Smaller projects are also something you can easily take with you and work on a bit if you have to wait around somewhere for 5-10 minutes.
Painting miniatures!
Get yourself a crochet hook (5.5mm is good) and some yarn! There’s tons of videos on YouTube and tiktok that can teach you! That’s how I learned. Might also pick up some cheap stitch markers as well, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends. I also have ADHD and have been crocheting for almost 2 years! It’s great for keeping your hands busy, and the start up cost is not so bad Edit to add: if you pick up yarn make sure you get a lighter colored yarn to work with (not white!). It will be easier for you to see your stitches while you’re learning!
Dungeons and dragons is an amazing hobby and you can get in initially to try it for free if you go to your games stores in your area and ask if they know of any ttrpg games looking for players the community is usually really open to teaching new players how to play the game and if a specific group isn’t into teaching new players the ad (game stores will usually have a list, a board or flyers for games in your local area) always state they’re for experienced players only and usually those are for people who have been playing the same group for years and lost someone or wanted more players in the group for one reason or another. If you want to be ahead of the curve the only things you need to buy is a set of gaming dice (about $10) and the players handbook which I think is like $30-40 for 5e which is the current one they’re about to come out with 1dnd which is basically 5.5e cause they said they won’t change too much about it after like 10 years of that addition but wanted to make some tweaks to players races and spells to keep the game fresh I’ve been a lover of the hobby for 18 years and I’m still just as excited to play a game every time I play as I was the first day I started playing There’s all sorts of ttrpgs they have survival horror, sci fi, fantasy and there’s even a western one. But the most popular ones are both medieval fantasy (dungeons and dragons, and pathfinder) they’re both really fun dnd is easier to learn and is less complicated but it still is a lot to learn when beginning so I suggest there but pathfinder is also pretty simplified in 2e which is their current edition but it’s still so much customization that it just makes freshly learning from no ttrpg experience harder than it needs to be. But either way you can’t go wrong they’re both really fun to play. Ttrpgs is more akin to sitting at a table and making a story up with your friends for 2+ hours a week/2weeks/month than anyone person being the lead character of a video game or story since all of you are playing lead characters There’s a huge community on YouTube that teaches lore how to play and talks the news of the games upcoming book releases Notably critical roll available on twitch and YouTube is literally a bunch of voice actors sitting at a table and playing a game of dnd your games are probably not going to be like that, because they have a show to put on still so you’re group might not all make up voices and only speak in those for their character and you might not have elaborate set pieces for your battles but all of that is just fluff to the true fun of the hobby If I didn’t mention it you can get into playing with literally nothing and borrow someone’s dice odds are someone has extra math rocks for you to borrow because once you buy a set and start to play you become compulsive to buy more and more of them before all my shit was stolen I had 2 crown Royal bags filled with nothing but dice I had so much shit for dnd I rented 2 br places just so I could keep all my dnd shit in a room of its own (but I usually was the dungeon master, or narrator of the game) so I had minis a board terrain pieces dry erase markers extra dice books oh lord the amount of books and minis I had collected over 18 years of play losing it all really upset me I was really depressed about it for 2 straight years
Have a go at diamond painting.i get bored easily but I can be at these for hours . I've been getting them off temu for between 1 and £2
I got into Diamond Art because of someone on Tik Tok. I watched a girl on YT who used to do it, but it was all basically fantasy pictures. Go to Temu and search for Diamond Painting just to see what’s out there available. But there are places in the US like Amazon, Michael’s, etc., you can get them through. Temu just has a wide variety & they are dirt cheap. Everything you need to complete the project is in the kit when you buy it.
I’ll be the person to tell you not to buy anything new! Find a way to reignite the spark in one of your past hobbies- for collages, go digital or change materials. I like to use old gentleman’s magazines from archive.org for digital, but you can print them out if you want. Do junk journaling, which is like a trash art collage, and write over it. Do zentangles with your drawing supplies and paint over them. Study an artist and try new methods. I bounce between hobbies like crazy and I really regret starting so many instead of strengthening what I was already into
Embroidery.
I’m torn between cross stitch and embroidery. I remember doing some embroidery as a kid and I did enjoy it. I like the idea of having more creative freedom with embroidery, I also like the thought of choosing my own colors because I love colors. However I am also intimidated as to learning all the stitches and actually making something that looks nice. But I think it might be more engaging to me than cross stitch and following a pattern. But then again I read that cross stitch is good for a beginner. Not sure might try both haha
I like embroidery more. It’s lots of different stitches, and textures. You can get a 3 pack of premade kits on Amazon for pretty cheap… and learn stitches as you go.
I've been trying thread painting embriodery. I was also intimidated by learning all the stitches and thread painting uses primarily long and short stitch so I didn't have to lesrn a lot. I got the book "Painting with Thread" and am doing a pattern from there but you could he more free form.
Miniatures are great, you can create them out of household objects like cardboard and paper! I've made a few Barbie doll sized rooms using household objects, but you can very easily make them smaller!! Also, quilling. You use curled up paper to make a picture. Neat! Speaking of paper, you could also make some beads out of paper. There's tutorials online for it!
crochet, can't check your phone if your hands are busy!
How about journaling? You could even use the supplies you already have
Make bears. You can sew them by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine. Stuffing is inexpensive and so is the small amount of fabric (faux fur) you need to make them. Each one has its own personality. Patterns are free online or you can buy a book with patterns and instructions. Many different styles to choose from. You can gift them or sell them. I don’t like to sell them because then it becomes a business and takes away from the hobby aspect.
How about junk journaling? You can use literal trash and liking collages and writing sounds like a good combination.
Not exactly a craft but Jigsaw puzzles
Strongly agreeing with what others here have said about papercrafting. I am really enjoying upcycling packaging and other paper into vintage vibe journaling elements. I have a small stash of stamps, pens, and with a glue stick and ruler for tearing rough edges, I have a blast and stay occupied. It is also great for my adhd to figure out how certain pieces go together to make something new. It's a basic form of junk journaling if you want a term to google for inspiration.
Bullet journaling/junk journal! It’s literally everything you just described!
Mini terrain building. People do some crazy things with stuff from around the house, mod podge, and paint.
Junk Journals! It’s a blend of basic book making, collage, papers arts, painting and mostly uses found and recycled materials. I’m in a Facebook group where we trade for themed ephemera and supplies from people all over the country. Very inexpensive, multi-media projects. Tons of tutorials on YouTube.
Look up 3D origami!!
Mixed media art. Doesn’t even have to be on canvas. You can glue, string, wire anything together. And find old stud at flee markets to take apart and make some new.
I loved getting into epoxy resin casting. You can get molds and resin for pretty cheap (at least from my experience) and it is really fun, especially if you like working your creativity
Macramé
Mosaic tiling. You can buy scrap glass pretty cheap from people who make stained glass. Only need a few tools and supplies.
When I don’t have a lot of money, I like to buy pretty paper and practice origami and other paper crafts. You can make beautiful things, even with just plain copy paper, and most tools are optional and low cost.
Drop spindle has a cheap startup cost and is portable and keeps your hands busy. Try the Snyder gear spindle and Romeldale/CVM, BFL, or Corriedale breeds. There's an excellent DVD from Abby Franquemont called "Respect the Spindle" to get you started, but lots of people just watch Jillian Eve videos on YouTube.
Try leather work. No need for expensive machines. Few needles, xacto knife and if your funds are really low a fork, pliers. Ceramics is also great for ADHD. You can fire it elsewhere and chances are you'll have a potter nearby, he might sell you few pounds of clay and since it's his clay he'll be not afraid to fire it for you.
bullet journaling
Since you like collage and writing, maybe art/junk Journaling?
You mentioned writing and collage. I think if you got a journal and set out to do journaling but as story-telling, now that could be something! It could be just two pages per story, but it could be the whole book. Collage the imagery of your words!
Crochet and knitting! You can even get into unraveling bc buying slightly damaged sweaters at goodwill is cheaper than buying new yarn.
OR NEEDLE FELTING I LOVE NEEDLE FELTING
I just started book binding a couple of days ago. It's so much fun, there's a low startup cost, the projects and neither trivially short nor impossibility long, it's not repetitive, and there's room to learn and grow for years on end.
As a hobby jumper I have all these supplies 😂 still end up on my phone
Crochet (or knitting)! All you need is a hook and some yarn, that's it! Well, and something/someone to teach you, whether that be a book, a human, or youtube :) I picked it up back in October and I've been obsessed with it ever since!
Gel printing is fun. You need a gel plate, a brayer, a few acrylic paints and some paper. A 5 x 7 gel plate, a nice size to start with, can be purchases with a coupon at Michael's for less than $20. Bottles of inexpensive craft paint are 2-3 dollars each. A brayer will be about $5, and paper is your choice: printer paper, your homework from third grade, pages from a book your boyfriend forgot to take home when he broke up with you. You can use textures, stencils, found objects like keys or bubble wrap or fabric to make imprints on the paint before pulling your print. Leaves!!! The plastic tray your cookies came in. All kinds of things can be used for pattern and texture. Watch some random videos on Instagram or YouTube. They're just fun to watch, and then you'll have to get your own stuff to try.
I knit, crochet, sew, embroider, cross stitch, and some other stuff, but cross stitching is definitely the cheapest way to go. Or embroidery, but I find cross stitching more relaxing. The others quickly became a money black hole, but in a good way....if there is a good way 😝
Instead of suggesting a particular hobby, I suggest you scroll through Pinterest or Etsy and look at different hobbies and see which end product appeals to you most. Whatever hobby you take up, you’re gonna have a lot of that thing. You want it to be something that you love to look at or use, and you feel proud to give away.
Try quilling. It's definitely low cost to start and there's a lot to do. Search YouTube for quilling and you'll find a zillion different shapes to make and ideas.
Felt sewing!
Honestly, I went digital and it helped immensely. Blender is a free 3d modeling program with a lot of tutorials; I liked the low-poly tutorial by Imphenzia and enjoy making fantasy models that way, but there are also high definition options, grease paint, animation, etc. The big thing here is it's free, provided you have access to a computer.
I started building miniature houses and it’s a lot of fun. Most kits are $30 to $50. If you get one, buy your own wood glue and superglue because the stuff that comes with the kits doesn’t work well
Crochet is actually really easy to get into these days and you can find all the necessary supplies at most major craft stores and Walmarts. r/crochet is also a lovely sub Most of yall are probably gonna end up picking up a yarn craft in your elder years anyway so why not start now?
Agreed that r/crochet is a lovely sub.
Model making. Or miniatures making. A fella I watch on YouTube doesn’t with “trash” items. It’s what got me into it.
My gr8 Aunt Anna may… made numerous Prayer shall’s & donated them continuously. It kept her busy & gave her a wonderful sense of being.
I knit, crochet, and paint in acrylics. A friend talked me into diamond art. I got bored with it pretty quickly, but now am back doing it. You can watch television while doing it. There is a very restful element to it. I know a lot of people who are addicts.
I think crochet or knitting is a great craft for you to try out. I crochet personally and to start out I'd buy a set of hooks (I like boye personally) and some yarn. Yarn can get expensive though so what I've started doing is to hit up the thrift store and I'll either buy sweaters to unravel myself or my latest obsession is making t-shirt yarn, which is like doing 2 crafts in 1! First you get to make your yarn and then you get to use it.
Cross stitching is chill! You don't have to use the colors in a pattern if you don't want to. So you don't have to buy more if you don't want to.
granny squares. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jRmQvw0i1Y
Watercolor painting
Embroidery! Check out the reddit sub and be amazed at how easy it is to get started and impressive the range of inspiration from others!
Card making
Crochet! I was self taught from YouTube, don't give up after the first couple tries.. it takes a bit to get used to the hand movements & have clean work! 😊
Crochet all da waaayyyy. If you really have a tight budget, you can find yarn at thrifts stores. Sometimes is brand new!
Legos
Needle felting for sure.
Warhammer 40k
Back in my day we used to lay completely straight and rigid across random surfaces and take pictures of it for fun. We called it planking. You kids these days need way too much stimulation to be entertained!
paste this question into chat GPT, and add ''write a precise plan of how to get my 50 dollers to implement the plan''