Ideas for a hobby...

Painting, gardening, recording music from a specific genre, model car building, learn guitar, reading, write a journal, martial arts, walking, bird watching, bicycling, hiking, join a health club. The list goes on and on I hope you find something that interests you.

Sewing is really awesome, more specifically, quilting. It’s so cool starting out from raw fabrics and creating something completely unique that does not exist anywhere else in the world. The one detriment is its cost, it’s most efficient to create the quilt by using a sewing machine, and the raw material cost for thread and fabric is certainly worth noting. However, if you look in the right places (Craigslist for a used machine, use your own old or ripped clothing to create your first quilt/find bargains for fabric at thrift stores or online, get an iron via Craigslist or at a bargain store, you can make your own ironing board easily) you can do it for very little. You could even create a quilt with nothing but your two hands, a needle, and a lot of thread and fabric.

Extending this, knitting or crochet is a great craft to start with. Very portable, easy to fix mistakes, and lots of resources available for new starters.

Gardening has MAGNIFICENT health benefits. Even if you live in a confined space, you can participate with a window garden, or a community food garden, or empty lot garden conversion.

@SpatzieLover I was amazed when I first heard about the benefits of gardening. I mean something so enjoyable is actually healthy!

@dynamicduo I’m just getting into sewing. Making a cultural shawl and curtains for the house. I REALLY enjoy it. I can’t wait till I get to more complicated projects. The only problem I have is patience to make a straight line, but I think I’ll get there with practice.

@jessicajane Can you tell us a little more about yourself. Like how much time and money you have to start a new hobby? Or what things you absolutely aren’t interested in?

A few ideas off the top of my head that aren’t so typical (although I LOVE the ideas previously mentioned by other users).

- Basket Weaving (difficult but very rewarding and everyone loves baskets)
– Gourd Art (this is loads of fun and there are a lot of options)
– Card Making (can use your photography to make cards)
– Flute Crafting (way easier than it sounds)
– God’s Eyes (there are very very beautiful god’s eyes)
– Beading (multiple multiple things you can bead)

Another idea that uses your photograph skill would be using this to benefit others. Someone in Australia set up a website and they go to the beach and write names in the sand for parents who have lost a child. They get tons of requests. It is a beautiful gesture and their photos are amazing. You could use your photography in a similar way to help people.

You can also use your free time to volunteer in your community. Or even do something at home that would help your community like sew/knit blankets and donate them to homeless shelters. Or bake healthy goods and bring them to the Senior Citizen center. Maybe build webpages for businesses in your community that don’t have much money to pay for professional website building.

I used to enjoy jewelry making, back when I had some free time. Local bead shops almost always hold classes.

Well i love makinq Hemp bracelets when im bored and they are really fun. Get yourself the book from like amazon and the hemp and some beads.You can put sea shell beads, or make the name bracelets with the letter beads. OR you can make the shell necklaces. You can also make some Friendship bracelets. I got a huge kit for my bday and i can just do that all day. You can also go to buy it in amazon.com. OR just search it on google. they are so kewt when you finish them. I sold a few bracelets so that i can raise money for my cheerleading team. i made 200 dollars by selling them as well in my neighborhood. have funn! =]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! You have given me some good ideas to try. I don’t have a lot of extra time on my hands, I work and am going back to grad school. But I would like to be productive during the free time I do have!
Thanks again!

Since you enjoy photography, you might want to dabble a little with scrapbooking. It would be a great way to put some of those fabulous photogs of yours to a showy use. Framing would also accomplish that, but that can get into some major dollars!