Escape with Haberdashery

Life is hectic, it’s full on and not always easy. From the frantic routine of family life, through to the stresses of the working day, sometimes it’s hard to pull your whole focus onto a task, or give yourself time to do something for you.

As full on as our lives may be (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!) it’s important to ensure that you do spend time doing things you enjoy, or at least practising focussing on one thing at a time to fully enjoy it, experience it and take it in. This can be anything - from going on a bike ride with the kids, reading a book, going on a day trip to the zoo or making your own cushion covers.

If you’re thinking this sort of sounds familiar, you’re right. Learning to appreciate the moment and taking your mind off things you’d rather not be thinking about - or shouldn’t be thinking about, is called mindfulness. A technique that continues to grow in popularity, mindfulness is a fantastic way to centre yourself, bring your thoughts back to the now and enjoy the present. Haberdashery is great for mindfulness and we want to give you a few ideas on how you can take some time away from the woes, stresses and background noise of the every day so when you need to, you can escape with haberdashery.

1. Hand sewing
   Rather than using a sewing machine, try a project that you can hand sew. If this isn’t something you’re particularly skilled at, the more you do it, the better you’ll get. In fact, it’s better for escapism if you’re not an expert yet - learning something new that requires your full focus and attention is even better!
   
   
   
   
2. Drawing
   Some of you may not have drawn since you were a child, others of you be regular sketchers. Either way, drawing is a fantastically peaceful and rewarding way of achieving mindfulness. Focusing on each line, every piece of shading, each curve and straight line will focus your mind. The more you draw, the better you get and there are many mindfulness drawing challenges where you’re set to draw so many pieces in a month, of certain shapes, items etc. When you’re drawing, try and get outside when possible too - away from distractions such as TV and internet
   
   
   
   
3. Knitting
   Knitting is especially good for doing in the winter. It’s cosy, it’s warm and you may feel your knitting has more of a purpose in the winter: creating scarves, jumpers, blankets etc that you can either keep for yourself or give as a present. When you’re knitting, you always have an end goal in mind which can sometimes be risky for when trying to practice mindfulness (you don’t want to be thinking into the future during this time) so be sure you take it nice and steady, focusing on each section at a time and considering each individual knitting stitch
   
   
   
   
4. Macrame
   Macrame is a form of textile-making by creating and using ‘knotting’ as opposed to knitting or weaving. The primary knots used are square knots as well as forms of ‘hitching’ and half hitches. You can create big, beautiful pieces of work using macrame and with the rise in festival boho chic, it’s also super in fashion right now! Carrying out a macrame project is great for escapism, as you will need full attention at all times, there’s no hiding errors in those big loops!
   
   
   
   
5. Painting
   Similarly to drawing, painting is a brilliant way to relax. It’s peaceful, it’s fun and i’s beautiful. You don’t just have to paint on paper or canvas either, you can paint on anything! Try flower pots, jars, pebbles, photo frames, windows, walls - anything you think you can make look better with a splash of colour and a pattern. If you want to be a regular painter, definitely invest in some good paints that will bring up the standard of your work and leave you feeling even more satisfied. Again, we recommend taking your work outside (if possible - rain and paint do not mix well!), away from distractions in the home and feel truly at peace with where you are
   
   
   
   
6. Quilt Making
   Quilt making is an ongoing project that allows you to pick it up as and when you fancy it. It’s a long project that requires time and effort and the end goal is hugely satisfying! There’s something fantastic about sitting covered in pieces of fabric and thread as you build your quilt and bring it to life. You can make your quilt as unique as you want, in whatever theme you want and use it for any purpose you want. You can also make this mindfulness project more sociable by having friends/family contribute to it. This will bring a different (hopefully more fun!) element to your escapism via haberdashery. Check out our patchwork squares to see if you think any of these patterns are what you’re looking for!

We’d love to know any other ways in which you achieve mindfulness or escapism through haberdashery, what your favourite project to concentrate on is and how it makes you feel. Let us know in the comments!