It’s a mad mad world in which we’re living. Wet-felt making and other crafts, involve detailed working at a methodical pace, which is very beneficial for our overworked and overtired brains that have been hurried and excited throughout the day.
Relaxation, by slowing down and taking the time to do a relatively simple task, can be great fun. Manual crafts are a great way to relax after a long and tiring day as they require little energy and they help to spur our creative sides.
Crafts such as felt-making also help you to focus, taking your mind off of your concerns.
It’s not just adults who can enjoy such activities. Children can benefit from having something other than technology to concentrate on – engaging in a creative activity is great for their focus and development, and it helps them to see a world from a different perspective. Crafting can really help take their mind off things and give them something peaceful and calming to think about.
Wet-felting keeps your hands occupied, clears your mind and when your project is complete, you can wrap yourself in your creation or give to friends or family.
From workshops I have given, I can definitely say that everyone is happy and have a super time when being creative - laughter abounds! Touching, feeling and massaging whilst wet-felting are wonderful ways to stimulate your brain. Not only are these activities fun but they produce endorphins, which can reduce stress and anxiety levels.
As adults, life takes over, time for ‘fun’ can be limited and we forget about manual activities. We all know about the benefits of exercise but we don’t think that working with our hands can be just as beneficial.
Using your hands helps you stay both mentally and physically active. A few benefits gained from getting your hands busy are:
· A sense of accomplishment – by completing something you have created and perhaps the pleasure of giving what you’ve made to someone else;
· Staying active - Wet-felting keeps you active - even if you are sedentary - and keeps your ‘little grey cells’ active by taking you out of your comfort zone;
· Once you learn one technique you may be inspired to learn different techniques or apply your learnings in different projects;
· You don’t have to be ‘arty’ to try an ‘arty’ craft. We are all innately creative, and all you need to do to complete an activity successfully is to let yourself go - your inner artist will quickly wake up.
Come along to one of my workshops where you’ll have a day of fun, laughter and activity. You may never wet-felt again but you’ll know you can achieve something fabulous and not be afraid to create again.