Craftfulness Mend yourself by making things

This book's subtitle really sums it up. In recent years, the mental health benefits of creating have been noted by many, including Davidson and Tahsin, who have both enjoyed long careers in publishing. Part one of the book explores the authors' philosophy of making and uses research to demonstrate the value of hand crafting as self-care. The second section offers strategies for making time for creating, choosing a project and getting started, and dealing with the things that might hold one back. Part three includes simple projects accompanied by essays that expand on the reasons for doing them. Quotes from noted authors and makers are interspersed, offering concise insights into the beauty and importance of creating. Appendixes offer brief lists of recommended reading, inspirational websites, and materials suppliers. Many makers find that they are unable to pin themselves down to just one type of pursuit, and this book celebrates and encourages that. This light meditation on the purpose and benefits of creative endeavors should have wide appeal.--Anne Heidemann Copyright 2018 Booklist

Our Craft Ethos (It's the making that matters) "I keep a diary that is part writing and part drawing. While I am drawing I feel self-conscious when I start, but very soon the floodgates open and I lose myself in the process." --Lisa Gornick, filmmaker, drawing Central to the ethos of craftfulness is the idea that the act of making is where the magic happens. The sense of pleasure and purpose when working on a project gives craft its meaning. Hand-in-hand with the tremendous enjoyment in the moment when absorbed in a craft process that we love, is the added bonus of seeing the object of our imagination grow, evolve, take form and come into being. The slow, steady, incremental results of our labour serve the function of a reward. We have yet to meet a crafter who finds their pastime burdensome, or who feels reluctance at the idea of returning to it day after day. But, crucially, it must be your choice and your interests that dictate your course. Any task that you are compelled to do by an outside force, be it at work or in school, is unlikely to be as joyful or pleasurable as something that inspires and excites you and that you have embarked on purely for your own personal enjoyment. Of course, crafting is not for everyone, but everyone can benefit from periods of intense concentration on an inspiring project or activity. It is important to respond to your instincts and if they dictate birdwatching, baking or badminton, take heed! Arzu likes crochet; Rosemary can't get the hang of it and doesn't see the point. Why crochet, she asks, when you can knit? Arzu concurs. Each to their own. Don't stress and only do what you enjoy. Bringing your awareness to the present moment through mindful meditation, and through any focused activity in which you are alert to what is happening right now, has been shown to regulate mood, reduce stress and anxiety and improve sleeping patterns. A mindful state is where you notice your thoughts, see your actions, but are not compelled to engage with them. You become an impartial observer of what is playing out in your head, whereas before your thoughts may have aroused paralyzing negative feelings and self-judgement. The space between thinking and observing your thoughts is where the work happens. Excerpted from Craftfulness by Arzu Tahsin, Rosemary Davidson All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.