Ideas 4 Hobbies

Thinking of Taking up Knitting as a Hobby?

One of the oldest hobbies around which you can ask your grandmother about is knitting. Our grandparents are probably the experts in this field and from my own knowledge this was a very popular hobby back in the days. Unfortunately its not something that you hear about much these days however you do still find specialist shops which cater for individuals who still take this hobby up as it’s fun and relaxing. As with many hobbies it’s a skill that can be mastered with it’s different types of stitches, yarns and patterns available and once into this individuals can knit practically anything!

Games and Sports Related Hobbies

If your into games and sports then again the options on which hobby to take up is vast. Sports itself is huge – ranging from general keep fit activities which you can do as part of a group or individually, in doors or outdoors.

This can be swimming on your own or taking part in competitions if you want to tap into your competitive nature or do pool activities such aqua aerobics as part of a group.

On the other hand if you are into games then this is one hobby where there is a big increase in this sector from on line gaming where the internet now allows individuals to play on there own or against others and then from your own home with friends using gaming equipment such as the Xbox or WII.

Hobbies and Personalities

There are lots and lots of different hobbies which people participate in during there spare time or actively take time out and make time to take part in, depending on your personality and what you enjoy doing you can narrow down the type of hobbies you are interested in taking up and trying.

Some hobbies will be suitable for individuals who love the out doors, like challenges and love the adrenaline rush. Even here the variety of hobbies that can be pursued is massive and can range from white water rafting to rambling to hiking. Then on the other extreme you have the hobbies for individuals who are laid back and relaxed – they might like hobbies which are quieter such as reading or building models at home.

Extreme Sport Hobbies

Hobbies which fall into this category are for those individuals or groups who love getting the adrenaline rush from taking part in very strong physically challenging sports where your levels of fitness are tested to the extreme.

Examples of these are hobbies such as white water rafting, rock climbing, caving, surfing and parachuting. One of the most popular hobbies which has taken off recently is bungee jumping.

To take part in these hobbies you generally need to travel to specific locations and even to different countries to enable the best thrill. These activities are generally more expensive to get started on and if you are travelling and taking out insurance then this can be more expensive.

Celebrity Hobbies

I read an article recently about how JK (lead singer of Jamiroquai) likes to unwind by putting on a Val Doonican-style jumper whilst listening to Radio 4. And you thought that he was a party animal!
So, what do other Celebs like to do in their spare time;

Rod Stewart likes to play with model railway sets and has even built a replica of New York’s Grand Central Station from the 1940’s.

Between breaks in filming Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe both like to knit as they believe that it takes the edge-off.

Pop star Robbie Williams reportedly likes to relax by playing the card game Uno whilst enjoying a nice cup of tea.

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood admitted that when he gave up alcohol he turned to a less destructive pass time, stamp collecting.

Metal Detecting

In May last year James Hyatt, at three years of age, unearthed a £2.5million treasure during his first attempt at metal detecting. Whilst on a metal detecting trip with his father and grandfather he asked them if he could have a quick go with the equipment. Within five minutes he had discovered a 16th century gold pendant potentially worth £2.5million.
So, if a 3 year old can do it why can’t the rest of us?

About four decades ago the only people fortunate enough to touch historical items were archaeologists, historians, scholars and museum staff.
However, towards the end of the 1960’s the first practical metal detector was available to the public and enabled anybody to go out search for items of history.

Since these early days the hobby has grown and grown as people go out and search for hidden treasure.
Prices of metal detector range from £100 to over £1000 depending on how hi-tech you want the equipment and there are plenty of clubs around the UK for you to join.

For more information on the activity please visit the two representing organisations:

NCMD (National Council for Metal Detecting)
FID (Federation of Independent Detectorists)

Making gifts for people at Christmas

As the years go by it seems that Christmas is getting more and more expensive every year. And if you have kids then you will certainly know what I am talking about. However, many people are now being a lot clever in bringing money in as well as spending it. This can really help families out at this time of the year.

If you have a hobby like bead making or anything creative where you spend time constructing something for either your own pleasure or to sell to friends and family or both then you could turn this passion into a small business venture.

It has never been easier to set up a small company and sell products on auction sites like eBay, with jewellery especially proving to be a big hit with those looking for a cheap necklace or a sparkly bracelet. Whatever your craft, you can reach out to many people nowadays, and this has been made even easier through the widespread use of social networking sites like Facebook.

People are always looking for gifts during the festive season so you could try your hand at anything that someone would want to give to a friend, family member or colleague at this time of the year. Then all you have to do is go out and buy your Christmas cards and remember to have fun. After all, it is the season to be jolly.

Egg Carving

For those of you who have an artistic side and are looking for a new challenge, why don’t you try egg carving?
Yes you read correctly, egg carving. It’s pretty much self explanatory; you take an empty infertile egg shell and carve it into a design of your choice.
The best type of egg to use is that of an ostrich as it is particularly sturdy. However, other eggs such as emu and quails eggs can be used. Most eggs used for egg carving come from hatcheries that sell infertile eggs for this purpose.
There are two forms of carving which are lacing and sculpting. Lacing involves the complete removal of sections of egg to form a cut out patterns.
When sculpting an egg the artist simply removes layers of the shell to reveal different colours. The colours are then utilised to depict a desired image.

For more information on egg carving click here.

Urban Exploration

If you think that you’re too old for making model cars or stamp collecting why don’t you try urban exploration (urbex)?
As an urban explorer your time will spent investigating parts of a city or town that very few people get to see. This can include derelict buildings, disused hospitals, underground tunnels or forgotten structures and pieces of land. The common theme is usually the exploration of places that are off-limits!
Those who partake in the hobby/sport either do it for architectural and historical interest or to just try and spook themselves.

If all this seems like the type of thing that you’d like to try please visit the following site for more information and advice.

www.28dayslater.co.uk
www.urbexforums.co.uk
www.forlornbritain.co.uk

Clay Pigeon Shooting

Last month I had to organise a stag weekend as part of my best man duties and opted for clay pigeon shooting as the pre-booze activity.
Most of the lads had tried it before but It was my first time and so I was a bit nervous, mainly due to the pre-shoot safety speech. However, once I started shooting the first clays my anxiety quickly disappeared.
I found the day really fun and enjoyable and I highly recommend it for both men and women. The instructor was very friendly and helpful which particularly helps if your nervous.

The shooting ground we went to was managed by the Mendip Shooting Club which is situated in Wells, Somerset. It was a well organised club with friendly and helpful staff.
However, there are plenty of other clubs in the UK and to find your nearest one please visit the Clay Pigeon Shooing Associations (CPSA) website.