MeL Minute

Learn a New Skill with Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center

Friends and families are always looking for ways to spend time together. Trying out a new activity from  Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center in MeL offers the opportunity to bond and share new experiences. Articles with a PDF Full Text designation may include the images just how they were printed in the original publication. While there are thousands of possibilities to explore, here are some great ideas to get you started.

Outdoor Adventures

Long summer days provide lots of light for taking a long hike. Camping is another popular summer activity. While it is nice to enjoy each separately, there is always an option to combine them for a vacation full of adventure.

• Weekend Blast from Backpacker is about a weekend trail hike in High Rock Bay, Michigan with a description of the various geology and wildlife one might expect to see along the way.
• Knives Illustrated offers DIY Camp Creations which is an article with ten projects such as making wooden spoons and roasting sticks while on camping trips.

Crafting and Hands-On Activities

Whether it’s a rainy day or you’re looking for ways to learn a new skill, Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center offers many publications with instructions, patterns, and videos about a variety of hobbies.

• Attending comic-cons and fan events is a popular way to spend time. Cosplay, or dressing up as favorite characters, can make these events even more fun. Sew News is a great place to learn about how to make costumes in articles such as Sewing with Character.
• It’s nice to have handmade items that can be used as gifts. Create cross stitch bookmarks with free patterns and instructions from CrossStitcher magazine.

Observing Nature

Spending time in nature is calming and can be a great reset for people with busy lifestyles. Trying out a new hobby can help you see the outdoors in a new way.

• Birdwatching provides purpose during trips to the woods. Collecting birds in a journal or photo album is one way enjoy the outdoors. Bird Watcher’s Digest suggests Birding Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula.
• Pebble Pups to Rock Hounds describes rock-collecting as an activity that combines science and nature. Heritage Magazine for the Intelligent Collector is an excellent guide for starting many types of collections.

The publications in MeL’s eResource Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center have hundreds of ideas for learning a skill, staying busy during the summer, and finding new ways to pass the time, both indoors and outdoors.

If you are having any issues linking to items on this page, please explore the MeL eResource Access Page. Contact meldatabaseshelp@mcls.org for help.

Brought to you by Laura Warren-Gross from the MeL Team. 

Hey front line staff: The MeL Maven Badge is a 6-part Information Literacy and eResource adventure designed for you. Look for it at the end of summer 2021!

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