Now that we're well into 2024, you probably know which resolutions you're sticking to and which are just not realistic for this year. If one of those was to get more creative or pick up a new hobby, you're in luck!
Shop TODAY consulted experts to learn about which crafts are all the rage this year. Plus, we rounded up everything you'll need to pursue your new favorite hobby.
Benefits of hobbies | Knitting, crochet and embroidery | Quilting | Painting | Aquatecture | Reading | STEAM/STEM | Getting active | Meet the experts
What are the benefits of crafting/hobbies?Deb Walker, director of consumer insights at Michaels, says she sees a high correlation between crafting and mindfulness, meditation and mental health.
“Think about any project that you’re working on — knitting, for example. You’re focusing on that singular stitch. Your mind dissolves away all of the other things that are going on so you have a singular focus. It calms you and it relaxes you. And then, if you make something that actually is functioning, wow! I can wear that in public, that’s awesome,” she explains. “[All of these hobbies] have an element of relaxation, a sense of fulfillment and achievement, learning new things/continuing to stretch your mind, a lot of those are the mental health benefits.”
While it can be intimidating to get started, Walker recommends just diving right in. “If you feel like you can’t do it, try. If you fail, so what? But if you succeed and enjoy it, you have a new hobby.”
Hobbies and crafts to try in 2024Knitting, crocheting and embroideryWhen you think of crafting hobbies, this classic trio is probably the first thing that comes to mind. It’s a craft the Walker says is affordable because — for knitting and crocheting specifically — all you need is a needle or crochet hook and a skein of yarn.
“There’s so many videos [online]. YouTube is fabulous for that. There’s classes, there’s social media presence. There’s so many different ways to learn and grow and give something a try,” she says. “A $5 skein of yarn, a $5 hook and you can make a scarf, a hat, you name it. It gives that sense of being able to approach it and jump into the category.”
Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest, says what people are crocheting is a trend of its own. A trend the brand has dubbed “Be Jelly” in their 2024 predictions report, they’ve noticed a 220% search increase for the term “jellyfish hat” and a 155% increase for “blue jellyfish,” among other related terms.
“Be Jelly is this year’s mushroom except it goes well beyond the home,” she tells us. “Anything from DIY jellyfish, couture fashion, hair, the jellyfish is really inspiring a lot of different things. The jellyfish will be inspiring some hobbies in 2024.”
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$30.00The WooblesAnother trend Stanback calls out is one they’ve dubbed “Give a Scrap,” and it’s all about using scraps of fabric and leftover materials to make something new.
“This is really driven by older generations on Pinterest. We see with this trend that they’re going to be taking basic tees and they’re going to be transformed into unique ‘fits with whatever shreds that they can find in their homes,” she explains. “This is coming up with search terms like ‘zero-waste sewing patterns’ and ‘how to craft with no-waste materials’.”
Walker isn’t surprised by this particular hobby’s rise to popularity. “I’m seeing a lot of what’s old is new again,” she says. “I think that comes in fashion, it comes in food, it comes in all the different places but it also comes here.”
Painting is a classic hobby that you’ve likely been doing since you were a child, but if you’re not the most artistic or don’t have the steadiest of hands for even a paint-by-numbers kit, Walker says diamond painting is a newer craft that has risen in popularity.
“It’s like a paint-by-numbers but you’re applying colored dots to a pattern to make this beautiful piece,” she says.
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$39.99Diamond Art ClubThis is one of the only hobbies that’s completely new to us, and might be new to you, too. Stanback says “aquatecture” is predicted to be on the rise this year and it’s all about getting creative with the homes of your aquatic companions.
“Gen X and millennials will become under sea gardeners through building and incorporating these over the top aquarium designs into their homes,” she says. “It’s a home decor trend but it’s grounded in the activity of building that experience out.”
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$9.87$17.87ChewyIf you’ve been on BookTok in the past few years, you’re not surprised by the continuous rise in popularity of reading as a hobby. Christina Brinkman, senior marketing analyst at Uncommon Goods, says there were several reading hobby-related products that were bestsellers throughout the holiday season that the brand is buying into more this year.
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Brinkman says STEAM and STEM kits for kids and adults were a big emerging trend from the end of last year that they’re leaning more into this year. It’s a perfect way to get young people engaged and stimulate the mind or, for the older crowd, embrace nostalgia.
Both Brinkman and Stanback call out sports and getting active as hobbies that more and more people will take on. People still love pickleball, but badminton is also carving out its own piece of the pie, according to Stanback and the Pinterest report. “It’s not just about the racket; it’s about the outfit and the aesthetic,” says Stanback.
But it’s not just on-court sports that people are interested in. Stanback says the high-intensity workout is making a comeback in 2024.
“Historically, we’ve reported fitness trends that are focused on lower intensity but in 2024, high intensity is really coming back and it’s packing a punch. Millennials and Gen Z will go all in on combat sports like karate, kickboxing [and] jiu jitsu as their daily dose of me time, really making them feel stronger, calmer and more powerful."
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- Deb Walker is the director of consumer insights at Michaels.
- Sydney Stanback is the global trends and insights lead at Pinterest.
- Christina Brinkman is the senior marketing analyst at Uncommon Goods.
Kamari Stewart
Kamari Stewart is an Associate SEO Editor for Shop TODAY.
