6 Hobbies Apartment Therapy Editors Took Up in 2022

published Dec 31, 2022
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Did you test out a new hobby this past year? It can be hard to start something fresh — you’ll likely make mistakes, and your finished product won’t necessarily be as beautiful as you’d hoped — but with patience and practice, a new skill can prove so rewarding. Below, six Apartment Therapy editors share the hobbies they began, continued, and grew from during 2022. Maybe you’ll choose to try one in 2023!

Embroidering

“I started toward the end of the year, but my favorite new hobby is embroidery. It began with seeing a pricey set of embroidered napkins and thinking, ‘I could do that’ — and ended with an extremely homemade-looking set of napkins! It would be worth it simply for the satisfaction of going to my local fabric store and perusing the rainbow of threads, but I’m also excited to personalize every fabric surface in my home this year. Looking at you, throw pillows.” —Sofia Rivera, Associate Lifestyle Editor

DJing

“I started teaching myself how to DJ this year with the help of my brother gifting me a Pioneer DJ turntable. When I was in elementary school, I played the piano, so it was fun to fulfill the urge to play music again! I can’t wait to keep practicing and actually play a venue in 2023.” —Noella Williams, Assistant Editor, News & Culture

Credit: Madeline Bilis

DIYing Paper

“In 2022, I wanted a creative hobby that wouldn’t require too much skill, as I don’t consider myself particularly crafty. Making paper from recycled materials was what I landed on — it allows me to do some easy, meditative work that results in something really beautiful. I took this class on Skillshare to learn how it’s done and then dove right in. As I got more comfortable with it, I even sprinkled some dried flowers into my paper slurry (!). I can’t wait to make more funky cards and letters in 2023.” —Madeline Bilis, Deputy Lifestyle Director

Veggie Gardening

“My husband and I started gardening this year. It began slowly, with some chili peppers and herbs — chives, thyme, sage, peppers, and basil (two kinds) — but as we head into the new year, we’re growing our garden aspirations. We recently purchased a raised garden bed and will be planting tomatoes, bok choy, lettuce, and more!” —Stephanie Nguyen, Cleaning & Organizing Editor

Hand-Building Ceramics

“I love ceramics, but I haven’t been able to go back to regular classes on the wheel just yet. So, I’ve been working on hand-building ceramics from home, and it’s such a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. I bought the tools off Amazon, including clay and a small sculpting wheel, and so far I’ve made a couple of tabletop items following this guide from Better Homes and Gardens. It would be very generous to say that they’re any good, but I enjoy it!” —Kelly Dawson, Deputy Editor

Crossword Puzzle Solving (on Paper!)

“My favorite hobby I picked up in 2022 was doing a New York Times crossword every day! I mostly work out of a book of collected crosswords, so it’s a nice little analog, away-from-the-screen break for my eyes and a workout for my brain.” —Sarah Everett, Staff Writer