Another Abby Holt Article - Beyond the Scroll

 

Image via Freepik

Beyond the Scroll: Seven Surprisingly Fun Skills You Can Learn Online or Out in the Wild

In a world constantly nudging you to scroll just a little longer, it’s easy to forget how good it feels to actually do something—especially something new. We all get the itch. Maybe it starts as a passing thought after bingeing a cooking show, or maybe it comes from watching a friend turn their weekend hobby into something real. But the urge is there: to learn, to create, to connect. What’s beautiful now is that you don’t have to choose between solo exploration and social interaction—some of the most fulfilling hobbies let you do both. You can learn the ropes in your pajamas online, then step out and meet real people who are into the same thing. Let’s dive into seven under-the-radar (but totally addictive) skills you can pick up from your couch or your community.

Turning Silence into Sound
 
There’s something wildly vulnerable and rewarding about learning to play music as an adult. You might start online, fumbling through beginner ukulele tutorials or downloading a piano app that gamifies the basics. But sooner or later, you’ll crave that live feedback loop—joining a local jam session or taking a group class becomes the natural next step. And when you hit that first clean chord in front of people, it’s electric.

Cracking the Code: Finding Flow in Computer Science
 
Learning computer science can feel like unlocking a new way of thinking—it sharpens how you approach problems, patterns, and even everyday decisions. Whether you're dabbling in coding through online tutorials or building your first app, the learning curve is real but incredibly rewarding. For those looking to take their skills further, earning a degree can offer structure, deeper knowledge, and access to tools and communities you might not find on your own. Choosing an online computer science degree makes it easier to balance work responsibilities while you explore everything from algorithms to AI without putting your life on pause.

The Dance Floor Is Everywhere Now
 
Dance used to feel like something you either learned as a kid or avoided at weddings. That’s over. TikTok may have made choreography bite-sized, but there’s a whole universe of dance styles you can dip into online—from beginner hip-hop to salsa footwork to K-pop routines that sneak in a workout. Then, when you’ve mustered the courage (and muscle memory), walking into a local dance studio or Latin night becomes less intimidating and more of a celebration.

Pottery Isn’t Just for Ghost Scenes Anymore
 
There’s a quiet therapy in shaping clay. It’s tactile, a little messy, and weirdly meditative. While you can start with YouTube demos or even mail-order kits, pottery almost insists that you step into a studio eventually—to fire your pieces, yes, but also to vibe with others hunched over wheels or hand-building mugs that lean a little to the left. You’ll leave each session with something imperfect but deeply yours.

The Art of Brewing the Perfect Cup
 
Coffee and tea aren’t just drinks—they’re rituals. If you’ve ever watched a slow-pour video on Instagram and thought, “I could do that,” you absolutely can. Online classes can walk you through everything from grind size to water temperature, and pretty soon you’ll be geeking out over bloom times like a pro. What’s cool is that cafes and local roasters often host tastings or workshops, where your solo obsession can suddenly become a communal ritual.

Making Words Work for You
 
Creative writing isn’t just for tortured novelists or people with MFA degrees. It’s one of the most accessible, soul-stirring skills you can pick up—often for free. Sites like Coursera or Substack can get you going, and before long, you might find yourself joining a writing group at your library or sharing pieces at an open mic. There’s power in giving voice to your experiences, and even more in hearing someone say, “I felt that too.”

Knots, Needles, and Nerdy Delight
 
Fiber arts are having a moment, and for good reason—they hit that sweet spot between focus and calm. Whether you’re picking up crochet, embroidery, macramé, or knitting, you’ll find a rabbit hole of charming tutorials and pattern swaps online. But the real magic? Local stitch-and-bitch circles, yarn cafes, or crafting nights at your nearest bookstore. They’re full of people who understand the high of finally nailing that tricky stitch—and who’ll celebrate your lopsided scarf like it’s runway-ready.

Photography for the Rest of Us
 
You don’t need a fancy DSLR or a five-hour Lightroom course to make photography your thing. Start with your phone. Learn how to frame a shot, find light, and tell stories through photos—plenty of photographers share killer tips online for free. Then take it offline: join a local photo walk, enter a community contest, or offer to snap portraits at a friend’s event. Suddenly you’re not just taking pictures—you’re seeing your world differently.

Here’s the secret no one tells you: you don’t have to become an expert. You just have to start. The point isn’t mastery—it’s motion. Finding a new skill or hobby isn’t about productivity or self-improvement, at least not primarily. It’s about curiosity, presence, and maybe even joy. You learn a few chords, you brew a better cup, you mess up a pot and laugh with strangers. That’s it. That’s the stuff. The best part? Whether you’re starting from your bedroom or stepping into a studio, you’re not alone. And that, more than anything, makes the learning stick. 

Discover the art of machine knitting with Diana’s expert tutorials and innovative patterns at Diana Natters On — your go-to resource for knitting inspiration and techniques!

A treat for you today!  Another guest article from Abby Holt.

Unlocking Innovation: How to Reinvigorate Your Creativity for Success

by Abby Holt

Image via Pexels

 

Creativity isn't just for artists and inventors; it's a crucial element in achieving success in both personal and professional life. However, creativity can sometimes feel stagnant, leaving you stuck in familiar patterns. To break free and reignite your creative spark, you need to explore new methods, rethink old habits, and create an environment that fosters imaginative thinking. Here are some unique ways to refresh your creativity and enhance your overall success.

Making Videos

Creating your own videos is a powerful way to expand your creativity, allowing you to experiment with storytelling, visuals, and unique perspectives. Whether you’re making short clips, tutorials, or artistic films, video creation challenges you to think dynamically and express your ideas in new ways. A video maker free of cost can help bring your vision to life without requiring expensive software, making it easy to refine your content. This tool allows you to add audio, change your video speed, animate elements, and more, giving you endless possibilities to craft compelling and original videos.

Engage in Intentional Daydreaming

Most people associate productivity with constant action, but creativity thrives when your mind has space to wander. Intentional daydreaming—allowing your thoughts to drift freely without immediate pressure—can lead to unexpected insights. Some of history’s greatest breakthroughs happened during moments of relaxation, not structured work. Give yourself permission to sit in silence, take a long walk, or stare out the window without an agenda. Your brain will begin to connect ideas in ways that structured thinking often can’t achieve.

Start a Business

Starting your own business is a powerful way to channel your creativity into something tangible, giving you full control over your ideas and how they come to life. Whether you’re launching a freelance venture, a product-based company, or a creative agency, entrepreneurship pushes you to think outside the box and innovate. Forming an LLC offers benefits like personal liability protection and tax flexibility, making it a smart choice for many business owners. Using ZenBusiness can simplify the LLC registration process, ensuring that all paperwork is handled efficiently so you can focus on growing your creative enterprise.

Surround Yourself with Creative Energy

The people around you influence your mindset and creativity more than you realize. If you're constantly engaging with individuals who resist change and discourage new ideas, your own creativity will suffer. Seek out conversations with curious, open-minded people who challenge conventional wisdom. Join groups, attend workshops, or follow inspiring creators whose work excites you. Being in an environment filled with creative energy makes it easier to generate ideas and push beyond your comfort zone.

Change Your Routine to Disrupt Patterns

Your brain relies on routine to make daily life easier, but over time, those habits can stifle fresh thinking. Creativity thrives in unfamiliar territory, so deliberately disrupting your routine can spark new ideas. Take a different route to work, rearrange your workspace, or try an activity you’ve never done before. Even small changes—like switching up your reading material or listening to unfamiliar music—can shake up ingrained patterns and help you see the world differently.

Use Constraints to Fuel Innovation

While it might seem like unlimited freedom enhances creativity, constraints actually push you to think more innovatively. When you’re forced to work within limits—whether it’s a tight budget, a specific deadline, or a restricted medium—you find unexpected solutions. Challenge yourself with artificial constraints, such as writing a story using only ten words or designing a project with just three materials. These boundaries force you to stretch your imagination and come up with solutions you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

Reconnect with Playfulness and Curiosity

As adults, we often prioritize productivity over play, but curiosity and fun are essential for creative breakthroughs. Think back to childhood, when you explored ideas without worrying about practicality. Reintroducing playfulness into your life—whether through games, doodling, or improvisation—reignites a sense of curiosity. The less you worry about immediate results, the more your mind can wander into unexpected and imaginative spaces. Give yourself permission to create without purpose, and inspiration will often follow.

Creativity isn’t a finite resource—it’s a skill that can be strengthened with the right habits and mindset. By engaging in intentional daydreaming, you create an environment where ideas flourish. Surrounding yourself with creative energy, disrupting your routine, and embracing constraints push you to think in new ways. Finally, reconnecting with playfulness allows your imagination to roam freely. When you commit to reinvigorating your creativity, you unlock potential that enhances both your personal and professional success.

 

Discover the art of machine knitting with Diana’s expert tutorials and innovative patterns at Diana Natters On – your go-to resource for knitting inspiration and techniques!

Scrappy Stripes Baby Blanket

I'm always trying to encourage people to get more out of their ribbing attachments.  Ribbers are great for a lot of things besides edgings, especially for making fast blankets and afghans.

Here's my latest project.  It's the Reversible Lilac English Rib blanket from my Best Baby Blankets book and I changed the pattern to do groups of 25 rows instead of 11 rows.  I had a cubbyhole full of baby yarn that was Group 3.  I didn't have enough of any one yarn for a whole baby gift.  I decided to stick to one side of the color wheel, running through lavender, pink, peach and yellow to choose scraps in a nice group, and this whole project took me about three hours total, including hiding all the ends and binding off the top edge by hand.

It's quite a bit pinker than the picture, at least on my monitor.  I like this banister shot, though, so you can see that it is thick and good-sized.

So, why do I like ribber blankets so much?  Well, here are some features:

• You can get a much wider piece of fabric using the ribber.  Now you have twice as many needles and you can do tucked ribbing, like this, which is VERY wide.
• The ribber makes endless variations of fabrics that are quite flat.  You don't need hems or edgings.  I don't even block - I like the thick, puffy effect.  
• Usually, ribbed fabrics are much thicker and warmer than single bed fabrics.  This one with all the soft baby yarns is plush and puffy.
• These blankets are FAST!  If you have your heart set on making blankets for charity, here's a wonderful way to increase your production and master your ribber.
• If you want to make one like this, well, you don't really even need reversible English Rib.  The stripes tend to hide the reversible texture, anyway.  You don't even need a pattern really - just yarn that does the stitch smoothly and an awareness that English Rib is going to come off the machine really wide.  I worked a swatch first to test the yarn, gauge, and needle arrangement, and then as I was knitting, I knitted a lot more length than I though was necessary because I knew it would grow sideways when it came off the machine.  
• I want to try this scrappy style in Full Fisherman Rib, because that will be crazy wide and extra thick.  I also think it would be smart-looking to ply up some thinner yarns and get a tweedy effect.
• I do have some minor variations in width in the afghan as I kept changing brands of yarn.  I think that's fine as long as you stick to the same group of yarn.  Mine was Group 3 throughout.  

Now I have a really soft, pretty blanket for a gift and most of the scrappy baby yarn off a shelf.  I didn't use it all up, but I used all but two cone ends.  

Graphic Diamond Afghan

 I just put up another video showcasing a new blanket in my "Afghan in a Day or Even Less" series.  This one uses short-rowing to do fast, easy graphic diamonds.  You don't have to count and count, either - I show how to mark your needle bed and save a lot of time.  

This also has hemmed sides, providing a sturdier outer edge and a great opportunity to add some width and length to the project.  It has the nifty corner emblems that I have used on some other blankets, as well.

This video does have an advertisement for the new pattern, but I think you can get a lot out of watching it even if you don't want that pattern since it shows so many interesting techniques.