Can Macramé Save Us?
Analog hobbies are appealing to Grannies and Gen Z. Can they unite us in difficult times?
Analog hobbies are in the news, and people are talking. What are they? You know them as the hobbies we Gen Xers grew up with—the ones our parents embraced, the ones we embraced while latch-keying our way through childhood.
Analog hobbies are digital-free pursuits that let us step away from our screens. Gardening, scrapbooking, film photography, crochet, knitting, sewing, wood burning, the list goes on. If you ever earned a Girl Scout hobbies badge, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
These old-fashioned, “granny” hobbies are making a comeback as people begin to connect their mental health with their screen use. Doomscrolling is real, for young and old alike, and we all need a break from it. Economic woes are another factor giving analog hobbies a lift. They’re often cheaper and more accessible than hefty subscription services, and they offer the option of doing something with friends, or completely alone, when you need space to recharge.
And that’s why it’s not just our generation embracing these traditional pastimes. Millennials and Gen Z are all in, and that gives us a wonderful opening for connection. And for those of us with a little experience under our belts, these hobbies offer a meaningful way to mentor, encourage, and cheer on someone who’s just getting started. TikTok and Instagram are saturated with women and men our age (60-plus) showing younger friends how to slow things down. Check your local library’s offerings and you just might find a knitting or macramé class taught by a granny. Who ever thought macramé would be a thing again?
These intergenerational connections matter. The bonds we’re forging might be one of the ways we get through tough times. And we’re living through tough times right now, aren’t we? Maybe slowing down together is exactly what this moment is asking of us.
Popular Analog Hobbies
Sewing
Watercolors
Wood burning
Film photography (yes, film! They still make it.)
Crochet
Knitting
Macrame
Needlepoint and latchhook
Leather crafts
Gardening
Reading and book clubs
Cooking and baking
Walking, hiking, and running
Jigsaw puzzles
Thrifting
Miniatures and doll houses
Typing (on old-fashioned typewriters)
Letter writing (by hand)
Soap making
Questions to readers: Do you have a favorite analog hobby? How do you breakaway from your own habit of doom scrolling?
Yes, I agree - analog hobbies- help right now. I think they help by keeping your mind and body active in a relaxing way (the opposite of doom scrolling). My local library started a fiber meet up once a month and it’s been wonderful. Knitting, crocheting, weaving, quilting, even spinning! As a boomer, I taught myself to crochet and I enjoy creating new things and donating to hats, scarves and this year, Christmas stockings to my neighborhood shelter.
Love this take on analog hobbies as intergenerational glue. The idea that Gen Z and grannies can bond over macrame or scrapbooking feels almost countercultural these days. I've been experimentin with flim photography lately and the tactile process really does pull me away from doom scrolling. Interesting how economic pressures are driving people back to these cheaper, hands-on activities.