Learn to twerk while the iron’s hot

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/04/2020 (2305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been about a month since Manitoba put social distancing into practice, and for many of us, that means spending a lot of time at home.

At first, social distancing didn’t seem like such a bad thing — how many of us didn’t have at least a handful of projects at home that needed to get done?

Fast forward a month. All those projects? Done. Regular hobbies? Pursued. Every possible TV show or movie available? Watched.

If you’re getting bored of yourself and your normal activities, you’re definitely not alone, and if you’re looking for new hobbies to test out, here are 10 fantastic masterclasses on hobbies both popular and totally obscure that will help make your time at home a little more interesting.

SOURDOUGH BREAD

It’s hard to say when or where it all began, but baking sourdough bread is certainly one of the most popular activities people are trying while holed up at a home.

As baker Patrick Ryan states in this handy breadmaking masterclass, sourdough bread is the oldest form of leavened bread in the world, and now is the perfect time to learn how to make it.

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FANCY FOCACCIA

Perhaps it was the overexposure of sourdough, but lately, there’s a new front-runner on the baking scene.

Focaccia is good no matter what, but homebound bakers have been kicking it up a notch with some truly inspirational designs. YouTube is full of useful videos on how to create your own focaccia masterpiece, but this one from several years ago is a personal favourite, because it uses kombucha as a primary ingredient. Yum.

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CHESS

A lot of people can play chess, but how many of us can truly play a chess game with well-crafted strategy? Not me.

But, with just a few lessons from a mysterious online voice known only as Jerry, my chess score has already started to improve. Jerry, who operates under the username ChessNetwork, has an entire series of videos that teach chess from the beginner to master level and will have you coming out of social distancing ready to take your place in history as the next Bobby Fischer.

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EXTREME IRONING

Ironing is a household chore that a lot of us probably neglect. It’s time-consuming and tedious, and these days, are wrinkles even that bad?

But sometimes reframing a chore as a contest is the perfect way to turn it into something interesting, and people around the world have done just that by taking their irons, ironing boards and wrinkled clothing to remote destinations.

Extreme ironing is “the latest danger sport,” according to the Extreme Ironing Bureau, “that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt.”

Time to start training.

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ORIGAMI

If you’re sick of knitting but need something to keep your hands busy, try origami, the Japanese art of paper-folding.

One of the most popular stories about origami is Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Corr, which tells the story of Sadako Sasaki.

Inspired by the Japanese legend that the folder of 1,000 paper cranes is granted a wish, Sadako, who is suffering from leukemia caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, begins to fold cranes so she can survive and achieve her dream of joining a running team.

Sadako didn’t live to see her wish come true, and died after folding 644 cranes, but today origami cranes are still a symbol of hope around the world… and they’re very simple to make.

YouTube creator Jo Nakashima specializes in origami instruction and creates everything from the simplest butterflies and flowers to complex mythological creatures. Once you master a few basic folds, the origami world becomes your oyster, and Nakashima can guide you every step of the way.

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TWERKING

If there are two dance moves you need to know, it’s how to dab and how to twerk.

For the less co-ordinated amongst us, dabbing is a simple enough move to master. Twerking — a portmanteau of the words twist and jerk — takes a lot more work.

The dance move originated in1980s New Orleans and is characterized by a combination of a low squat and backwards hip thrusts. Sounds easy? It isn’t. Give this tutorial by dance master Anisha Gibbs a watch and see for yourself.

The move takes a while to perfect, but once you do, you’ll always be a star on the dancefloor.

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WATERCOLOURS

Painting can be a great hobby, but it’s hard to know where to start. If you’re starting from scratch, watercolours are a great place to begin.

The paint itself is easy to find and, unlike oil paints, the brushes are easy to clean (no turpentine necessary). Painter Nitin Singh has devised easy-to-follow beginner watercolour classes with exercises to help develop style and technique that will turn you in to a master in no time.

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SOAP CARVING

By far the cutest tutorial on this list is a soap carving tutorial by YouTube creator Mizutama where she teaches you how to make adorable soap bunnies.

Easter might be over, but it’s still spring for a little while longer, and these happy little carvings are sure to make your 20 second hand-washing breaks a lot more cheery.

Mizutama is also a creator of ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) videos, and her soap carving tutorials are both useful and extremely relaxing.

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KNOTS

If you’re committed to coming out of social distancing with practical skills, why not learn to tie knots? This tutorial by Jason Eke features all kinds of different knots that are useful in outdoor activities such as camping, canoeing and hiking.

Once you learn them, you’ll be ready for any adventure.

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CALLIGRAPHY

If you’re interested in learning calligraphy, there’s no better guru than Toronto-based YouTube creator AmandaRachLee.

Both her channels are full of incredible videos that guide you through hand-lettering and calligraphy techniques that will add a special touch to any invitation or letter you send.

This masterclass in particular focuses on calligraphy using markers — no special calligraphy pen needed — which makes it a great video for beginners.

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Frances.Koncan@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @franceskoncan