17 Grandma Hobbies That Will Add Cozy Charm to Your Life

The Grandmacore Trend

Growing up, my grandma and mom taught me how to sew and quilt. Those moments with them gave me a lifelong love for creating with my hands. Today, I still find comfort in the rhythmic process of spinning yarn or weaving fabric, but my passions have expanded to include gardening, reading, and cooking from scratch. That’s why I adore the “grandmacore” trend of younger folks thoroughly enjoying hobbies and styles that have stereotypically been associated with older folks. “Grandma” hobbies are actually for people of all ages, and we can all benefit from more grandmotherly wisdom in our lives. It’s about time we relish in all the cozy, traditional hobbies that remind us of simpler times—knitting by the fire, baking bread, or stitching something beautiful and useful. In a world that feels so fast-paced and digital, these hobbies ground us, slow us down, and help us reconnect with ourselves, our homes, our ancestors, and the world around us.

Is Calling Someone a “Grandma” Offensive?

In my culture, being called “old” or “grandma” can be offensive. I wish this was not true. Being old means you have skills and experience. You’ve read more books, traveled to more places, worked more jobs, tried more things. At nearly forty years old, I know so much more than I did when I was “young.” And even though I’m only 38, if my oldest child has a baby at age 23 like I did, I will become a grandma in eight short years at age 46. I have always believed that being a grandma, or being old, means being a person who is wise, experienced, confident, and skilled, a person who savors life in a slow-paced way, because there is no rush to achieve anything when you have already achieved so much. Even if you are young, taking a page out of Grandma’s book and slowing down will, I believe, bless your life both now and in the long run.

I invite you to explore the following timeless grandma hobbies that bring a deep sense of coziness to your life. These aren’t just pastimes—they’re powerful ways to slow down, be present, and find joy in the process of making and doing. Hobbies like knitting, gardening, or baking teach us mindfulness as we focus on each stitch, seed, or recipe step. They cultivate resourcefulness, helping us make the most of what we have and create something meaningful with our hands. Most importantly, they ground us, reminding us of the beauty in simple, intentional living. These grandma hobbies offer so much more than meets the eye. Read the list below -maybe one of these hobbies will speak to you.

1. Knitting

This might be the quintessential grandma hobby! Knitting checks off all the cozy hobby boxes: soft, creative, warm, gently stimulating. It’s portable, which makes it a very practical hobby for people who travel a lot. Knitting can be meditative, if the stitch pattern is repetitive and rhythmic. If the stitch pattern is complicated, the focus required to stay on track can be relaxing, as all your other worries and cares are pushed aside for a few moments of quiet making.

2. Crocheting

Crocheting has all the benefits of knitting listed above, but for some people is easier to pick up as beginners. Depending on the stitches used, crocheting can be faster than knitting, allowing you to whip up cozy blankets and amigurumi in no time, and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing your project grow right at your fingertips.

3. Weaving

From wall hangings to hand woven cloth, weaving is an ancient fiber art that is still popular today. Picture sitting at your loom on a dreary winter day, with warm lighting illuminating the web of cloth that slowly appears with each rhythmic pass of the shuttle.

4. Handspinning

Before doing any of the above crafts, you need yarn. Imagine being able to make your own yarn in whatever fibers, colors, and textures you desire. Handspinning offers so much creative freedom. Like weaving, it’s an ancient craft. Nothing says “grandmacore” like a craft that has been done by women for thousands of years. Read my blog post for my Top Ten Reasons to Spin Yarn, or check out my Beginner Tutorial.

5. Quilting

My grandma was a quilter. I believe she made over two hundred quilts in her life. Some were created from patterns and kits, and some were her own designs. Quilting is a very popular grandma hobby that combines storytelling and artistry. There is a rich heritage of quilt block designs and stitch patterns that you can draw from to create your own unique art out of tiny bits of fabric. Using every scrap of fabric is a very resourceful and grandmotherly thing to do. And when your quilt is finished, you can wrap it around yourself and settle in for the most cozy, satisfying feeling imaginable.

6. Embroidery

I admit I haven’t done much embroidery in my life, but I do admire this grandma hobby. Embroidery is another fiber art perfect for doing while sitting by the fireplace on a chilly evening. Like quilting, you can use embroidery to stitch stories and art. You could even combine the two and embroider on your quilts. There are many adorable beginner patterns for learning embroidery techniques.

7. Baking

Baking is the ultimate cozy grandma hobby, because it literally fills your home with warmth. Crank up the heat on your oven, mix up a little of this and a little of that, and bake it. In a little while, like magic, you have fragrant, warm, delicious breads, cakes, and cookies. If you can only choose one grandma hobby to make part of your life, I would recommend baking first. The tactile nature of mixing or kneading helps with mindfulness, and baking is more frugal than buying breads and cakes. Grandmas are very good at saving money by using their skills. Baking is also an easy way to share your skills with others, making sure everyone is feeling cozy and well fed. Check out my Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins recipe.

8. Gardening

Gardening nurtures the soil and the soul. Nothing is more grounding than gardening, and grandmas are all about feeling grounded and steady. Even if you don’t have space for a garden, you could start an indoor or balcony container garden full of houseplants, lettuces, herbs, and flowers. If you get really smart and frugal with your garden, you could also save money on your grocery bill, especially if you do the next hobby too.

9. Canning and Preserving

This hobby is the ultimate frugal grandma skill. Grandmas know that if you grow -or acquire cheaply- excess in-season produce or meats, you should preserve some of it for later. It’s a way of blessing your future self. Setting aside a store of delicious jams, jellies, pickles, and more, gives you a sense of security and peace. Having ready-to-eat foods on the shelf is also very convenient. Check out my Blackberry Plum Jam recipe.

10. Puzzles

There’s something about a puzzle that is very absorbing. Jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and more all have a similar effect. The rest of your cares seem to fade away while your mind is sharply focused on searching for the perfect piece or the correct word. Puzzles are yet another grandma hobby that can be done while sitting by a cozy fire. Make yourself a hot beverage first, to have on hand. Puzzles can be worked on with friends or family, or done solo.

11. Reading

Why go out on a dark, cold, night, when you could stay home and read a book instead? This grandma hobby is for those who love to seek knowledge, and/or escape into magical worlds. Make yourself a cozy reading nook with a squishy armchair, a quilt, a lamp, and a hot beverage within arm’s reach. Grab a good book and settle in. Here are some of my favorites:

Tasha Tudor’s Heirloom Crafts
Piranesi
Braiding Sweetgrass
Women’s Work: The First 20,000 Years
Jane Eyre
The Little White Horse
Tress of the Emerald Sea

12. Sewing

Sewing is super practical. This grandma hobby will give you the skills to make your own aprons, curtains, clothes, slipcovers, pillows, and more. These soft furnishings and clothes make life cozy, and remind us to enjoy our homes and life’s simple pleasures. Grandmas are all about practical skills like this, but they can also have a romantic side: sewing elaborate costumes or gowns are also a real possibility. Check out my handmade hobbit stays here.

13. Bird Watching

Grandmas are nurturing old souls, who love their animal friends. Bird watching, whether outdoors or through a window, is a joyful way to pass the time and enjoy each season’s gifts. With a bird field guide, some binoculars, and a journal, you can learn to identify and record all of your bird friends and their comings and goings. Sitting to watch the birds is the perfect grandma hobby to restore a sense of calm after being overstimulated.

14. Mending

Mending is closely related to sewing, but it really deserves its own spot on this grandma hobby list. It’s a more accessible skill than sewing clothing, and can be as simple as replacing a lost button, or patching a hole. It doesn’t take a lot of skill to do basic mends, but it can save you a lot of money and extend the life of your clothing. Mending also has all the same sensory and creative benefits of sewing. Grandmas love saving money and being creative at the same time. It’s called resourcefulness! Learn how to assemble a basic sewing kit here.

15. Macrame

Macrame has enjoyed a comeback in the last ten years or so. There’s something about tying lots of fancy knots in rope that is very satisfying. You can use macrame techniques to create wall art, or pretty hangers for your houseplants. Macrame is beginner-friendly and requires minimal supplies. As one of the fiber arts, macrame has a solid place as a granny hobby. It’s especially useful for making a house a home with handmade decor.

16. Listening to Vinyl Records

Grandma hobbies are all about taking a moment to escape the modern, tech-heavy world we live in. Nothing rejects the digital world like listening to music on vinyl records. Whether you call them records, LPs, albums, or vinyl, holding that big piece of music in your hands, laying it on the turntable, and setting the needle, is all way more tactile than listening to digital music on Spotify. It’s a grounding experience that reminds you to live in the moment, and enjoy music for its own sake, rather than just as background noise. I highly suggest pairing this grandma hobby with sitting in a cozy chair and drinking a big mug of herbal tea.

17. Tatting or Lacemaking

I’ve left out many of the fiber arts (basket making, needle felting, nalbinding, crewelwork, and more!) but I couldn’t leave out tatting and lacemaking. These grandma hobbies once had pride of place, but now are rarely practiced. Grandmas love to keep old traditions alive, so learning how to use a tatting shuttle or a set of lace bobbins makes sense. There are numerous heirloom patterns and techniques that will be lost if they are not practiced. Additionally, our fast-paced modern world ravenously consumes cheap, poor-quality clothing. Handmade lace is the ultimate rejection of fast fashion.

In Conclusion

Grandma hobbies are more than just pastimes—they’re a gateway to a slower, richer way of living. These time-honored crafts and activities infuse our lives with creativity and a sense of cozy satisfaction. Imagine the joy of wrapping yourself in a quilt you stitched by hand, the pride of serving a loaf of bread you baked from scratch, or the calm of sitting quietly with a pair of knitting needles working in your hands. These simple pleasures remind us that the best things in life often come from slowing down and savoring the process.

Choose one or two hobbies that resonate with you and give them a try. Start small—a single embroidery project, a batch of jam, or a corner of your yard dedicated to fresh herbs—and see how it transforms your days. Let these “grandma” hobbies bring you moments of connection, accomplishment, and joy. I’d love to hear which hobbies speak to your heart or bring coziness into your life. Share your experiences or favorite crafts in the comments below—your story might just inspire someone else to pick up a needle, rolling pin, or garden trowel!