How to Taobao Your CNY Resolution
If you've already failed to make good on your Western New Year's resolution, now's the time to seize the second chance that is Chinese New Year's resolutions! And who are we kidding... anything fitness related is doomed to fail. So why not pick up a new hobby that doesn't result in buckets of sweat and dry heaving?
For that, as always, we turn to Taobao (after all, online shopping is kind of a hobby in itself). Here's but a few options to help you make the Year of the Tiger your craftiest year yet!
The art of pretty handwriting requires
practice and immense patience, but it also requires special equipment.
For Chinese characters, a brush is traditionally used, while a fountain
pen is used for alphabetic calligraphy. (Note that both brushes usually
must be dipped in ink before use, while a fountain pen may either be
dipped or an ink cartridge used.) But whether you are looking to delve
into a Chinese cultural pastime or simply to write fancy letters to your
crush, both types of instrument essentially create the same effect:
strokes become wider when pressed harder and narrower when pressed
lightly against the paper, thus creating a more dynamic script.
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
Calligraphy pen: 书法笔 shūfǎ bǐ
Calligraphy brush: 毛笔 máobǐ
Fountain pen: 钢笔 gāngbǐ
Ink: 墨水 mòshuǐ (also try: 墨水钢笔用 mòshuǐ gāngbǐ yòng or 墨水毛笔用 mòshuǐ máobǐ yòng)
(Chinese) calligraphy paper: 书法纸 shūfǎ zhǐ
Ink tray: 砚台 yàntai
It’s not just for grandmas anymore.
These days, knitting is enjoyed by crafty individuals of all ages and
genders. Eager to combat consumerism, these needle warriors spend their
money on yarn rather than opening up their wallet to Uniqlo. Once you
learn your stitches, you too can keep warm under your own self-made
blanket, or even warm the hearts of the kiddos in your life by making
them a stuffed animal.
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
Knitting needles: 毛线镇 máoxiàn zhèn
Crochet hook: 钩针 gōuzhēn
Yarn: 毛线 máoxiàn
Knitting pattern: 编织图案 biānzhī tú'àn
If you're the type of person who keeps little trinkets around your desk, consider making your
own trinkets out of felt. Taobao has plenty of starter packs with
various colors of raw felt as well as the specific type of needle you
will need to create your tiny masterpieces. (If you have some yarn lying
around, you can avoid buying the felt by tearing the yarn into shreds
to create your own felt.) Note that, as far as three-dimensional
creations go, needle felting is much more time consuming than, say, clay
sculpting. On the other hand, you won’t need access to a kiln.
Once
you get the hang of it, you can easily start getting creative with your
own ideas, but if you want to start out with a preset design, those are
easy to find as well.
(Warning: These needles are very sharp and should not be handled by very young children.)
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
Needle felting: 羊毛毡戳戳乐 yáng máozhān chuō chuō lè
Needle felting needle: 戳针 chuō zhēn
Do-it-yourself felting tools: 毛毡手工DIY工具 máozhān shǒugōng DIY gōngjù
Felting brush base: 毛毡 底刷 máozhān dǐ shuā
It’s important to keep a nice-smelling
home, and while Taobao has plenty of pre-made candles for your aromatic
enjoyment, it might be cheaper to make them yourself if you go through a
lot of them. It is also a hobby that welcomes experimentation, making
it great for passing the time. Purchase a do-it-yourself kit or get the
items separately.
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
Paraffin wax: 石蜡 shílà
Beeswax (for candle making): 蜂蜡（蜡烛用） fēnglà (làzhú yòng)
Wick: 烛芯 zhú xīn
Fragrance oils: 香精油 xiāng jīngyóu
Kitchen thermometer: 温度计厨房用 wēndùjì chúfáng yòng
Melting pot: 融化锅 rónghuà guō
Glass jar: 玻璃罐 bōlí guàn
Another option with a wide range of
possibilities, chain weaving offers novice crafters a challenging road
ahead as they move from basic patterns up to the more complex (and
beautiful) weaves. A chain by itself can make a lovely bracelet or
necklace, but adding beads or pendants can be fun as well.
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
1mm/2mm/3mm metal wire: 1mm/2mm/3mm 金属线 jīnshǔ xiàn
Jewelry pliers: 首饰钳子 shǒushì qiánzi
Looking for a more meditative hobby?
Maybe it’s time to start coloring again. Adult coloring books can be a
great way to clear your mind and foster self-validation.
Search keywords to get started on this hobby:
Meditation coloring book: 心理减压涂色书 xīnlǐ jiǎn yā tú sè shū
Colored pencils: 彩色铅笔 cǎisè qiānbǐ
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Images: Jasmin Schreiber (via Unsplash), Niketh Vellanki (via Unsplash), Ursula Castillo (via Unsplash), Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts, CourseHorse, Amanda Jones (via Unsplash)
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