Craft Your Analog Summer: The Best Screen-Free Hobbies
We’ve all seen it: the "analog" trend taking over our feeds. There are the perfectly lit shots of film cameras, the aesthetic clips of fountain pens on thick paper, and the cozy needlepoint setups.
Lately, we’ve heard people asking: Is this all just performative? Are people just doing this for the 'gram?
To be completely honest: we don’t really care. Even if someone is posting their progress online, the fact remains that they spent an hour with their phone on the table and their hands busy with something real. They felt the texture of the yarn, the click of a Lego brick, or the scratch of a pen. In a world that feels increasingly digital and "crispy," we welcome that with open arms!
For us at Unwind, needlepoint has always been our North Star. It’s a creative escape, a genuine sense of accomplishment, and most importantly, a forced moment of pause in a routine that usually feels like a hundred miles an hour. If the "analog movement" means more people are finding that sense of peace, we are here for it.
What’s in Our "Analog Basket"?
The Unwind team is, unsurprisingly, a bit obsessed with anything creative (it’s basically a job requirement). We sat down and gathered the go-to, screen-free hobbies we’re leaning into this summer.
If you’re looking to fill your own "analog basket," here is what we’re loving right now:
It’s the ultimate "flow state" craft. It’s rhythmic, it’s portable, and you end up with something beautiful. If you haven't started yet, find your perfect kit here.
We are huge literature fans. Whether it’s a dog-eared paperback or a Kobo tucked into a tote bag, getting lost in a story is the best way to retrain an attention span that’s been shattered by TikTok.
There is something so nostalgic about this. It activates the "problem-solving" part of your brain but feels like pure play. Plus, finishing a set is incredibly satisfying.
This is a big trend right now, and for good reason. It’s sustainable, messy, and low-pressure. You aren't trying to draw a masterpiece; you’re just keeping memories like scraps, tickets, and doodles in a way that feels real and free. It envolves creativity, but without the expectation for the perfect outcome.
You can make this as simple or as complex as you want. It’s the easiest way to shut off the "work brain" and just focus on color and motif. Plus, there's a gigantic offer now of adult coloring books that range in style, detail and themes. You can certainly find something perfect for you.
We all have thousands of photos sitting in our iPhone camera rolls that we’ll never look at again. Film forces you to slow down. When you only have a limited amount of shots, every click of the shutter feels meaningful.
A Summer Quest: The Analog Challenge
We’ll be the first to admit it: switching off is hard. We’re addicted to the scroll, too. But we’re ready for a little challenge to reclaim our time.
We’ve put together an Analog Summer Bucket List to help us and you switch off social media for a while. It’s not about being perfect or going "dark" forever. It’s just about proving to ourselves that the real world is still a lot more interesting than the digital one!
Will you join us? Grab a kit, a book, or a camera, and let’s see how much "real life" we can fit into the next few months.
Stay creative,
The Unwind Team ☀️
