Free Time Diaries: Amanda Johnson
"Creativity should be fun, not filled with pressure and expectations."
Welcome to Free Time Diaries, a series where I talk to people about their leisure time. You can find the first installment here.
I’m so excited to share today’s conversation with Amanda Johnson of Sequins and Sales. I can’t even hem my pants (I’ve tried!), so I’m always in awe of Amanda and her impressive array of hobbies. She and I connected years ago on Instagram and still talk nearly every day. She’s wickedly talented and one of the most artistic people I know. Enough from me — here’s how she spends her free time.
AYANA: Tell me how you discovered the thing you like to do in your spare time. How and when did you fall in love?
AMANDA: I unfortunately have MANY hobbies, and I frankly feel like some are rabbit holes for others. My first hobby ever, though, was sewing! My mom had (and still has) this little red sewing box from my great-grandmother. We always joke that it magically has whatever thread we need, and we have NEVER had to buy more! When I was in second grade, my mom was fixing a button and I asked if I could learn to sew! So she taught me how to thread a needle and do a basic stitch.
I’d make horribly misshapen pillows for my dolls from my soccer uniforms, LOL, but it was the start of a lifelong hobby! When I was in 9th grade, my mom teamed up with my grandmother (who made her own prom dress), and they got me a sewing machine & sewing box with notions! I started teaching myself how to sew via YouTube, and then took any class I could at JoAnn Fabric.
Sewing is what drove me to start a blog in college, which inspired me to share my looks on Instagram, which helped me secure a corporate internship with Disney in Costuming! I’m now 28, have been sewing for over 10 years, have a Bachelor’s in Fashion Merchandising & Design, and still love to create as much as I did two decades ago.
AYANA: One of the biggest struggles I hear about hobbies (including from myself!) is that there aren't enough hours in the day. Can you share how you find the time and motivation?
AMANDA: I’ve started hand sewing at night after work (felt ornaments, embroidery, etc.) while watching a show or movie. I’m constantly staring at screens, and I’ve just gotten sick of it! I also feel like with hustle culture, I never allowed myself to have a “break” because that was time I could spend making content or generating income. I’ve come to realize that the world is so chaotic, we need to just reconnect with things we enjoyed as kids. Adults don’t have whimsy anymore!
My motivation has shifted from “you have to make money” to “you need to find something relaxing, yet rewarding to spend your time on.” I also saw something from a therapist online that said, “The only way to get yourself out of an executive function slump is to literally get up and do the task.” I hate that this seems like such a simple concept, but I forced myself to make a video of a felt DIY project I was working on, and then it went viral. You just have to start!!
AYANA: What's one thing you love about your hobby? Feel free to share more than one if there are several!
AMANDA: One thing I love the most about my hobbies is that sometimes when I make gifts for others, they don’t realize I made the item, they think I bought it! I’ll be at home overanalyzing a tiny detail that wasn’t perfect, and then I realize it’s all in my head. But I love that my time is spent making joy for others. And, let’s be honest, it’s so fun to tell others about the cool things you made with your own two hands!
AYANA: Do you monetize, or is it strictly for fun?
AMANDA: I have tried to monetize my hobbies multiple times actually. I sometimes think I was born (cursed?) to monetize, and it’s exhausting to create a business plan in your mind for every single thing you do — and I know my friends and family are sick of me.
In college I got very into making bespoke Mickey Mouse ears, and even had a few sales on Etsy! But I quickly realized that spending 8 hours making one set of ears was absolutely not a sustainable business model. Either way, every “failure” has taught me a lesson (whether good or bad).
I was too poor to pay to have someone set up the theme for my website ($75 was a lot for a student), so I taught myself basic HTML and CSS and did it myself! While I do think there are some hobbies that are smart to monetize, art for example, I don’t think hobbies need to ALWAYS make us money. Creativity should be fun, not filled with pressure and expectations.
AYANA: Any words of advice for someone who wants to start?
Don’t do it!!!!! I’m half-joking. While I don’t recommend having as many hobbies as I do (pottery, sewing, making jewelry, painting…), I think everyone should have one thing they do that DOESN’T make them money, but that they still enjoy. I also recommend looking for crafting classes on Eventbrite.
I signed up for a $20 “Intro to Knitting” class next month because it’s one hobby I haven’t mastered yet. I have always wanted to make my own knit sweaters and vests! I did something similar to this when I was learning needlepoint last year. I found a local needlepoint shop, took a class, and now have made multiple projects on my own!
Hello hello! My name is Amanda, I’m 28, and I currently live in Dallas, TX. I always say that I am the “girl with too many hobbies,” so if you’d like some crafting inspo, be sure to follow me! Web | TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest
Have an interesting hobby you want to share? Shoot me a note at hello@ayanalage.com.
This is such a smart idea for a series. I love hearing how others spend their free time!
This is so impressive!! I wish I could sew anything!