While nothing beats a knitting book or a one-to-one lesson, busy individuals keen to get started with crafts or hone their skills are increasingly turning to the internet.
Online forums and YouTube videos provide tutorials, pictures and detailed advice and instructions, meaning it's easy to squeeze in a little practicing, even if you don't have the time to head to classes or join a local knitting circle.
One site which is becoming popular with knitters and crocheters alike is Craftsy, with one million registered users signing up since last summer.
The light-hearted website lists more than 100 courses and workshops, from beginner to advanced sewing, knitting, quilting, beadwork, embroidery and more.
Enrolment is up to 1,600 a day, with 15 new classes added each month to meet the demand, according to John Levisay, chief executive officer of Craftsy and parent company Sympoz.
He told the Associated Press: "People are busy. That's why they can't take in a live class. But people do have small-size chunks of time."
Customers can sign up for three to six hour classes, which come in 30-minute lessons, with professional instructors recording the classes and posting them online.
Students can also post questions to teachers, making it an interactive experience.
Many independent shops and retailers are putting on lessons, such as Kristin Link of Sew Mama Sew, who is preparing to teach two classes for Craftsy.
"People have different ways of learning, some people really need to hear it as well as see it to be able to understand it," she explained.
This can be especially beneficial when you want to learn a new craft or perhaps a different type of knitting stitch before attempting a pattern you're keen to start working on.
By broadening your skills you can then expand the type of garments you can make, allowing you to whizz through that pile of difficult patterns!
