'Dear Chatterbox' - AT for hobbies

Image of someone crocheting

 

AT Chat are passionate about supporting our community to find the right AT to live, work and play, and recently we asked our community of assistive technology (AT) user - 'AT Chatterbox', if there was a hobby that they'd love to get into but are facing barriers to getting started. Our community delivered and, on this page, we have a selection of the questions we received, as well as the responses put together by the AT Chat team that include suggested AT as well as groups they could connect with and courses they could try. Perhaps they could inspire you too!

Metal magic

Dear Chatterbox,

I like making metal models, but my hands don’t work well anymore. I need to figure out how to bend the metal without damaging the enamel or breaking the metal.

- Chatterbox member Madelon

Hi Madelon,

Metal models is very interesting and hopefully using a few tips and tricks you can continue to make them.

  1. Pad everything that touches the enamel. Use silicone or painter's tape to provide extra cushioning and protection of the enamel.
  2. Use leverage and not grip strength. If pliers are painful to use a bench vise made with a softer material such as soft copper or nylon may prevent damage to the enamel or metal. This would then allow you to push of pull the end of the pieces with more leverage and less force. If a vise is already stabilising the material and further support in making the bend is required, an arbor press provides a longer handle which may make this easier.
  3. Bend the metal in stages. Scoring the enamel with a knife (and caution as this could be unsafe if not careful) will relieve pressure from the enamel cracking. Make bends in small stages rather than one sharp bend.
  4. Metal alternatives.   Brass and copper can be easier metals to bend, however, you would need to consider if this is durable enough for your model.
  5. Ergonomic add-ons.      Foam or silicone grip sleeves can make distribute the pressure on your hands and support your grip.

 

an image of someone doing detailed metal work

 

Crafting for fun

Dear Chatterbox,

Craft is a hobby I really love. It’s something I’ve enjoyed for a long time — working with my hands, creating something tactile, and getting into the rhythm of making.

As someone who is deafblind, I sometimes face barriers that make crafting more difficult. One of the biggest challenges is accessing the fine details of the materials I’m working with. A magnifier lamp or video magnifier could really help — allowing me to see textures and shapes more clearly, and giving me more independence in my hobby.
These tools can be expensive, and it’s not always easy to know what will actually work best for me.

- Chatterbox member Kirsty

Hi Kirsty,

It’s clear how important crafting is to you, and I hope that some of the links and resources below could help you to get into the rhythm of crafting again.
You mentioned that a magnifier lamp or video magnifier might help give you more independence in your hobbies, have you considered these examples?

If you’re wanting to build connections with other crafters, you could try the Makerspace at Curtin University, which runs a variety of craft sessions with like minded people. The Australian Library of Things Network is another place you could try if there’s AT that you’ve been meaning to give a go, but it’s too expensive or you’ve never found the right one for you.

For more inspiration you could read a couple of articles on the AT Chat and iLA websites about crafting: 

 

close up of a magnifier focused on a table

 

Irish harpist

Dear Chatterbox,

I would love to learn the Irish harp but both time poor and it's expensive.

- Chatterbox member Kathy

Hi Kathy,

While we don’t have a leprechaun on staff to help with finances, or any specific time travelling Assistive Technology at our disposal, we’d like to offer a couple of suggestions:

Learning online might help you to do short sessions of learning, being able to start and stop around your other commitments, and being able to learn outside of regular business hours (depending on whether it would disturb anyone else that lives with you).

To save money, you could look connecting with an Irish exchange student or someone from your local Irish Community (for example The Irish Club of WA, The Claddagh Association, Perth Comhaltas (Australia), or Irish in Perth | Facebook) and organising a skills or service swap.

 

closeup of hands playing a harp

 

Craving crochet

Dear Chatterbox,

I loved your resources on Sensory Kits last month and would like to learn to crochet so I can use it as part of my toolkit when I am out and about. I have joint hypermobility, which means sometimes the joints in my hands move out of place and this can cause a lot of pain, which limits how I can move my hands and what I can do. Have you got any suggestions?

- Anonymous

Hi Anon,

For anyone with low vision, crochet might be easier than knitting because the needles are thicker and it’s easier to see the holes. Helpful AT might include a magnifier, large print patterns or braille patterns. In WA, Visability can provide alternative formats of documents to eligible people who have a print disability for free – this includes Braille knitting and crochet patterns.

Links:

 

closeup of someone crocheting

 

Raise your voice

Dear Chatterbox,

I really enjoy singing and want to sing with other people. Ideally, I’d like to join a choir, but I have a physical disability that affects my mobility and get tired easily, so transport and accessibility of the venue might be tricky. Do you have any ideas?

- Anonymous

Hi Anon,

Have you considered joining a virtual choir? A few pieces of mainstream equipment, might be the AT that make this successful.

Links for some online choirs:

Equipment needed:

The choirs listed above use Zoom, rather than specific audio recording software, so to join in you’ll need a tablet, laptop or desktop computer that can use Zoom, a microphone, headphones and a stable internet connection. If you don’t have enough USB ports on your device, you might find a simple USB hub helpful (e.g. UGREEN 4 in 1 USB-C Hub | Officeworks).
To reduce fatigue, you might consider a microphone with a built-in stand (e.g. condenser microphone Rode NT-USB Mini Studio Quality USB Microphone - JB Hi-Fi). The stand keeps the microphone stable and allows for flexible positioning. 
Over-ear headphones are recommended to monitor the audio during recording and prevent sound bleed into the microphone. With any headphones, it’s important to try them on first if you can, to ensure that they fit well, are easy to put on and take off and are comfortable for extended periods of use. (e.g. https://www.beyerdynamic.com.au/products/dt-770-pro-80 or https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-AU/p/momentum-4-wireless)

Other links:

  • Jamulus ‒ Play music online. With friends. For free. (pros & cons: How do online choir rehearsals work without latency? INTERKULTUR

    • AI Overview
    For a basic online choir setup in Australia, you'll need a computer, audio recording software, a microphone, headphones, and a stable internet connection. For more advanced setups, consider adding an audio interface, a pop filter, a microphone stand, and potentially acoustic treatment for your recording space.

    Optional but Recommended Equipment:

     

      a photo of a women with headphones looking up and singing

       

      AT in this Spotlight

      In addition to seeking assistance through a support worker or Allied Health Professional, the AT suggested in this resource includes:

      Please note that the links provided above are not an affiliate links; we do not receive any commission if you purchase through them.

       

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