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“Spare” can mean many things, from the change gathering in jars and on dresser tops to the emergency tire waiting in a car trunk. One can rescue a household when money is tight, while the other offers reassurance during a roadside problem.

Then there is the less welcome spare tire around the middle.

But perhaps the best use of the word is one heard less often today: spare time. In the 1950s, those open hours gave hobbies room to flourish. Today’s instant access to information and entertainment can make that kind of unclaimed time feel increasingly scarce.

People once pursued hobbies with an enthusiasm that sometimes rivaled their devotion to work. One father filled his free time with Western novels and fishing in strip pits left behind by local mining. He caught largemouth bass and crappies, which became fried family meals accompanied by his daughter’s homemade hush puppies.

Indoors, his wife crocheted antimacassars, or doilies, for nearly every available surface. They covered end tables, lamp tables, the television and even the couch, leaving the furniture looking dressed for display.

Some of her creations were elaborate and three-dimensional. One featured variegated pink roses rising from a green base, while another had large ruffles surrounding a lamp. She also made dozens of baby booties, sweaters and matching caps for her grandchildren and many members of North Methodist Church in Vincennes, Indiana.

For older generations now living at a more relaxed pace, this may be the moment to reclaim spare time—and rediscover the hobbies that once made it so valuable.