Beginners Guide to DIY Crafting

Beginners Guide to DIY Crafting

When you hear the word crafting, if you’re like me, an item or image came to mind. For me, when I think of crafting, I think about glue, messes, memories, and FUN! I’ve been a DIY crafter for most of my life, and it’s my “get away” from the stress of life. It seems like I’ve been obsessed with art and crafting supplies for my entire life, or at least as far back as I can remember.  I have always loved trying to create something new and working with new materials. You see, the best advice I can give, for DIY crafting, is that you can’t be afraid to mess up because every mistake is a lesson learned, and we grow with every lesson.

I know that DIY crafting can seem a bit overwhelming if you’ve not done it before, but I’ve got great news Making DIY crafts is super simple and there is not right or wrong way! To assist you in your journey of creative self-discovery, I have put together the ultimate beginners guide to crafting. So, get your creative juices flowing and get ready to embark on an exciting adventure! I can’t see what you create!

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What is Crafting?

So what is crafting? Crafting, simply put, is an activity or hobby where you make something by hand. It’s a creative form of expression, and that’s the beauty of it. Crafting brings out the creative side of everyone. No matter what craft you decide to do, yours will never be the same as someone else’s. Do-it-yourself crafting is putting your ideas into action.

May it be a handmade card, a crocheted hat, party favors, or an upcycled project; crafting comes in many different forms, and it’s a world of endless possibilities.

Believe it or not, crafting also plays an important part in our personal life. Crafting:

• provides us with a sense of accomplishment when we’ve completed our project and can boost our self-confidence.
• improves our fine motor skills and increases our mental agility
• allows us to connect with others. Crafting allows us opportunities to share our interests and ideas with family, friends, and others. Why do you think there are so many places like Painting with a Twist, or Board and Brush?? People are relational and want to connect with like minded individuals. AND…
• gives us the opportunity to gift a one of a kind present, because it’s the thought that counts, and as crafters we put a lot of thought into our gifts.

Consequently, crafting CAN keep us happy and healthy!! But, the question is what type of crafting do you want to do?

Types of DIY Crafts

Crafts have endless possibilities. They can be for you and your home, a gift for someone else or used to make income for you and your family. Crafts can be made from almost anything, and there are so many mediums to work with.   For this reason, you will find that not every medium is for you. If you are interested in something you will need to try it out to see how it speaks to you personally. While the list I have below is no where near exhaustive, it’s a guide to get the wheels turning so you can determine where you might like to start on your DIY journey.

Gifts

• Birthday gifts: From a hand-made card to a personalized coffee mug everyone loves a thoughtful gift.
• Gifts for Kids: Think of things like hair bows, crocheted hats, jewelry, crayon rolls and the like. Kids love special things that reflect their own personal style.
• Gifts for loved ones: Have an inside joke, or a special symbol, word or saying. Use them to make your creation stand out above the rest.

 

Home Projects

• Decorative Throw Pillows: I love to create seasonal pillow cases for our throw pillows on our bench seating in our breakfast nook rather than buying new pillows. They look amazing, and are easy to store until next year.
• buntings/banners: These look great on your mantle or across decorative frames in your household. They can be made from paper, burlap, fabric, and yarn.
• towels: Kitchen, bath and hooded towels can be sewn or embroidered to match any special decor or color scheme. If you learn this craft, you can make them yourself, rather than paying someone a small fortune to get these gifts personalized, you can learn to do it yourself.
• canvas & wood: You can use iron-on vinyl or paint to create stunning pieces to hang on your walls, put on your mantle or as a decoration on the front porch.  Another option is to use wood to make life size decor for birthday parties. 
• organization: you can create labels for your bins and buckets, build small dividers for drawers, or create size separators that hang in the closet for the babies in our lives.

Crafts to Sell

• T-shirts: Many t-shirt creators started their craft at home, and then built up their business to become profitable
• personalized cups: Glitter tumblers are all the rage right now. They can be personalized in every aspect, which makes them great for craft shows.
• baby items: Everybody loves to spoil a new baby. There is a special niche for customized onesis, burp cloths, clothes, pacifier clips, and sweet girly head bows.
• digital birthday kits: Kids have birthdays and want special themes and as a result you could find a craft within the world of technology. You can create birthday packages to include invitations, food tents, party favor labels, thank you cards and more

How to get started with DIY Crafting

SO, you want to become a DIY crafter. How do you get started? As with anything new you decide to do, you have to start somewhere. Many people say they have no idea where to start or what to buy. There are so many craft supplies available that it’s IMPOSSIBLE to know! So, I’m going to give you a list of MY top favorites if you want to grow your crafting essentials. These items are the things that I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT! I think of these are my crafting lifelines. As a DIY Crafter it’s important for you to start collecting certain items to make your crafting experience successful. Therefore, I think this is a great place to start.

Crafting Essentials

Glue & Adhesives

• hot glue gun – There are some tools that you just shouldn’t do without. For me this is one of them. Hot glue works on a variety of materials, is quick to dry, creates a strong bond, and is probably the most important tool in my craft collection. This tool is not very expensive, and can make a huge difference in your crafting experience. They have different options that change the size and temp of the gun. If you can afford it I would recommend a dual temp gun (like this one). It works on both high heat for bonding heavy objects together and low heat for the more delicate items.
• hot glue sticks – You will need to pay attention when you purchase these because there are primarily 2 sizes of sticks (full-size and mini) and then there are 2 temperature options (low temp or multi-temp) and they are not interchangeable.
• Mod Podge – This is a liquid glue. It is usually brushed on with a foam paint brush. Mod Podge will dry reasonably quickly and it dries clear. Once dry, it can be sanded down and wiped with a damp cloth. It’s used as a decoupage glue and comes in a variety of finishes such as gloss, matte, glitter, satin, and more.

Cutting Tools

• x-acto knife –  This tool is essential if you do any delicate crafting. It works on all kinds of mediums from stationary, jewelry, vinyl, foam, etc. I ABSOLUTELY love my x-acto knife. Don’t get me wrong, scissors are an important part of crafting, BUT, sometimes you just can’t do what you need to do with the larger blades. With an x-acto you can make the small, intricate cuts and get into those tiny spaces.
• scissors – When it comes to crafting, this is really a no-brainer, but having a good pair of sharp scissors is important. I recommend having a few pair of scissors on hand. I always seem to lose a pair in the middle of my craft. To be honest, it’s usually buried under all my stuff (it’s organized chaos on my desk during a project)! Also, keep in mind what kind of crafts you will be doing.  Paper will dull scissors over time so I don’t mix my fabric scissors with my crafting scissors. So, if I am working with fabric I have a designated pair of scissors just for that. For that reason, I like this 3 pack of scissors that is color coded. 

Tapes

• double sided tape – This tape is good for stationary products and card making. It comes in all different widths and different applicators. Double sided tape can be bought in the tape roll we are all familiar with by companies like Scotch and other brands, a roll on applicator (think roll on white out) and if you use it frequently you can purchase a tape gun.
• clear tape – This is the best type of tape to use on the front of a project where the tape might show. It can be scotch tape or packing tape depending on the size and strength that you need for that craft.
• painters tape – Painter’s tape helps keep your projects neat and tidy.  While it doesn’t matter what width you buy, I prefer to use the roll that is about 1- 1 1/2″ wide.   You can use it to paint clean lines or patterns. The best thing about painters tape is that it can be used on pretty much any medium without damaging it.

Paint & Brushes

• paint brushes – Paint brushes are a must if you are a new crafter! Personally, I would
  recommend getting a pack of paint brushes that includes a variety of
  sizes and tips. They come in flat, rounded and fine tip for detailed
  painting.
• foam brushes – Besides normal paint brushes, every crafter should have a set of foam brushes. Similarly, these brushes come in different sizes.  These brushes are great for doing decoupage, varnishes, or using other specialty products. I use a foam brush when I don’t want to mess up my good ones, or I just need something disposable.
• paint – There are all sorts of categories of paints but the 2 main categories are:
  • Acrylic – acrylic paints are great for any DIY starter kit. These paints come in every color of the rainbow. They will wash off of your hands easily and work on a varitey of surfaces. These paints come in a several brands and surface types.
  • Spray paint– spray paint is my go to when I want a seamless finish on my product. You can keep of few cans of your favorite color on hand if you want, but I just prefer to purchase the colors I need when I need them and then just check my stash before I buy for the next project.

Writing/Coloring Tools

• pencil – I almost always use a pencil when I craft.  I use it to draw, sketch, trace, etc.  I prefer the pencil because it is erasable and doesn’t affect the final product. 
• pencil sharpener – this is probably the most forgotten tool. Like I said I prefer to write in pencil and I LOVE a sharp point!
• sharpies – I personally have a HUGE collection of sharpies! I have all shapes and sizes and use them for all sorts of thing from outlining, writing text, or coloring in certain aspects of a project. Here is a good starter pack with multiple colors.

Paper Crafting Supplies

• cardstock – you can do just about anything with cardstock. It also comes in varying thickness and designs. If I had to pick just one color I would go with just plain white because you can decorate it however you want. Cardstock can be used in card making, confetti streamers, banners, party stationary, gift tags and more. The possibilities are endless so make sure to have a good supply of this. A variety pack of  cardstock is a good starter set so you can try different projects that need different colors.

General Office Supply Tools

• ruler – A ruler is another tool which seems to get lost in the sea of craft supplies. I have a couple of rulers that I like to use. I have one that is 12 inches, one that is 18 inches and one that is 24 inches. Between these rulers I can measure almost everything I need. I mean, think about it, there’s no going back if you don’t measure something correctly. For this reason I use the old saying “measure twice, cut once.” I’d rather be safe than sorry when it comes to getting it right! Nothing is more upsetting than ruining a project that you’ve worked so hard on. My favorite ruler for a straight edge is a one is 18×24 and is a great size for crafting). For example, if you are making
  buntings or banners a small mat will be just fine, but if you are
  working with lots of fabric you may need a larger mat!
• pliers – this tool is great for all kinds of projects. Having a set of pliers can help you in many different areas of crafting. My 2 favorite types of pliers are:
  • needle nose – needle nose pliers are great for small projects, specifically for opening and closing jump rings, and bending wire. Needle nose pliers can suffice as a pair of crafting tweezers if you don’t have a budget for both, but you should know that they are not near as easy to work with.
  • wire cutters – these are great for cutting wire, floral stems, the pin part of a tack of and so much more. They require a little grip strength for certain wires, but I can’t live without mine.

   

Where can I buy Craft Supplies

There are many places that sell craft supplies and one place is not necessarily better than another.  Rather, there are places that have higher quality items, better selections, cheaper prices, or specialize in certain areas of expertise.  These are the things that you will learn to look for if you start crafting regularly.  When you are just starting out you don’t want to spend a lot of money so ask friends or family if they have extra supplies you can have.  I can’t speak to your town, but some of our local dollar stores sell great beginner craft supplies.  You shouldn’t limit yourself to just shopping at large retailers or online craft stores though, you should think outside the box and look for supplies at places like thrift stores, garage sales,  and construction sites (some of them will give you their leftover wood pieces and pallets…FREE!!!).

Buying Supplies Online:

• Etsy.com: Etsy has a large number of craft suppliers available in their community, but you really have to shop around for a deal.  If you’re looking for something specific this can be a great avenue, but it’s not the cheapest resource for general supplies.  Buyers can search for supplies and filter by price, relevancy, and date added. Sometimes you can pick up a really great bargain from Etsy, but you really have to do your homework and make sure you are comparing prices.
• Amazon.com – It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you can find some great supplies on the world’s largest online retail platform.  With different suppliers from all over the world and international shipping, Amazon can provide even the hard to find craft supplies.
• CreateForLess.com: CreateForLess is a great place for arts & crafts, sewing, scrapbooking and more with their selection of over 60,000 brand name supplies. Even better, they offer discounted rates for bulk quantities. 

Buying Supplies In Stores:

• Hobby Lobby – I am OBSESSED with Hobby Lobby.  I love that they have a great selection of craft supplies for all crafters, AND if you’re a “regular” like me, you will learn that most of their stuff goes on sale in a rotating pattern.  Even when the item you need is not on sale,  you can always download the app and try the coupon.  I mean 40% off can add up!
• JoAnns – When I think of JoAnns, I primarily think of fabric.  They do sell stuff for other crafts, but for me this store is my main source for buying fabric locally.  They too have regular 40% off coupons,  and you can use it on a single cut of fabric.  Furthermore, the let you use multiple coupons from different all their marketing sources so you should sign up for their email, mobile and their mailer! Certainly, everyone loves to save a little money, right?!?
• Dollar Stores – As I stated above, local dollar stores carry the very basic essentials that are good for crafting and are cheap enough to replenish if you make a mistake.
• Thrift Stores –  Thrift stores are a great place to find objects to upcycle.  These stores provide a great avenue for creating beautiful home decor.
• Walmart & Target – These 2 stores have a small area of the store dedicated to general crafting supplies.  You will just have to shop around to see what you can find.  Don’t forget to hit Target’s Dollar Spot!

Common Misconceptions about Crafting

As a beginner crafter you may think that you have to be a “crafty” person, own a lot special equipment/supplies or spend a ton of money, but rest assured none of that is true. Let’s look at each of these misconceptions individually.

You have to be a “crafty” person.

• The truth is that ANYBODY can craft. Remember above I told you that the world of crafting has endless possibilities? So,  regardless of age or artistic ability there is a project that is perfect for you!

You have to own a lot of equipment or supplies

• While some supplies are required for any craft project (I’ve included a great list above), you can create beautiful projects from very little. Look at my prayer jar to the right. I upcycled an old jelly bean container into this beautiful jar. The only basic supplies needed were jute, paper, ribbon, and glue. I added flowers but those could have been switched for ribbon embellishments. Furthermore, I think the total cost was around $5.00. SCORE!!

Crafting Cost a lot of Money

• Being a DIY crafter can become a costly hobby IF you want it to, but by no means does it have to be. Many times I have found free or cheap craft supplies from my local Facebook groups, friends and family. People get into crafting and have lifestyle changes or move and want to get rid of their excess stuff for cheap. Or, it’s possible, that they bought something to do a project and have some left over that they won’t use that they will give you. Use your resources to help your budget. You don’t need to have a fully stocked room to start crafting. You just need the basics because these are the things you will always use no matter how “advanced” you get as a crafter.

Tips for Success in DIY Crafting

• First and foremost, you can’t be afraid to mess up. At some point you will mess up. I know, I know, that is not what you want to hear, but even after crafting for many years I still make mistakes. More times that not, you can turn those OOPS moments into something beautiful. BUT, not every project will turn out exactly as you had imagined. Even when you can’t fix the mistake on the project, you’ll certainly have learned something new for the next time. I promise!
• Second, it’s best to choose the craft that speaks to you and helps you unleash your creativity to the fullest. Crafting isn’t about what others think you should do, instead it’s about what you want to do. At first, you may not know what kind of craft that is. You will need to experiment with different materials, tools, and ideas. As you use different materials and create different projects you will find what speaks to you personally. For me, I love to create projects for my kids parties and my home. My primary mediums are paint, paper, wood, canvas, and fabric.
• AND last but not least…you have to start somewhere. Use the list above and start putting together your basic craft kit. REMEMBER: This list is compiled of MY favorite items. Your tools may be different and that’s OK. Start with the essentials. These are your foundation and the things you will use no mater how “advanced” you become.

Common Questions/FAQ About Crafting

• Do I need to be a “crafty” person to start?
  • The truth is that ANYBODY can craft. Regardless of age or artistic ability there is a project that is perfect for you!
• What is DIY Crafting?
  • Crafting, simply put, is an activity or hobby where you make something by hand. It’s a creative form of expression. So, think of do-it-yourself crafting as putting your ideas into action.
• What tools do I need to get started?
  • As with anything new you decide to do, you have to start somewhere. Above, I have listed MY favorite tools to get started crafting. Keep in mind, my primary mediums are paint, paper, wood, canvas, and fabric.
• Where can I buy my supplies?
  • There are so many places that sell craft supplies, and there is not a good or bad place.  Rather, there are places that have higher quality items, better selections, cheaper prices, or specialize in a certain area of expertise.  These are the things that you will learn to look for what you start crafting regularly.  
• Do I have to own a lot of supplies?
  • While some supplies are required for any craft project (I’ve included a great list of the essentials above), you can create beautiful projects from very little.

The Last Thing You Need to Know about Crafting

Crafting is all about YOU and the way you choose to express yourself. It’s about putting your ideas into action.  That’s why your here right?!?  You wanted to know how to become a DIY crafter.  After reading this you may already have your first project in mind.  If you need a little inspiration to get your creative juices flowing, then search the web, walk around the craft store, or find your favorite home decor piece.  Then gather the supplies that you will need to create your version of it.  Don’t be afraid to just jump in.   The time has come to put the DO back into the Do-It-Yourself Crafts!  Channel your thoughts into your creations and you can do what you never thought possible!  I can’t see what you create!

If you liked this blog post and found it to be helpful, please share it with your family and friends. Also, if you have questions that I didn’t answer about DIY crafting, leave a comment below. I love to hear from my readers and will do my best to answer any questions you may still have. Also, if you were inspired to create your first DIY project leave a picture in the comments.  I really can’t wait to see what you create!!