Crafting

Embrace your inner artist.

Try this instead.

Marble trays, mirror boxes, and macrame, oh my!

What to make when you're tired of scarves.

This advice, plus four other tips, will set you up for success.

I'd been misunderstanding hobbies for years.

Those of us who don’t have a particularly green thumb may find it difficult to give plants the TLC they deserve—even those that don’t need too much attention, like a Monstera plant. But if you’d rather steer clear of the real deal altogether, Twitter has a solution that brings in the greenery AND the wow factor without ever having to worry about watering or nurturing anything.

The study ranked 2022’s best cities for crafting in honor of National Craft Month.

You'll love making — and displaying — them!

"I feel like I should have a sweater by now."

Pasta enthusiasts can now enjoy the pantry staple in yarn form.

Wondering about the wall art that’s totally having a moment right now? Look no further than fabric wall hangings. From macramé to those cute little boho pom poms, fabric wall hangings not only add texture to your walls, but are also super easy to hang (and make!). Textile hangings work in almost any space (think behind the sofa or above the bed), and can be more affordable than framed art, too. And the best thing?

Ahead of the highly-anticipated reunion special, you can quench your thirst for all things “Friends”-related through this collection of gifts designed for geriatric millennials, gen X-ers, and young millennials who watched the hit sitcom.

That is, if you don't already have these common supplies at home already.

It's getting me through the pandemic

You're next creative hobby is covered!

Somewhere at the crossroads of fiber art Instagram, culinary Instagram, and animated Instagram are a series of super-cute and cozy "Cooking With Wool" videos.

No vacuum cleaners required.

You have a choice of seven adorable houseplant patterns.

They're easy to make and full of personality.

The book is actually part of a kit that includes all the materials needed to make Sophia in crochet form.

To find out how people get started with hobbies as adults, just look at Reddit. After all, a great way to start anything is to get some inspiration from others first.

It turns out you don’t need to have a green thumb to "grow" an impressive garden.

From ancient times to now, tie-dye just won't quit.

There's more to tie-dye than spirals!

Use this summer to master a new skill.

Jonah partnered with Roots Ethiopia soon after he realized he could do something great with his craft.

It's like peeking into a portal.

“Do it” is an art project with a difference—the idea is that the viewer makes the art as per the artist's instructions.

It took her a month to finish.

It's sew cool.

One woman took to her knitting needles to reflect the daily fluctuating temperatures in January.

There's life in them yet.

Thanks to the power of crocheting, you can now create your very own baby Yoda.

Michaels is the place where all ambitious crafting projects are born. Who hasn’t sped off to the store to gather supplies after spending five hours down a Pinterest rabbit hole? Okay, maybe just me, but I can’t help it if I get over zealous about bullet journals, chevron canvases, and DIY fake floral arrangements. Whether you’re an amateur or professional, any artsy person knows these trips to crafting heaven can easily take you over budget.

“I’m sick of my temporary tattoo,” said no one ever. Unlike real tattoos, you can wear one around for a short while, without worry you’ll get tired of the image and rue the day you put it on your skin. Perhaps even better, you can put them on stuff around your house as a playful, low-risk way to experiment with design, color and pattern. Use them on decor items you already own for a quick, easy—and potentially reversible—home upgrade.

In terms of recent trends, it doesn’t get much bigger than ceramic pottery. Inspired by the 1970s, sculptural clay vases, planters, and decor are everywhere these days—either adding subtle texture or bringing a full blown color explosion to our homes. Handmade ceramic pieces from the pros can be quite expensive (understandably, given the skill and work required to make them), but don’t let that sway you from loving and getting the look.

Plants and macramé go together like white fur blankets and Scandinavian homes. With the reemergence of Boho and trending #plantlady tags, it’s only natural that macramé plant hangers are popping up everywhere. They were big in 2018 and we predict they aren’t go away anytime soon. Macramé is such a beautiful craft that can be the perfect finishing detail to a room and we’ll kickstart your hunt with some of our favorite DIYs and buys.

We’ve all lived in that unfortunate dark apartment that is both on the first floor and faces a brick wall. And sure you made the best of it, but maybe now you’re living in a place that has, wait for it, multiple windows! (You’re truly on your way to the top!) But even with more windows, there’s still one thing you can do to eke out as much natural light as possible.

Making your own gifts to give can be beautiful and thoughtful—and a meditative way for you yourself to make it through the season.

Did you stand in bookstore lines for the newest releases, dress up in robes for midnight premieres, and take every single House quiz? The Harry Potter series enchanted the world when it first came out, and the phenomenon continues to grow through its amazing fandom. We’ve summoned up the best DIYs to keep the magic going. (Just make sure to invite us to your next Harry Potter movie marathon.) The Deathly Hallows mark is so striking that it lends itself to any kind of DIY.

Want to hang out with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman? Of course you do. But if you also have some serious crafting cred, you can hang with them and possibly win a big wooden check for $100,000 while you’re at it. Yes, NBC is officially casting “Making It” season 2, and here’s how you can apply. “Do you thrive on creating? Armed with a hot glue gun or a hammer, can you make just about anything?” the casting website reads.

Boho decor is so inviting and cozy, with its eclectic, free-spirited look and textured, layered elements that beg you to relax and stay awhile.

Filled with Halloween spirit but don’t necessarily want to trash your apartment with pumpkin goop and seeds? Here are 35 ways to paint your pumpkins that are just as festive as traditional jack-o-lanterns—maybe even more festive, with way more possibilities and way less mess. The smart folks at Think.Make.Share invited a bunch of @hallmark artists to create a pile of pumpkins in an exceedingly pleasing palette.

Oh Anthropologie. We gape at your prices one moment, then swoon over your sumptuous decor with our next breath. Anthropologie delicately balances luxury with a well-worn feeling, making each piece feel like a little treasure. While we love the retailer’s home decor and gifting finds, it can be a bit hard to deck your whole home out in Anthro when you’re on a budget.

We have a lot of love for terracotta pots. They are a no-brainer choice for your plants: They’re cheap, blend in anywhere, but they are also easy to customize and make your own. We recently came up with a whole new way to use them at home, and we’re pretty chuffed about it. Carving pumpkins is messy, requires tools, and then they just turn around and rot on you. Here’s another suggestion: Forgo the jack-o-lantern and decorate your plants and planters instead.

When September hits, suddenly it’s a constant holiday push. The stores keep putting out seasonal decor earlier and earlier, and I for one don’t love turning over my whole home to Halloween decor each October. I’d much rather use general pieces that are “fall” and then just sprinkle in a bit of holiday themes here and there. One easy way to do that is with decorated pumpkins that don’t scream Halloween.

The toothy, triangle-featured jack-o-lantern is a classic for a reason, but perhaps this year you’d like to push your carving farther. Here are a bunch of stencils—emoticons, constellations, demigorgons, porgs, puppers, and more—that will make your pumpkins look amazing, regardless of your skill level. Pay homage to the superhero movie of the year/decade with this fierce template.

Toilet paper is a fact of life, as are all the tubes that pile up as you go through it. Sure you can recycle those used rolls, but there’s a much better use for all that cardboard. Here are a bunch of ways to stretch out their humble little lives a little further. If you have a ton of gift wrap in your closet, take a break from buying more and find other ways to package presents. These fruit-themed ones are adorable.

When you’re an occasional crafter (i.e. not quite ready to star on a show like “Making It“), a cutting machine is a big investment—the newest Cricut retails for $399! But the allure of these machines is real. With a cutting machine like the Cricut or the Silhouette Cameo, you can precisely cut through most materials (even leather and thin wood!), tackle simple sewing projects, draw intricate designs, make complex stencils, and create elaborate logos for apparel.

Making It, hosted by Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope… I mean Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler, has received a lot of comparisons to the Great British Baking Show. And I totally get it: The hosts and judges are there for support and comic relief, not to critique contestants and bicker with one another. Making It is exactly what 2018 needs. Like Poehler says in the intro, “life is stressful enough—let’s make a show that makes you feel good.

The fun of Trading Spaces, when compared to all other home shows that came after it, is that it sometimes goes wrong—really wrong. While Twitter wasn’t exactly feeling the room designs of the reboot’s debut episode, we haven’t yet seen an actual fail. This week, we just might get it. In a preview clip from Saturday’s episode, Vern (who else is excited for a Vern room??) and his homeowner have a ball—literally.

Can you believe? Today is Jonathan Van Ness’ birthday, and the Queer Eye star turned 31 with an incredible gift from none other than his momma. Aside from the show being renewed for a second season, the star got quite the impressive birthday gift. Jonathan shared on Instagram Stories last night that his mom, a talented quilter, had made him one of her creations.

At first glance, knitting looks pretty complicated. All those hand motions, not to mention an endless number of knots. It definitely takes some practice, but once you’ve got the basics down, it’s really quite straightforward and simple. Not only is it a soothing meditative activity —a break from the outside world — it’s a portal to handmade scarves, sweaters, blankets and other home decor and accessories. Plus, there’s all that beautiful, colorful yarn to buy!

Art Deco feels incredibly old-school glamorous while also being beautifully modern. Thanks to the clean lines and timeless color palette, it can fit right into any home. You don’t want your place looking like the set of The Great Gatsby, however, so try a few of these inexpensive projects to get the feel without becoming too theme-y. An easy way to bring incorporate the style is through wallpaper! Wallpaper doesn’t have to be a whole room.

What a lovely placemat! It would be great for protecting a table or beautifying a table or . . . that’s pretty much it. A throw pillow, you say? Well, now I’ve heard everything! This is so pretty! I’m now convinced that placemats (which I generally have no use for) are made to be pillows. They’re generally nice and sturdy, as well as being just the right size.

Dollhouses are experiencing a revival right now, as busy people turn to them as a type of therapy, lovingly spending hours designing and crafting decor, albeit on a small scale. We’ve had our eye on some of the envy-inducing, jaw-dropping miniature houses out there. So imagine our glee when we stumbled on a cache of little IKEA furniture and decor to make all of our tiny Scandinavian dreams come true.

My Aunt Gloria used to save every bit of wrapping paper she could get her hands on. It would reappear on next year’s round of Christmas presents, and the cycle would repeat until the paper would eventually give out. Unconventional upcycling or re-using wrapping paper is nothing new, but cosplayer and costume designer Olivia Mears has taken the wrapping paper game to a whole new level.

Today we’re talking about a popular project that’s burning up Pinterest these days, for good reason. It’s cheap, so easy to make, and turns into fantastic home decor in minutes. It’s knotted cord decor and it brings great texture and life to your home, no matter what your personal style. According to the Pinterest 100, saves for “paracord” are up 275% this year — which means people have caught on to the beauty of this basic material.

It has been a year, so if you find yourself looking for new ways to relax, you’re not alone. Crafting has become a new form of stress relief for many people looking for a way to soothe their anxious souls. While crafting itself is nothing new, it’s use as a therapeutic activity is on the rise. Like adult coloring books before them, pottery, crochet and painting have become new go-tos for stressed out folks looking for new ways to wind down.