My entire life I’ve been a crafter. My friends and I loved making cute accessories for our dolls and would always say that one day I’d work for American Girl as a designer (still a dream of mine but a little off the path at this point). Well, that little girl still grew up into someone that loves making things and adding to her collection of trinkets.
Crocheting
This might not be considered a craft but I’m going to count it as one because I use my hands for it and it uses supplies… and it becomes something cute. I’ve written about my love for crocheting before, but just for emphasis, it’s so cool and fun to do especially while multitasking like watching a movie or listening to a podcast. And you can end up with a cute clothing piece, blanket, stuffed animal (called amigurumi) or anything you’d like to make.
Sewing
Even if you’re not a crafter this is a pretty basic life skill. Got a hole in your sock? No problem. Something doesn’t fit right? Give it to me and I’ll alter it. A button fell off? I’ve got you. Something that I learned when I was little turned into something that I use often.
Embroidery
Going off the sewing trail, embroidery is time consuming and sometimes a little boring, but when I’ve got a project in mind I can turn an ordinary piece of clothing into something beautiful. There are a lot of really simple embroidery projects out there for beginners to get into, and all you need is some yarn/thread, an embroidery needle, some fabric and a small circular loom if you’d like to keep things neat. Seriously, a great way to pass the time.
General Arts and Crafts
This is what I originally was born and bred on. My first doll craft was a toilet paper dress for my Disney princess doll when I was six. From there, I saw a lot of tutorials online for other DIY doll accessories, from simple crafts like food items to adding furniture to my doll house. My other skills also came into play – sewing doll dresses, crocheting little hats, or making matching bracelets. Nowadays, I still love making miniature items for my room, especially seasonal décor.
Overall, DIYing is so fun and it’s kind of sad how it’s dropped off in the last few years. I feel like people did a lot more crafting back in the 2010’s but not so much these days. Or maybe I just grew up. Regardless, it’s still a fun hobby and great for making homemade gifts, too.