19 Beginner Crafts to Try This Weekend

Try Visible Mending

Visible mending is a great way to give your wardrobe a custom look and extend the life of your favorite pieces. Pull out that old pile of jeans, shirts, and jackets that need mending. This easy sewing project will make them look better than ever. To fill holes, pick fabrics that match your personal style. Attach the patch with fabric glue and pin it in place until the glue dries. Then use decorative stitching to secure it in place.

Make an Arm-Knit Blanket

Spend an afternoon diving elbows deep into this relaxing knitting project. No experience is necessary to create this chunky knit blanket, just follow a tutorial — there are plenty to try online. You'll need about 12 skeins of arm-knitting yarn for this project.

Make Resin Crafts

If you haven't worked with resin before, you'll be amazed at how versatile it is. The epoxy mixture starts out as a clear liquid, so you can add dye to turn it any color you want. Plus, it's easy to add small objects (think flowers, glitter, or photos) to resin, so you can create truly one-of-a-kind crafts. Make a set of resin coasters for yourself or as a personalized gift.

Sew a Tote Bag

Spend an afternoon sewing your own canvas tote bag. Select your favorite canvas color, leather, and a piece of decorative fabric for the interior. You'll also need some heavyweight interfacing to stiffen the bottom of the bag and a denim sewing needle to poke through the thick fabrics.

Make Food Wraps

There's no reason to rush to the grocery store for food wrap supplies when you can make your own in an afternoon. These beeswax food wraps are perfect for cutting back on single-use plastic waste. Using cotton fabric and other household materials, follow the instructions to make this reusable solution for food storage.

Create Homemade Wrapping Paper

It's easy to make stunning gift wrap with plain white paper and acrylic paints ($9 for 12, Michaels). Add a few dots of paint to a piece of paper and then use a flat surface, such as a ruler, to drag the paint across the paper. Follow the directions and play with different techniques to get stripes and swirls.

Make Your Own Zero-Waste Sponges

Spend time making these reusable kitchen sponges and you'll be rewarded with a long-lasting kitchen tool that's better for the environment. This easy sewing project calls for just a few pieces of material. Make your own in under an hour.

Make DIY Paper Plants

Plants make us happy, even if they aren't real! These paper plants look stunning when finished, and they're very low-maintenance. Find templates and instructions to make authentic-looking plants out of paper from artist Corrie Beth Hogg of Handmade Houseplants.

Mix Outdoor Sidewalk Paint

Dress up your sidewalk with encouraging messages and happy drawings. To make this homemade sidewalk chalk paint, combine corn starch ($2, Target), water, and food coloring to make washable sidewalk paint. Your colorful designs will brighten the day of neighbors and friends who are out for a walk.

Related: How to Make DIY Sidewalk Chalk

Make Your Own Candles

Stop buying expensive store-bought candles! These twisted taper candles can be made at home for as little as $1 per candle. And, you can make them any shape color you like!

Make Polymer Clay Earrings

Polymer clay ($2, Michaels) is one of our favorite craft supplies to work with because it's so inexpensive and comes in almost any color you can imagine. Make a set (or two or three!) of these DIY earrings in an afternoon. It only takes a few minutes to roll out and cut the shapes, and then the clay needs to harden and bake in the oven.

Try Needle Felting

There are endless possibilities for creating adorable characters like this felted whale by needle felting wool roving. Start with a golf-ball-size chunk of wool roving (from $14, Etsy) and sculpt it into the basic shape you want. Make sure you have a 38-gauge felting needle ($16, Joann), and then poke the roving with the needle several times to create the shape.

Crochet an Owl Basket

If you've ever wanted to learn to crochet, now is the time. This indoor craft for adults is great for beginners because you only need to use a few crochet stitches. Plus, crocheting provides numerous health benefits, so you can craft and improve your mind at the same time. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make your own adorable owl basket.

Embroider a Flower

Plant your own garden by stitching pretty petals on linen framed by a wood loop. Use knots and straight stitches to craft the floral design. If you're new to embroidery, brush up on stitching basics.

Make DIY Curtain Panels

Refresh your home in a day with new drapery panels. To find how much fabric you'll need, measure from the curtain rod to the floor and add 7 inches. Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make expensive looking drapes at home.

Start an Embroidery Journal

If you're interested in learning how to embroider, start small with an embroidery journal. Here's how it works: At the beginning of the year, start with a large embroidery hoop ($2, Michaels) and plain white fabric. Each day, stitch a small photo to symbolize what you did that day. At the end of the year, you'll have a visual representation of every single day, and you'll be a pro at embroidery! If a year feels too daunting, try making one for the next month.

Paint DIY Wall Art

Create your own oversized art piece like this pixelized accent wall with a sheet of plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Sand and clean the wood panel, then use a pencil to mark off a grid of same-size squares. Tape off the squares and paint them with darker shades on top and lighter shades on the bottom. Allow each square to dry before painting the next square. To get a more transparent look, add water to the paint. Once finished this easy indoor craft, hang your artwork on the wall to display.

Cover a Lampshade

Brighten your home with a colorful DIY lampshade. Measure the size of the lampshade and then cut fabric two inches wider and longer. Fold the edges over for a clean look and hold it in place with fabric glue. Then apply spray adhesive to the back of the fabric. Quickly attach the fabric to the lampshade to complete this quick and easy DIY.

DIY Bath Bomb

Self-care is so important during stressful times. Make your own bath bombs with Epsom salts and essential oils (from $11, Etsy). Then enjoy unwinding at the end of a long day in a soothing bath.