So you’re the craft master, huh? You’ve tried it all, have you?
Macrame? Just fancy knots, nothing hard.
Origami? More like SNOREagami because it was so simple for you.
But I get it. You need your crafting fix. You’re searching for new, untapped areas of crafting potential. You’re on a journey to make sure there’s absolutely nothing you can’t craft!
Or...maybe none of the “standard” crafts have ever really done anything for you and you want to see if there’s something else out there that looks fun. That’s also a great reason to be looking for a new crafting method.
No matter your reasons, there are more types of crafts than one could even count, and your new favorite hobby, project, or relaxation activity might be just a few paragraphs away. So let’s set off on a crafting adventure that’s different from the usual crafting methods and see if we can’t spark some creativity.
Let’s start with the deceptively simple: the art of stacking rocks really well in a garden. If you’re looking to improve the look of your garden or yard space, stonescaping might be a great activity to give a try. By collecting natural stones and rocks and stacking them in artistic ways, you can create natural-looking spaces that have a flair of artistry to them. Turn that garden corner into a delightful, multi-tiered display, or maybe add a garden wall that feels like it integrates naturally with your flowers and plants. These are the benefits that working with stonescaping can do for you. Plus, it’s a great reason to get outdoors, maybe do some hiking, in order to find just the perfect rock to add to your stonescape.
Stonescaping Recomendations:
National Stonescapes: The Art and Craft of Stone Placement
The Art and Craft of Stonescaping: Setting and Stacking Stone
While we’re working in the garden, if you’re looking for even more decorations that move out of the natural and into the more modern, perhaps it’s time to give concrete a try. We tend to think of concrete as a more “ugly” and purely utilitarian material, and certainly not one for sculpting or creating artwork. However, if you think about it, concrete is cheap and easy to come by, and objects made of concrete are going to last against the elements, making them perfect outdoor decorations and crafts. Why not use concrete to create a unique planter that nobody has ever seen before, or an eye-catching sculpture in the middle of your garden?
Concretecrafting Recommendations:
If you’re looking for something a bit more indoor-oriented than our first two options, may I suggest Needle Felting. Needle Felting uses the unique properties of wool to create fun works of art and toys. Poking wool with a felting needle makes it puff up and become firm, letting you work your way into creating permanent shapes. Add in different colors of dyed wool as you go, and soon you’ll be shaping out little fuzzy creatures and sculptures perfect for display or play. It doesn’t take much space to needle felt, and it is very simple to get started in, as all you need to do is poke away! But like many crafting arts, creating the perfect-looking little animal can take a lot of creativity. It’s easy to learn, but fun to master!
Needle Felting Recommendations:
Woolbuddies: 20 Irresistibly Simple Needle Felting Projects
Maybe you’re someone who likes to explore traditional crafts, the sort of thing with lots of history and cultural interest. Well, here’s one you may not have heard of: Temari. A traditional craft of China and Japan, Temari was originally a way of making fun balls for children to play with out of scraps of old fabric. However, as rubber balls became easy to come by and the play value of Temari was less important, Temari transformed into a beautiful craft involving sewing and wrapping balls in intricate, beautiful patterns of fabric and thread. If you like quilting or similar crafts, this might be a great way to put those skills to work to create something you’ve never done before.
Temari Recommendations:
Were those last few options a bit too normal and pedestrian for you? Was there a cat in your lap looking at those crafts with disdain as you read? Well, perhaps it’s time to get serious, get out the grooming brush, and make something out of all that cat hair clinging to every single surface of your house. Being able to fully stretch your creativity by using cat fur as a crafting material could truly earn you the titles of crafting master and cat person at the same time. So why not give back to the cat that gave you all that fur by crafting them a cat toy out of it?
Cat Hair Crafting Recommendations:
Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat
Okay, I’ll be honest, I don’t necessarily know if this is actually a word or a craft, but these are just some of the examples of unique crafting ideas available at the library. Even if you’re not wanting to be adventurous, you might still find an interesting twist or idea among our books here, just waiting to be found. Once you’ve perused our stacks, maybe you’ll be so inspired that you feel the need to make some library-focused creations to celebrate! Guess what: we have a book to help you do that too.
Recommendations on how to find other crafts at the library:
Bibliocraft: A Modern Crafter's Guide to Using Library Resources to Jumpstart Creative Projects
It can be great to try something new and really get your hands dirty with a new craft. The lessons and mistakes you make trying something new can really give you a new perspective and inspiration when you take it back to your craft of choice, and the results from your experiments may surprise and delight you. So get out there, explore, and see what there is to make!