Simple Steps to Carefree Crafting

I’ve been a paid, professional crafter for 7 years now. Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes it’s stressful. Sometimes I find glitter in my hair and duct tape on my behind. But nothing compares to the joy of creating something beautiful.

Here are my top tips to help you keep things simple. Find the joy of carefree crafting…

1. Keep it!

Clearly, you don’t want to end up on an episode of Hoarders. But you can save a lot of money (and trips to the store) if you keep certain small items.

Here’s a list of crafting items I like to save:

• Chipboard. You can often find this as a backing on pads of paper, and sometimes included in product packaging. Although this type of chipboard probably isn’t acid-free, it can be used on cards or as inserts for sewing projects.

• Zippers. If I need to discard an item that has a zipper, I cut out the zipper first. I don’t bother unpicking it, I just cut close to the tape.  If I’m sewing a late night project and need a zipper RIGHT NOW, I don’t mind the couple of minutes it takes to unpick. Plus it saves me at least $1.50!

• Old tee shirts. These are great for upcycled projects. I like to sew with these because there’s no pressure… if I don’t love the finished project, I didn’t lose any money! These are also perfect for creating no-fuss ruffles. I only keep as many shirts as I can fit in one large, clear bedding storage bag.

• Small jars. Baby food jars are especially great. Remove the labels and pop them in the dishwasher. I use these to organize a lot of my items… buttons, pins, brads, beads, etc.

• Buttons. I think buttons are ridiculously overpriced.  Always cut off the buttons before you discard an item, it only takes a few seconds and they take up hardly any storage space.

Watch a (very old) video of how I organize my paper-crafting supplies here.

2. Organize it!

I don’t care if you have a cupboard, a closet, or an entire room dedicated to crafting. You must keep your supplies organized if you want to stay sane. Buy bins or boxes that stack to make the most of your space. Check out the dollar store first.

Small pails work nicely for pens, markers, and glue sticks. Target’s Dollar Spot often has them. Consider adding hooks to a wooden board (a single fence picket works well) and hanging the pails to keep them off your workspace.

Keep stickers and rub-ons in binders, and small fabric scraps in gallon-size plastic bags (sorted by color or fabric type) and stash them in a filing cabinet.

See how I organize my sewing room here!

3. Cover it!

Either your crafting table is nice, and you’d like to keep it that way… or it’s junky and makes you feel uninspired. I always cover my work desk in pretty wrapping paper before I start a new project. It freshens up my craft room, and I can get paint or glue on it. Sometimes I write sewing notes or test out a pen right on the covered desktop.

You should also cover your carpet or flooring if possible. Acrylic paint is a pain to get out of carpet, and lost pins are hard to find (until you step on one).

My sewing room floor has a huge cutting mat placed face-down on the carpet (on sale for $30 at JoAnn Fabric). My desk chair rolls nicely on it without leaving dents, pins are easy to see and pick up, and if I spill paint I can wipe it up easily.

While we’re at it, I should mention that I also cover my craft studio’s windows with a sheet of white butcher paper. This diffuses the light and makes it better for photography.

4. Sleep on it!

Not literally, of course. Unless it’s a Stamped Monogram Pillowcase or a Pillow Pal.

Whatever the project is, stop working on it when you’re tired. If you keep making silly mistakes or you’re feeling frustrated, remember that crafting should be fun. Go to bed. Trust me, when you look at it in the morning, it will make a lot more sense.

5. Salvage it!

So your project might not look like the one you saw on Pinterest. But in my opinion, there are very few true “craft fails.” (See one of mine, and how I salvaged it, here.)

Sometimes you have to let the project lead the way. Improvise. Did your quilt squares come out skewed? Cut them into angled strips and make a crazy quilt. Is your watercolor painting unrecognizable? Trim a corner of it down to create a card.

If all else fails, add glitter. Isn’t everything better with glitter?

6. Sell it?

Whether you should choose to sell your creations can be a hard decision. There are a few things you should consider first.

• Will you enjoy creating items for strangers as much as you do for yourself, or your loved ones? Sometimes it can be hard to part with a piece that you’ve poured so much love into!

• Is it worth your time? Say you spend two hours making a necklace. You check out similar items online and $20 seems like a fair price point. Subtract your supplies, about $4, and any listing fees, about $1. Say it it takes another hour to photograph, list, and ship. That means you’ve earned $5 an hour. Is it worth it?

• Is there a market for it? I hate to say it, but it’s hard to break into Etsy or Artfire this late in the game, unless your items are truly unique. Do a little research first, searching for items online that are similar to yours. If you don’t see anything like it, there’s a good chance you can make a niche for yourself.

Visit my Etsy shop here, or my Craftsy shop here.

Share your own carefree crafting tips in the comments section below!