[Beginner Friendly] Easy Craft Ideas You Can Do
Do you ever get that irresistible urge to make something—when your creative energy just bubbles up and you have to create? I’ve gathered some simple craft ideas for those times when you’ve got a fair amount of materials on hand but don’t want to make anything time-consuming or difficult.
Some projects use a sewing machine but require only a little stitching, and others don’t use a machine at all—you can make them entirely by hand.
Don’t you think crafting is a doubly rewarding hobby—immersive while you’re making, and then useful once it’s finished? Use the ideas in this article as a springboard and have fun creating all sorts of things with your imagination!
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[Beginner-Friendly!] Easy Craft Ideas (61–70)
Hand-knitted headband
Here’s how to make a headband using finger knitting.
Even if you’ve never knitted before or find it difficult, this is easy! Plus, since it’s finger knitting, you don’t need anything besides yarn—no needles required.
You thread the yarn alternately through your fingers, then move the front strand to the back of your fingers.
After you finish one row, wrap the yarn around to the front again, then move it to the back… It’s a simple, repetitive motion.
Why not try knitting while chatting with friends? You can use not only regular yarn but also T-shirt yarn.
paper clay craft
How about trying to make small items with paper clay? These days, a variety of clays are sold at 100-yen shops—not just paper clay but also wood-pulp clay and stone-powder clay.
Stone-powder clay becomes firm when dry, making it great for objects and sculptures, while wood-pulp clay can be carved with chisels after drying, so you can create all sorts of things.
For ornaments, you might try a lightweight paper clay.
All of them can be painted with acrylics or other paints, so they’re also suitable for making miniatures.
You can cut shapes with cookie cutters and turn them into keychains, too.
Hemp twine lampshade
Just changing the lampshade can completely transform a room’s atmosphere! How about making a natural-style lampshade using jute twine? All you need are jute twine, wood glue, and a balloon—things you probably already have at home.
First, inflate the balloon and brush on wood glue thinned with water.
Then wrap the jute twine around it.
Once you’ve wrapped a fair amount, brush more wood glue evenly over the twine and keep layering.
Let it dry thoroughly, then cut an opening for the socket—and you’re done! It also looks great with Asian-inspired interiors.
Fluffy bunny ears
A fluffy, plush bunny-ear headband made with boa fabric.
To keep the seams inconspicuous, use a napped fabric.
Prepare one 8 cm × 33 cm piece for the base, one 7 cm × 30 cm piece for the elastic casing, four 12 cm × 7 cm pieces for the ears, and a 17 cm length of 1 cm-wide elastic.
Sew the fabric following the pattern; the basic method is to place the pieces right sides together and sew with a 1 cm seam allowance, leaving the bottom edge open.
Sandwich the ear pieces into the base, sew them in place, and you’re done.
The fluffy ears feel irresistibly soft against the skin.
Himmeli made with straws
Do you know the object called Himmeli? It’s a traditional decoration from Finland in Northern Europe—like a mobile—made by connecting pieces of straw to form polyhedra and hanging them from the ceiling.
You often see them on stylish social media accounts.
This idea is about making a Himmeli using straws.
If you use paper straws in natural colors instead of plastic, it looks authentic.
Even if you make the same shape, switching to black straws gives it a stylish finish.
Popular motifs include the regular icosahedron and the hexagram.
Pot stand made with hemp twine and paper cord
Let’s try weaving jute twine and paper cord to make a trivet with a soft look.
If you pay close attention to layering the cords, it will be sturdy, making it great for practical use as well.
Wrap jute twine around a cardboard template many times to form a large circle, then wrap another jute twine around that circle to create a strong ring of jute.
Finally, add a design by wrapping paper cord around the edge of the jute, and you’re done.
The more times you wrap the jute and paper cords, the sturdier and more dimensional the trivet will be, so don’t hold back—use plenty of cord.
In conclusion
I introduced some easy craft ideas. Did any of them catch your eye? Some can be finished in about 10 minutes as long as you have the materials. Many can be made with items from 100-yen shops, too. Please try making and using them. Some are perfect as gifts, so give them a go!