Craft Tools That I Don’t Want To Live Without

There are so many great tools for crafting now.  A few weeks ago I visited a huge new Michael’s Craft Store and I was in heaven! You could have fit two of our local craft stores into that one store! It happens to be 4 hours away, so the bank account is safe. But in honor of all the amazing craft tools that are available today, I thought I would share a basic list of craft tools that I wouldn’t want to craft without. These are just my opinions and I have included Amazon.com links to help you find out more about them. 

Brother CS6000i Sewing Machine

  10 years ago when my oldest was a newborn, my mom decided I needed my own sewing machine so I could sew clothes for the baby. After reading a ton of reviews, I picked out the Brother CS6000i sewing machine on Amazon and ordered it. Let me say, this machine is a workhorse.  Since then I’ve purchased or have been given some really nice machines. I have the Rolls Royce of sewing machines, a serger and an embroidery machine. But when someone asks me what machine they should buy for a beginner or a teen, this is the one I recommend. It’s so easy to use, has a lot of decorative stitches and it can sew through layers of denim. 

Martha Stewart Fine Glitter

This might shock some of you but I’m not a huge fan of Martha Stewart. She’s said a few not-so-nice things about bloggers and her product line doesn’t blow me away. So you know I’m being honest when I say that even though I avoid buying her products, I love the Martha Stewart fine glitter. There’s colors that you won’t find anywhere else and this glitter doesn’t loose it’s shine after awhile like some others I own.  Yes it can be pricey but use a craft store coupon and you can get a great deal on a huge set of glitter colors. 

Plain White Canvases

Plain white canvases are a tool that you need to have in your crafting arsenal. But what if you don’t like to paint? You still need them! These are the perfect thing to save your sanity.  There are so many things to make with them. You can wrap them in a pretty fabric and hang them up for an easy wall hanging. Place die cut letters on them and spray paint over the top, then remove the letters to reveal a message. You can even glue burlap on the front and then decorate the burlap. There are so many fun ways to use them. Keep them on hand. Then when the need to make something arrives, you can grab and canvas and some miscellanious supplies and just go wild! Watch for sales at your local craft store, which happen about every 6 weeks.   

Washi Tape

I know that washi tape was everywhere for awhile and you might be tired of seeing it but it’s the perfect tape to use in crafting. Why is that? Because washi tape has a light weight hold. You can use it while crafting and leave it permanently because it’s cute, or you can just use it to tack something down for a few minutes and easily remove it.  It’s the same weight as masking tape but just looks prettier. The other day I used wide washi tape to label all the bins in my craft room. Yesterday I used it to hold down paper on my table for a few minutes. I’ve even decorated a chair with washi tape and have made washi tape clothespins to use a chip clips. 

Cricut Explore 

I held out for a very long time on buying an electronic cutting machine and claimed over and over again that I didn’t need one. I still believe that you don’t need to have one to be a great crafter. BUUUTTTTT…. since I bought the Cricut Explore this December, I have used it non-stop. Currently it’s living behind our couch so that I can use it more than having to walk upstairs (leaving the kitchen unguarded with three growing kids) and use it in my craft room.  So do you need to have one? No. But it is just plain fun. There will be a review of the Cricut Explore soon.   

Paint and Paint Brushes

Being a crafter means that you’re going to need to have craft paints and brushes. What works for me is to buy the small bottles of paints in different shades. But I buy large bottles of paint in basic primary colors such as red, blue, green and yellow and also large bottles of black and white.  If you want pink and are out of small bottles of pink you can always make your own shade using the red and pink. Keep some fun smaller shades on hand but always have the supplies to make any color you immediately need. Paint brushes are a personal choice. Really. For me, I like nylon bristle brushes. They just go along better with the way that I like to paint. Some people like foam brushes, I hate them. Buy a cheap package of mixed paint brushes at the craft store. Find out which one you like best and invest in a few nice ones to use on fancier, long term crafts. For any project that is short term or will only last one season, use the cheaper paint brushes.    Of course, there’s so many great tools for crafters such as bone folders, needle nose pliers, the endless array of scissors and more but these in this list are just a few of the ones that I really enjoy and wouldn’t want to craft without.  What are your favorite craft supplies?  If you want to share this post with your crafty friends, please pin this image –    *This post contains affiliate links