If a global pandemic taught us anything, it’s that anyone can make things with their hands. DIY content on platforms like TikTok exploded. A quick YouTube search uncovered craft tutorials for everything from embroidery to woodworking. And sourdough was having a moment.
It’s unsurprising that we collectively turned to crafts in a time of isolation. Studies show that working with your hands offers many mental health benefits. Crafting diversifies your brain activity, especially for those who do computer work, helping to increase creativity. And the sense of accomplishment in creating something from scratch can decrease stress and anxiety.
Better yet, exploring your creativity may even spark a business idea. If you’re looking for a hobby you can monetize, let’s get crafting! Ahead, explore trending crafts to make with ideas for every skill level. Learn how to turn your passion into products to sell online, at craft fairs, and everywhere in between.
? Tip: If you’re new to DIY, start with our quiz. We’ll recommend a craft idea for you to try based on a few simple questions about your interests. All set? Skip ahead.
Both resin and polymer clay jewelry creations began trending a couple of years ago but are still popping up all over the web because of their versatility and appeal as DIY crafts. Resin jewelry is often characterized by items like dried flowers “preserved” in a hard, clear substance, while most common polymer clay jewelry is composed of opaque geometric shapes in bold colors.
Both require some upfront investment for materials but have a low learning curve with plenty of online tutorials. Great as a hobby, jewelry is also an easy craft to scale into a side gig, as you can produce multiple pieces in each batch.
? Tips:
? Learn more: How to Start a Jewelry Making Business: The Ultimate Guide
Another trend that’s still going strong is rug making, using a hooking or tufting method. Whether you hook by hand with a punch needle or use a mechanical/electric tufting gun, you can create unique rugs, mats, or textile wall art based on your own designs. The top creators are often fetching hundreds of dollars for one two-by-three-foot rug. It can be a lucrative business if you find your niche.
? Tips:
Tie-dye cycled back in popularity (again) in 2019 and is holding strong, popping up in fashion retailer collections on everything from sneakers to underwear. Tie-dyed goods are easy to make and sell from home, requiring very few materials and skills.
You can buy and dye bulk blank t-shirts or tie-dye fabric to sew into one-of-a-kinds products, depending on your skill level. Also try traditional Japanese shibori, a trending method of resist-dyeing using natural indigo dye. Alternatively, exploring cultural textiles like a batik shirt can add unique and vibrant pieces to your collection, showcasing intricate designs and rich heritage.
? Tips:
Paper flowers are simple crafts to make and sell, and potentially can be a fruitful small business idea. The wedding services market, though hit hard by the pandemic, is bouncing back and expected to be worth upward of $414 billion by 2030.
Marketing paper flowers as statement-making décor for weddings and events could score you a piece of that very big pie. Tons of free online paper flower tutorials and templates make it easy to get started. Better yet, paper flowers are among the easiest crafts to make and require very little upfront cost to get started.
? Tips:
One of the easiest crafts to make and sell online, home fragrance products like candles require no prior crafting experience. And, they’re in demand. The home fragrance market is expected to reach $9.2 billion by 2026.
You can purchase a basic candle-making kit to experiment with the process of adding essential oils to melted wax. But the possibilities are endless: get creative and stand out with unique containers/shapes like those by Yui Brooklyn, great branding like Boy Smells, or unusual scent combinations like Frostbeard candles.
? Tips:
? Learn more: Turn Scents Into Dollars: How to Start a Candle-Making Business
? Looking for more DIY ideas?
There are endless things to make and sell, such as pet treats, DIY coasters, wooden cutting boards, and metal picture frames. Find the DIY project that’s suited to your skills and interests.
The plant-parent population grew like a weed at the onset of the pandemic, and businesses selling plants and plant accessories harvested the benefits. And, with plant care being a long-term commitment, tangential businesses will see benefits for years to come.
There is often a higher barrier to entry to pottery due to the need for specialized ovens (called kilns) to fire the clay. These are often cost- and space-prohibitive, but you can generally find community centers or clay studios that rent kiln time.
Pottery-like plant pots can also be made from air clay or cement (poured into molds) and do not require firing.
? Tips:
? Learn more: Fronds with Benefits: A Beginner’s Guide to Selling Plants Online
While mask mandates have dwindled in some regions, face masks are still in demand as COVID variants continue to spread. Plus, in some parts of the world, face masks are widely used for combating the spread of colds and the effects of smog.
If you have basic sewing skills, you can make and sell fabric face masks using online tutorials or by designing your own pattern.
? Tips:
? Read more: 9 Part-Time Business Ideas to Start In Your Spare Time
If you’re looking for a sustainable idea for a craft you can do from home, vintage upcycling might be for you. The process involves sourcing vintage or used clothing—maybe pieces that have rips, stains, or dated shapes—and repurposing parts into new products.
Upcycled materials from a torn maxi-skirt could become a tote bag, a faded vintage sweatshirt could be cropped and redyed, an old t-shirt could be reimagined as a baby hat. The possibilities are endless for this DIY trend.
? Tips:
? Learn more: How to Sell Vintage Clothing Online: The Ultimate Guide
This is one of the most versatile craft ideas on our list, with options for every level of skill and creativity. At the low end, you can buy blank cotton tote bags and personalize them with silkscreening, beading, hand painting, textile dyeing, or embroidering.
For more advanced crafters, sew tote bags from scratch from your own pattern—add pockets, closures, and other details to make yours unique.
? Tips:
Woven and knotted textile art has made a big comeback in tandem with midcentury home trends. These home décor crafts have a range of options for every skill set. Macramé is a knotted technique popularized in the Victorian era and revived in the 1970s that can be used to make belts, textile art, and hanging planters.
Searches for “hanging planter” spiked in 2020 but have had sustained interest since. It’s an easy craft to learn and requires little to no equipment.
Other textile crafts like hanging wall art can be made with a weaving technique using a loom—these can range from a simple wooden frame or hand loom to large electrical power looms.
? Tips:
DIY beauty products can be easy crafts to make and sell—even if you’re not very creative. Dabble with testing simple products (like DIY bath bombs) in your spare time before progressing to more complicated craft ideas like nail polish or lotions.
? Tips:
Arm yourself with a glue gun and your winning idea. It’s time to upgrade your skills from a side hobby to your own craft business. Build a solid brand, write a business plan, and identify your target customer. Remember to follow DIY trends and consider seasonality. You’re ready to make crafts at home and sell them anywhere from a craft booth to your own branded online store.
Good news: You don’t have to spend years in formal art school to learn how to make crafts. There are several free sources for DIY craft ideas and craft tutorials on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and craft blogs. Many even share links to where to buy materials. Local community centers and colleges may also offer individual courses or workshops for your craft.
Pricing your crafts for retail or wholesale can follow simple pricing formulas that factor in cost of materials, fixed costs like rent or utilities, the value of your time and expertise, and your profit margin. Profitable crafts to make and sell are those that can be sold at market value while still covering costs and profit margin.
Remember that one-of-a-kind goods inherently have value because of their uniqueness. Look to other craft sellers who make similar products and ensure that you are priced within a reasonable range for the market.
Crafts to sell can run the gamut from fairly simple to extremely complex, but it’s entirely personal based on your unique skill set and artistic ability. Dabble in multiple types of crafts to see what comes naturally to you.
Candles, beaded jewelry, and tie-dying are all craft ideas that can be made by the creatively challenged and without the need to learn to use specialized equipment.
With a few exceptions, you can make and sell anything from home. Aside from crafts like pottery or large scale woodworking projects that require bulky or expensive equipment to get started, you can easily start a home-based business making crafts today. Consider the requirements of each craft and the properties of your space to see if they are compatible. For example, some crafts may require proper ventilation (paints, solvents), a laundry sink or tub (dyeing), a large working space (loom work or rugs), or a stove or oven (candles, polymer clay).
The best craft ideas are handmade items that you can produce with what you have on hand and skills that are easily learned from home. You can sell crafts online from home through your own store or an online marketplace like an Etsy shop.
There are a number of places where you can sell your crafts and market your craft business to make extra money. The best way to build your DIY brand is through your own ecommerce store, where you can sell online directly to your customers. Diversifying your sales channels, however, can help you reach a wider audience.
Many crafters opt to sell through an online marketplace like an Etsy shop alongside their online store. You can also start selling crafts at a craft fair or a local farmers market that accepts craft vendors.
Illustrations by Sophie Gullbrants
Photos by Unsplash
