FAQ: How did you learn how to make crafts?

This post is part of the 7 Days to Getting Back Your Blogging Groove challenge on ProBlogger. 

 

How did you learn how to make crafts?

One question I get asked frequently is how I learned to make crafts that I sell in my Etsy shop. There are many ways to learn how to make crafts and become an artist. Here are a couple methods I use to learn new crafts. 

Sign up for craft related websites. You can learn crafts with free DIY tutorials and meet a community of crafters. These are some of my favorites: 

• Craftster: This site has tutorials in a message board style format. It is lots of fun to browse through the crafts. I learned a lot of crafts here when I first opened my Etsy.
  
• Martha Stewart: Check out the famous Martha Stewart website or magazine for lots of craft ideas. They especially have a lot of good ideas for the holidays. 
  
• Pinterest: Pinterest is a popular pinboard style website that has a lot of modern crafts from blogs. Commit to trying one Pinterest project a week to keep yourself creating instead of browsing.

Blogs are also great for finding craft tutorials. Besides this one, look at these blogs for craft projects:

• Design*Sponge: There are a lot of good DIY projects on this blog. Also, check out their 101 guides.
  
• A Beautiful Mess: This blog has a lot of fun craft ideas including home decor and scrapbooking ideas. They also have a few books out. 
  
• 30 Minute Crafts: Make quick and easy crafts in 30 minutes or less. Great for trying out new projects. 

Books are another option. They usually contain step by step tutorials and background info on the craft. If you don't want to buy a book, try going to the library. The good thing about the library is you can get a variety of books for free to try out different crafts.

• Crafts for Dummies: The Dummies series has a lot of great easy to follow information. You can find craft related Dummies books on general crafts or a specific craft you want to learn. 
  
• The Big Ass Book of Crafts by Mark Montano: This book has a lot of clever crafts to try. Mark Montano has hosted TV shows on TLC and Style Network. 
  
• Making Handmade Books by Alisa Golden: This is more of a book related to my niche, but it is an example of a specific book you can buy in a craft you want to learn. There are hundreds of bookbinding and paper craft ideas in this book. 

I love watching craft tutorials in a video format because you can easily see how a craft is made. Search on YouTube for craft and DIY video tutorials. You can also take a craft class online, which uses the video format. These are a couple sites to use to take free and paid courses: 

• Craftsy: Choose out of hundreds of courses on different topics. You can follow along with high definition videos. 
• Creative Live: This site allows you to take free classes on crafts, marketing and more.
• CraftU: This is another site wih craft courses you can take online. Easily sign up for the courses you are interested in. 

Another idea is to get a few materials you like and experiment with them. Just create using your instincts and natural creative abilities. This is a good way to come up with unique crafts and product ideas.

Keep practicing. With time and practice, you will get better at making crafts. Experiment with different types of crafts and different mediums to see what you like. If you are already good at a craft, keep learning new ways to improve or build on your craft.

If you decide to sell your craft, you can check out the business section of this blog for tips on running a business or my shop Printables and Things for business printables. 

How do you like to create?