The resources available to crafters on the internet are unlimited. With so many options, how do you know where to look? Here, I’ve listed all the sites I’ve found over the years that will surely inspire you to pick up a new project. All sites are youthful and fun, with an emphasis on style and personalization.
P.S I Made This (psimadethis.com)
Arguably the biggest site for modern fashion crafts, the projects from Erica Domesk’s blog are always up-to-the minute in trends. Instructions for studded sneakers, skinny neon headbands and more appear almost as soon as the styles become popular. The design is always accompanied by a large, colorful collage of the designer item that inspired the craft and instructions are to-the-point with no excess language, making them easy to follow.
The designs are innovative and often ambitious and some were created in partnership with the street style site, WhoWhatWear. If you follow the instructions faithfully, the quality of the finished projects aren’t always top-notch (especially if it’s a no-sew fabric design), but depending on the project it can be worth it to try out a new style without spending a fortune.
Recommended project: Embellished sweater.
Teen Vogue DIY (teenvogue.com/fashion/diy)
A segment of the ultra-fashionable teen magazine’s website, the DIY department shows you how to make cool and trendy accessories along with how to update pieces you already own. Intricate knotted necklaces, bejeweled cardigan pockets and velvet-patched jeans are a few of the projects you’ll find on this site. Most of them are about sprucing up what you already have—a good idea for saving money.
Some of the projects are a little “out there,” which is to be expected from a site that’s all about runway trends. The fact that a high-fashion site like Teen Vogue has a craft segment shows how in today’s economy and emphasis on originality it’s no longer old school to make things yourself.
Recommended project: Crystal fade beanie hat.
The Beauty Department (thebeautydepartment.com)
While it’s technically a beauty blog, Lauren Conrad and Amy Nadine’s website, Brainchild has many tutorials for fun and beautiful hair accessories. Step-by-step photographic instructions make the designs easy to follow for projects including faux flower clips, brightly colored bobby pins and a stunning star clip inspired by ones seen at Anthropologie. Organizers for hair and beauty supplies can be made affordably too from their simple DIY projects.
Supplies needed for the projects vary greatly in price, with some needing only what you likely already own (like nail polish and plain barrettes) to more pricey and hard-to-find items (like star appliqués or brooches) and not to mention, occasional sewing skills. TBD also has DIY “recipes” for some beauty products, like sea salt spray as a wave enhancer for your hair.
Recommended project: Makeup brush roll case.
Free People (blog.freepeople.com/diy)
A blog connected to the popular store, the Free People blog’s DIY department has simple, charming projects for the home, parties and some clothes updates. This website takes a unique approach and emphasizes natural, eco-friendly and recycled supplies, like pressed flowers and glass bottles (mini garden in an Altoids tin, anyone?). The end result is rustic and whimsical at the same time. Recipes for natural air fresheners and makeup remover are a nice touch for those looking to buy fewer chemical-laden items. Some of the projects take for granted that everyone has excess mason jars and copper wire lying around, but there’s so many sweet little afternoon projects, you’ll surely find one that uses things you already have at home.
