As we get more and more into crafting we often end up using a variety of different tools and equipment as we go but what do we really need and what is the best set of equipment to get so you can get up to speed fast without breaking the bank.
Here is a list of the essential crafting tools and a further breakdown of what they are used for and why they will save you money as well as time.
- Glass cutter
- Scissors
- Hole punches
- Box cutter / X-acto
- Cutting mat
- Mod podge
- Brushes
- Glue gun
- Drill / dremel
- Rulers / measuring guides
- Pencils / markers
- Needle nose pliers / pliers
- Bits boxes / storage
- Glue
- Paint
- Reinforcements / wire, cocktail sticks, skewers
- Clamps / extra hands
- Tweezers
- Soldering iron
- Buckets / Tubs / Containers
Please note the list is not in any particular order with regards to price, importance, or any other metric but is inclusive of the items you will most commonly need as a crafter for most if not all crafting types.
Scissors
These are not to be underestimated. The humble scissors are used to cut thinner lightweight materials such as paper, fabric, and some lightweight cardstocks.
They can be used to score lines using a tip of one of the cutting blades and gently pulling it along a pre-measured and marked line.
Scissors can also be used as a simple edge for folding card on the fly without spending time looking for another tool.
You can also use them to curl ribbons by dragging the ribbon over one of the blades to stretch the ribbon asymmetrically, creating the curl. Handy around the gift-giving season.
Hole punches
Hole punches are great for, well, punching out holes, but if you put your mind to it they can be very versatile indeed. If you craft with paper and card then you can punch out and keep the holes to make smaller decorations like colored balloons or if using card, rivets for a steampunk style design.
You can the hole punch to create a series of holes on your project which you can then ‘sew’ together like a rough patchwork, handy for rustic style themes or something a little more gothic too.
Box cutter / X-acto
Whether you prefer the delicate touch of an X-acto or a more rigid utilitarian grip of a box cutter a good sharp knife is essential for your crafting needs. You will often be cutting paper, cardboard, fabric, or even some thicker materials like wire, styrofoam, and balsa wood.
Whatever it is you are cutting you need a good knife with a strong blade and a sturdy grip. If you use them with a lighter, more delicate touch then you can easily score lines into your work if you are looking to create something from a single piece of material rather than multiple to cut down on the assembly time.
Cutting mat
As with any cutting, you will need a good reliable surface to cut on that will not damage your furniture. The garage floor can be used in an emergency but does not allow for finesse or cleanliness. A self-healing cutting mat, therefore, is the way to go. These mats are great for taking whatever you throw at it and it will be highly resistant to those multitudes of cuts you will be throwing at it.
Most good cutting mats, as well as self-healing to extend their lifespan, feature measuring guides which can greatly speed up your production time as you will not need to fumble around with extra tape measures or rulers.
Brushes
Whenever we are crafting we are invariably decorating too so a good selection of brushes is key to add to your crafting arsenal. When we think about brushes we often think about paintbrushes, and yes, we do need them in a plentiful supply but we also can use makeup brushes too.
Makeup brushes are great for adding subtle tones to art pieces especially when overbrushing, or dry brushing. These simple but effective techniques can add depth and can make your work really stand out from the rest.
Glue gun
For nearly all crafts we use glue in one form or another but a great staple piece of kit is your trusty glue gun. Coming in a variety of sizes and models it can be hard to choose which is best for you but fortunately, glue guns come with detailed usage specs so it can be easy to decide depending on your crafting needs. I do, however, recommend a dual heat glue gun for delicate work with heat-sensitive materials as well as the more hardy materials.
Drill / Dremel
A drill or Dremel is often a great investment that quickly pays for itself with its versatility. You may often find yourself needing small or medium-sized holes, pilot holes for screws, etc, and a drill can come in handy for that reason. You can buy hand drills where you use it like a screwdriver to drill holes, handy if you are on a budget and don’t need it often.
A Dremel, on the other hand, has a plethora of attachments from drillbit, sanders, etchers, and more making them one of the best investments you can possibly make. While they are not cheap they are most definitely worth it.
Rulers / measuring guides
A quintessential item in any crafters toolkit. Getting a selection to suit your needs is also recommended. A metal ruler and a 90 set square should be a minimum but if you have funds then splash out on some protractors too so you can get those pesky angles dealt with easily into the bargain.
Pencils / markers
You will find that as you use various materials to craft with then you will also need a variety of markers to make sure those measurements you have made were not in vain and remain visible. Standard items include but are not limited to, pencils, ballpoint pens, sharpies, chalk, and builders pencils (very soft)
In some cases, you can even use them as decorations for your work. If, for example, you wanted to add some metallic or industrial highlights to a piece then using a pencil can actually be a better choice than paint.
Needle nose pliers / pliers
Pliers are often needed for some stubborn materials like wires, where we may need to bend wires into small delicate shapes and needle-nosed pliers are generally perfect for this. As well as using them as a bending tool they can be used to insert or add small items to our work as they are generally finer than our fingers and can get into otherwise inaccessible places.
I usually keep multiple sets of pliers for different jobs as sometimes you need a tougher, regular set of pliers for a job which the finer pliers would not be up to the task for. They are cheap so having a few types for your different needs won’t break the bank.
Clamps / extra hands
Having clamps can come in real handy. Not only for keeping your work steady and in one place but there may be times when 2 hands are just not enough. When I am working with small electronics, for example, I often use my clamp / magnifying glass combo. It has 2 positionable crocodile clips mounted alongside a magnifying lens and a wire cage to hold a soldering iron. It’s the perfect tool for this type of work as well as many others so it was a godsend for me after I bought it.
Clamps are also great for drying projects where you need to let something delicate site overnight to cure. Clamps will never falter or drop your work which makes them an ideal crafting buddy.
Tweezers
Tweezers, like needle-nosed pliers, are great for getting small things into even smaller places but where they really shine is with their ultra-slim form factor. They come in many sizes but they are usually thin and flat with fine tips that allow them to pick up and hold things as small as 1mm in length, which is pretty small.
They can also be used to score card and paper, or also using the serrations on the inside, make some small decorative indentations in clay or foam.
Bits boxes / storage
If you are a lover of crafting like me then no doubt you will have thousands of small items for your future projects so having somewhere neat and tidy to keep them is essential. For your larger items like brushes, paint, bulk crafting materials like clay and plaster, etc. I recommend drawers where you can keep everything squared away neatly.
For those smaller items, I recommend flat, compartmentalized boxes that you can get quite inexpensively. These can have from as little as 5 or 6 compartments for your small crating items, right up to 20 or 30 for the larger boxes. If you do a lot of crafting with smaller items these types of boxes are a must if you want to keep everything organized and accessible.
Soldering iron
If you are doing any crafting and are adding electronic elements to it like lighting, battery power, or motors then a decent soldering iron will be highly useful. Soldering irons can be used for most projects and can help you remove components as well as help you to create your projects.
In addition to electrical work, soldering irons can also be used for their healing properties on other projects, with caution, like using them to burn patterns into wood or to melt styrofoam instead of attempting to carve it.
Glue
Glue is a definite staple in your crafting arsenal and should not be overlooked. There are many types of glue, however, so it’s important for you to choose the right glue for the right materials.
Common glue types include:
- PVA crafting glue
- Hot glue (with glue guns)
- Super glue
- Wood glue
- Epoxy glue
- Fabric glue
Choosing the right glue for the job is essential, if you choose the wrong type for your materials you can run the risk of the items not adhering correctly or even corroding the materials, like super glue with styrofoam for example.
Buckets / Tubs / Containers
As well as containers for storing your items you will often need a steady supply of containers to mix your materials. For some materials like paint, your container can be a simple cup or even half a plastic bottle.
For other materials for larger projects, you may need something sturdier like a bucket or plastic bowl, mixing items like plaster or making homemade air dry clay would fall into this category.
Mod podge
It would be remiss of me not to mention the famous Mod Podge on this list as it is so versatile and does so much. Made with a mixture of glue, varnish, oil, and water, it is mainly used for sealing and strengthening your crafting projects. You can also mix it with paint to color your work. This is popular with many foam crafters who want to give a longer lifespan to their work.
You can also add toilet paper and plaster to it to make terrain for dioramas such as hills, riverbanks, riverbeds, and mountains.
Paint
Paint is also another essential here. Paint can breathe life into many a project by giving it vibrancy and realism. It also comes in many forms too. The most common paint types include:
- Acrylic Paint
- Oil-Based Paint.
- Chalkboard Paint.
- Chalk Paint.
- Enamel paint.
- Latex-Based.
- Water-Based.
Reinforcements / wire, cocktail sticks, skewers
All good crafters use reinforcing materials for their crafts as quite often when making something small and delicate you need to give your work something to help it support itself and this is where our trusty reinforcements come in.
Different gauges of wire, cocktails sticks, and skewers great and small, all come in handy. Hiding them is easy, simply give these materials a purpose and hide them in plain sight. A skewer becomes a long weapon, a piece of wire becomes a coiled rope, a cocktail stick becomes an umbrella handle.
Conclusion
It’s often hard when starting to craft to know exactly what to craft and what you will need so I hope this kit list gives you some inspiration and food for thought. Having a rough idea of what you may need is better than not having any idea at all.
Crafting should be a fun journey too so looking at a huge, expensive kit list before you have even started can be daunting so I also hope this list has gone someways towards alleviating some of those fears and concerns you may have about what to get and how much it will cost.
Enjoy!