Here are some of the key tools you need for most DIY projects. Gather them together and keep them on their own desk or in a craft bag to make them easier to find.
- Dressmaker's Scissors: Buy the best quality you can afford and keep them hidden; use one pair for paper and card and one for fabric only. Extend your range to include shaped-blade scissors too.
- Glue Gun and assorted glue sticks in various colours
- Multi purpose glue such as 5 minute Araldite or super glue; look for a glue that works on fabric glass porcelain wood and metal
- PVA glue; use full strength and watered down for decoupage or paper
- Double sided tape
- Paper masking tape
- Ruler dressmaker's measuring tape and builder's tape measure
- Assorted pencils (try a 6B 3B HB and 2H) and erasor
- Permanent Markers in black gold and silver
- Craft Knife; chose a good quality knife with a comfortable handle and change the blades whenever they get dull as dull blades are more likely to cause an injury. Use a cutting mat or old chopping board to protect your table
- Guillotine
- Tweezers: look for the long thin-ended tweezers ideal for handling small beads or repairing jewellery
- Small needle nose pliers: look for a small pair in your local hardware store instead of paying a fortune in a craft shop
- Assorted paint brushes and sponges: look for brushes in a variety of sizes and thinknesses as well as chisel, rounded and fan ends
- Needles and thread; buy a 100 pack of needles and a multi pack of threads
- Wire in assorted gauges
- Beading thread and fishing line
- Toothpicks and wooden skewers for mixing paints and glue
- Ice cream container lids for mixing paints and glue
- Old (empty) pill containers for loose beads, sequins and glitter
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| From left to right: double-sided foam tape, bead trim, lace trim, printed ribbon, labels, glass hearts, guitar picks, music note sequins, fabric roses |
Other handy stand-bys
- Beads
- Sequins and sequin trim
- Glitter
- Buttons
- Feathers
- Trims
- Jewellery findings such as clasps and small o-rings
- Acrylic watercolour and oil paint
- Alphabet stamps and ink
- Blank cards and envelopes
