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Starting a new craft hobby doesn’t mean that you have to buy every single tool on day one. Beginners are usually better off starting with a few basics, then adding more advanced supplies once they know what they actually enjoy, and what to pursue further.
What Basic Craft Supplies Do Beginners Need?
A decent beginner set up usually includes the following:
- A clear and clean work surface
- A pair of scissors
- Glue
- A ruler
- Pens or pencils
- A small storage box
- A cutting mat if you need to use blades
- The specific materials for your chosen hobby
Start With the Craft
Before you actually buy anything, first choose one type of craft to try.
- For paper crafts, start with card, paper, scissors, glue, and pens.
- For origami, start with paper.
- For needle felting, start with a beginner felting kit.
- For miniature painting, start with a few acrylic paints, brushes, primer, and one model.
- For soap making, start with a beginner friendly method, such as melt and pour.
Useful Craft Tools For Beginners
Scissors
A good pair of scissors can be very useful for paper crafts, fabric crafts, card making, scrapbooking, and any other general cutting. You could keep one pair for paper and one for fabric initially, but you don’t need lots of different ones to start.
Glue
Different crafts may use different types of glue, but beginners may only need one or two basic types. For simple paper crafts, a glue stick is useful, whilst PVA is more appropriate for card making, collage, and lightweight materials.
Ruler
A ruler is a great tool for measuring, cutting straight lines and folding paper. A metal knife ruler is good if you are cutting with a craft knife.
Cutting Mat
A cutting mat will protect your table if you are using a craft knife, rotary cutter, or other types of sharp tool. For simple paper crafts, scissors may be sufficient alone.
Craft Knife
A craft knife is very useful for detailed cutting, but you may not need it if you are only going simple paper crafts. If this is the case, scissors may be enough.
Pens and Pencils
Pens, pencils, and markers are good for sketching, planning, journaling, card making, and any other decorating. You can start off with supplies you already have at home before investing in anything special.
Basic Materials by Craft Type
Paper Crafts
- Cardstock
- Coloured paper
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Pens
- Stickers or decorative paper
- Envelopes for card making
Textile Crafts
- Needles
- Thread
- Embroidery hoop
- Fabric scraps
- Yarn
- Crochet hook or knitting needles
- Small scissors
Painting and Drawing
- Sketchbook or paper
- Pencils
- Eraser
- Brushes
- Watercolour or acrylic paint
- Palette
- Water pot
- Cloth or paper towel
Miniature and Model Crafts
- Small brushes
- Acrylic paints
- Primer
- Model clippers
- Glue
- Palette or wet palette
- Storage box
- One beginner miniature
Clay and Sculpting
- Polymer clay or air dry clay
- Small tools
- Rolling pin or smooth bottle
- Craft mat
- Storage bags
- Paint or sealant
- An air dry pottery kit