Handmade Fun: Craft Ideas for an Afternoon at Home

One of the most effective ways to boost our mental health is to make something with our hands. What would happen if we put our phones down for a few hours, rolled up our sleeves, and got a lil crafty? Here are a few fun craft ideas for an afternoon at home - and don’t worry, no real talent needed for any of these…

No-Sew Quilt

You don’t need to be a seamstress or an expert knitter to create a big, cozy blanket. A no-sew quilt, also known as a rag quilt, is composed of several big squares of fabric knotted together at the edges. Gather a couple of bolts of fleece and cut them into 12’’ squares. Snip 2’’ squares out of each corner before cutting 1’’-wide strips into each side of each square. Turn on your favorite show and spend your afternoon knotting those pieces together.

Bespoke T-Shirts

There are hundreds of ways to customize a simple T-shirt—which one speaks to you? We always love a classic tie-dye. Choose from a rainbow of dyes, scrunch up that shirt, and add splash after splash of vibrant color. If you don’t feel like playing with dye, personalize the shirt with heat transfer vinyl patterns! HTV comes in metallic, holographic, puffy, patterned, and flocked varieties, so anyone can mix and match to their delight.

Classy Coaster Set

Next time you have company over, they’ll ooh and aah over a creative set of coasters you dressed up yourself. Plain cork coasters could always use a fresh coat of acrylic paint. We recommend making each one slightly different so your guests can tell which drink is theirs. If you want to go full DIY, glue colorful mosaic tiles or disused Scrabble pieces onto a thin base layer of cork.

Personalized Soaps

Most craft stores sell easy-to-use soap-making kits, complete with basic soap, molds, colors, and essential oils. If you’re not the kit type, create your own lye solution and mix in your selected fats and oils. Make luxurious bars of soap to fit your tastes. Do you prefer lavender or citrus? Sandalwood or sage? As you get used to the process, brainstorm gift ideas for future occasions. Handmade soap is a heartfelt—and useful—gesture.

Next time you’ve got an afternoon to yourself, don’t spend it in front of screens! Get a little messy with these craft ideas, from tie-dyed tees to soaps all your own. We love these craft ideas for an afternoon at home, and we bet you will, too.