Crafting. Making something new. The joy of creation. This is something many have a great interest in, especially in recent years, as lockdown prompted many people to look into new hobbies, interests and things to try.

But many of us might not know where to start. Whether this is due to finances or simply because one doesn’t have the necessary skills to make anything they can be proud of, not knowing where to start can be frustrating. As such, here are four examples of crafting projects that are easy, inexpensive and fun to try, according to Assistant Director of the Craft Center Ange Purviance.

Jewelry: While jewelry making can quickly become an expensive and high-skill hobby, it is a very easy one to get into, particularly with shrinky-dinks, which are small plastic beads and other jewelry pieces made from shrink plastic. 

“The materials are cheap colored pencils or permanent markers and shrink film, an oven, a hole punch and some jewelry findings”, Purviance said, who describes it as one of their favorite go-to craft projects. 

Many of these materials are things that people already own, and those that aren’t can be obtained fairly cheaply, making this project an inexpensive way to get creative, and, as such, an easy one to pour time into and master. 

Crochet: Crochet and knitting have had a resurgence in popularity in the last few years, beginning with lockdown. It’s a classic project, according to Purviance. Yarn is inexpensive, and the only necessary tool is a crochet hook. Additionally, there are many tutorials online and Oregon State University runs a crochet club in the craft center, making this versatile and fun craft an easy one to get into with many potential projects. 

These projects include hats, granny squares or even little stuffed creatures to start with, according to Purviance. 

Needle Felting: Another classic and easy project to learn with a high skill ceiling, needle felting is an inexpensive project that one can pick up in an afternoon without much prep or worrying about finances. Kits can be found online or at many craft stores. 

Watercolor Painting: Easy, fun, and relaxing, watercolor painting may be a throwback to elementary school art projects, but it can be used for far more than just that. It’s a project that can be done almost anywhere, and the supplies are often found among one’s possessions already. Aspiring artists can create beautiful, colorful abstract paintings, or color in drawings in a uniquely beautiful style that can be hung up around one’s desk. 

While there are many different ways to get into art and crafting, it is often easiest to get into crafts that do not necessitate high financial investment and where one can create something without spending many hours building skills before they can be pleased with a project. All of these crafts are easy to get into, fun to learn, and can only be made more exciting and enjoyable with the growth of skills.