About This Quiz
Whether you craft for fun or you run a business from your home, you've probably learned that every craft and every art requires a different set of base tools. From working with leather to embroidering and all the way over to paper crafting, the arts and crafts industry is booming right now. People have become more and more interested in creating for themselves. The act of crafting can be tedious, but it's also a great form of self-healing. Paying attention to one thing at a time and getting the prize of a completed project at the end gives us a sense of accomplishment and an understanding of creation.
No matter what craft you connect to most, you know that there are dozens of tools that are available to help you get the results you're looking for. New crafting tools are invented every day to give crafters more professional-looking outcomes than they could have ever expected, in much less time. We no longer have to review hours and hours of YouTube tutorials to create something, as long as we're willing to pay a little extra for a tool that will do all of the hard work and measuring for us.ÂÂ
If you're a crafter (novice or expert), chances are you have an area of your house filled with these various tools. Take this quiz to see how many of them you recognize.
Rotary cutters are a mix between a pizza cutter and a box cutter. They extend out and nestle back into place after they're used. They are meant to give the crafter a truer cut, avoiding the opening and closing motion of scissors that can make the cut uneven.
Glue guns are a crafter's best friend in a lot of different ways. They're mostly used for adhering larger materials together without having to hold the materials together while the glue dries (as hot glue dries as it cools, and it cools quickly).
Though glitter has been around since the 1930s, it was made of plastic (and it still is, for the most part). Several companies are currently working toward making biodegradable glitters that are environmentally safe.
Advertisement
For the most part, scoring boards are used in paper crafting. They help you make straight lines and markings to create folds at specific points. They are especially useful for thicker papers that are more difficult to fold.
Craft knives are also called X-ACTO knives. They are used to help crafters cut with precision. In general, they are used on flat surfaces, unlike scissors, which require at least one part of the material to be raised a little bit.
If you own a cutting machine of some kind, you probably have one of these lying around. They come in handy when you need to get small pieces off of the adhesive mat before you remove your project.
Advertisement
The latest version of the Cricut cutting machine is a tool a lot of different types of crafters like to use. It can produce die cuts of fabric, paper, chipboard and even balsa wood. This company has come a long way in helping crafters get the results they're looking for.
Grommets and eyelets aren't just for fabric crafting; they can also be used in bookmaking and various paper crafts. This tool creates holes and presses a metal border around them to give a clean and sleek look while helping the structural integrity of the hole.
Those who love pottery and work with clay a lot will have a set of tools that looks very much like this one. In general, they're metal-tipped tools with wooden handles. Each tool has a different-shaped head used for a different sculpting technique.
Advertisement
While Rya Ties might not be essential tools for those who crochet or knit, they can be big time-savers if you plan on making pom-poms or the shag look for your projects.
Wood burning tools can be difficult to get the hang of if you're new at it. However, they create some of the most beautiful completed works for burning. You can get a multitude of tips that range from large to sharp (these ones are great for cutting the vinyl of old records).
Lint rollers are perfect for cleaning up after yourself while crafting. They pull everything off of you, your clothes, your table and your floors. They're the perfect tool for when you get glitter all over everything.
Advertisement
Laminators are perfect for paper crafting and preserving flat scrap items (such as leaves). Not only do they protect the paper with a plastic coating, but they make the project more sturdy. Plus, you can create dry-erase boards out of them.
Paper quilling is the act of making intricate designs with thin strips of paper. These create three-dimensional images and designs. The art of paper quilling is time-consuming, but the finished product is absolutely stunning.
Awls work well for punching holes into leather materials, but they are also used for paper crafting and book-making. This tool creates a smaller hole than a hole punch and does it with precision.
Advertisement
Several companies make sticker makers for crafters. In general, these machines press flat objects onto adhesives, creating a sticker. They come with cartridges that have either permanent or repositionable adhesive.
Paper trimmers have an edge on regular scissors because they can cut straight lines and measure at the same time. This gives the crafter more control over each cut, as well as the cleanest cut possible.
Paper punches are a faster and easier way to get the shape you're looking for. Additionally, for paper crafters, these are the best tools you can use to turn your scrap papers into something (which means less waste and more time).
Advertisement
If you're a newbie to the paper crafting world, you probably don't think that you need a corner rounder. However, they are great for giving your project a more finished and professional look.
Half-moon cutting knives are also known as round knives and head knives. They are one of the most basic and essential tools for cutting leather (a thicker material), and they can also shape every grade of leather available on the market.
Foam brushes are used in a variety of ways. They give an even coat of paint for those looking to paint their projects. Additionally, they are the best types of brushes to use for things like modge podge, because they don't leave streaks.
Advertisement
Washi tape has a variety of uses. It's most common use is in paper crafting. The different designs can bring a scrapbook page to life. Additionally, it can be used to hold down materials to cutting mats for die-cutting machines.
Copic markers may be some of the most expensive crafting markers (and crafting tools) on the market, but they are the highest quality that you can ask for. They blend well and give you the option of a chiseled tip or a fine tip with each marker. Refills for these markers are also sold separately.
Basting generally comes in spray can. It is an adhesive that can temporarily hold fabrics together. This main functions is perfect for quilters who use applique methods, as the fabric is bonded while stitching can be finished.
Advertisement
Stencils are one of the first tools that crafters are introduced to. They can be used in every form of crafting, especially for finishing touches in design. You can use them to give yourself guidelines for painting as well.
Panting palettes are on of the signatures of painting. They come in a variety of materials (such as wood or plastic), and every painter has their preference on which one is better for their art.
Pegboard is a great way to organize your crafting space. You can add cups, shelves and hooks to this area and keep them off of your workspace (desk or table), making them impossible to lose.
Advertisement
If you own a scoring board, you should own a bone folder. For those who have tried to fold a thick piece of paper and it came out uneven, the bone folder can help you create clean folds throughout your project.
The advanced tape glider does have a little bit of a learning curve when you first use it. However, once you've mastered the technique of getting the tape to adhere to one side of your project, you can save a lot of money on adhesives when you use it.
Tacky glue is a thicker glue that coats much better than your average school-style glue. Additionally, as long as you apply it evenly, you rarely get the raising and bumping that average glue will deliver every time.
Advertisement
Fingertip crafting knives were designed to help crafters get the perfect cut without raising the paper. They go around your finger like a ring, and you press the tip into the material you wish to cut. This allows for more control while cutting.
Round-nosed pliers give you the ability to hold onto smaller objects while you're working with jewelry. Additionally, if you work with metals when you make jewelry, these will make your life much easier in the long run.
If you've ever had glue seep out of the sides of your project, you know that when it dries, it will become noticeable. However, this tool helps you get the glue off of your project without ruining the project itself.
Advertisement
Bead boards help you measure out your jewelry designs as well as put them in order of how you will create the necklace, bracelet or whatever type of jewelry you're making. They're perfect if you like a little symmetry in your work.
The difference between crocheting and knitting is all about the technique and tools that are used. While knitting requires two needles, crocheting only requires one hook. However, both require a yard to complete the task.
Sizzix makes quite a few different types of cutting and crafting tools. The Big Shot is one of their biggest cutting machines, but the catch is that you have to manually crank the items through the machine in order to get the cuts you're looking for.
Advertisement
Embossing folders come in various sizes and designs. They press paper to help it keep its shape and design. You can add ink or stamps to help the designs and embossing pop even more.
Border punches are much like the standard paper punches that are available, but they are open. They give you guide marks to ensure that you maintain the same pattern as you punch around the boarder of your project.
Water color brushes are great for creating embellishments and controlling your painting in general. They are a relatively new tool to crafters, but more and more craft bloggers are using them and recommending them.
Advertisement
Palette knives are generally used for mixing paint colors on your palette, but they can also be used for application. Nearly every artist who uses paint as their medium will have tools like this in their crafting kits.