Overview
Handicrafts: an overview and key concepts
Handicrafts cover very different activities — from darning a sock to knitting a jumper or building a paper model. Each craft has its own materials and vocabulary, but the principles are similar: prepare the material, make a test piece, work carefully and finish what you start. This page gives you the big picture and a vocabulary that will make any instructions easier to read.
Crafts teach each other. Someone who has learned to lay down even stitches will grasp yarn tension faster, and the habit of making a test piece is useful with paper and fabric alike.
Types of crafts
- Sewing by hand and by machine: from small repairs to simple pouches and bags.
- Knitting and crochet: scarves, hats, doilies, toys.
- Paper and cardboard: boxes, cards, models, origami.
- Crafts from natural materials: pressed-leaf collections, frames, mobiles.
- Decorations and gifts: gift wrapping, small decorations for the home.
- Shared activities with children, where the process itself is what matters.
Glossary of key concepts
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stitch | One pass of the thread through the fabric from one needle hole to the next |
| Seam | A line of stitches that joins pieces or finishes an edge |
| Seam allowance | The margin of fabric between the seam line and the edge of the piece |
| Loop | The basic element of knitted fabric; in knitting with needles there are two basic stitches — knit and purl |
| Row | All the stitches worked from one edge of the fabric to the other |
| Pattern repeat | The smallest recurring section of a pattern |
Two facts worth knowing straight away
The grain line of fabric runs parallel to the selvedge. Pattern pieces are usually placed on the grain because the fabric stretches less along it and the garment twists less.
In metric sizing, the number of a knitting needle or crochet hook equals its diameter in millimetres. Size 4 needles are 4 mm in diameter, and the yarn label usually states which sizes suit it.
Where to begin
- Choose one craft, not five at once.
- Start with a small piece you can finish in an evening or a weekend.
- Put together a minimal set of tools and do not rush to expand it.
- Make a test sample from the same material.
- Note down what worked and what you would like to try next.
What to read next
What this text is based on
- Beginner guides to sewing and knitting (general principles)
- Instructions for craft tools and materials (general principles)
Threads, yarn, glue and paints vary noticeably from one manufacturer to another, so the label and instructions for the specific material or tool always have the final say. This guide describes general techniques and is no substitute for a hands-on lesson with an experienced maker.