Crafty Machines for DIYers

Crafters are equal parts collector and doer.

In other words, they tend to own a lot of supplies and equipment, and they know how to use them. There’s much variety to choose from, but the best types of equipment are those that inspire your talent and skills.

These top crafty machines for DIYers make it possible to create just about any project you dream up.

10. Die cutting

Die cutting crafts are fun for makers of all skill levels. These handy die cutting machines allow you to make incredibly intricate designs for scrapbooking, lettering for large posters, collages and any other projects that involve shapes and embellished designs. Look for models that emboss and pack up easily.

9. Quilting

Quilting machines lend precision to every stitch while leaving the creativity in the hands of the quilter. Use these for quilts of any size and complexity and the whole process is less cumbersome. Like learning to use a sewing machine they take a bit of practice, but they save significant time down the road. You can also purchase specialized feet for quilting tasks that make your regular sewing machine do double duty. These are most useful for smaller quilting projects like clothing and decorative household items.

8. Stenciling

The stencil cutting tool is ideal for small projects like scrapbooking and making large wall designs, depending on the model you get. If you’ve never used one, they’re similar in set up to home printers. The difference is that instead of printing text, there’s a blade that cuts vinyl, cardstock and fabric into patterns of your choosing.

7. Spinning wheel

Many knitters dream of having their own spinning wheel. Spinning your own yarn is a timeless process that connects you deeper to the craft, but it’s also fun and thrifty if you knit a lot. Nice yarn can get very expensive while purchasing bulk amounts of fiber is wonderfully cheap. But one of the best reasons to spin your own yarn is that it makes you feel more self sufficient and the result of whatever you make is truly one-of-a-kind.

6. Letterpress

Today’s letterpress machines are less cumbersome than Johannes Gutenberg’s 15th Century invention, but they’re based on the same idea. Crafters get a tactile, impressive finish on anything from business cards, artwork, elegant invitations and posters.

5. Fabric Cutter

Quilting is the kind of project you can lose yourself in and wind up with something beautiful every time, but many quilters will agree that cutting those squares is not fun. It’s downright frustrating when you’re engrossed in a particularly ambitious project. Using a fabric cutter is way faster and more accurate. They’re compact so you can bring them wherever the project takes you.

4. Embroidery

Hand embroidering produces beautiful results, but it is a slow craft that many DIYers don’t have time for. Home embroidery machines speed things up a lot so you can make seasonal decorations, embellish plain clothes or make a lovely gift in no time.

3. Silhouette portrait cutter

This is one of those crafty machines for DIYers that you don’t know you need until you try it and see all of the possibilities for future projects. Silhouette portrait cutters are basically electronic cutting machines capable of cutting through vinyl, fabric, paper and many other materials. You create designs or use those included in software that comes with it.

2. Rotary tool kit

Handheld rotary tool kits are made for buffing, drilling and sanding a variety of materials, including glass, wood, rocks and china. Use it to engrave simple words and images, drill a hole through a stone and turn it into a pendant or keychain, or upcycle broken mugs by smoothing sharp edges. Kits include attachments that’ll do the work of any carving blade while keeping your fingers out of harm’s way.

1. Sewing machine

With a sewing machine, the only thing standing between you and homemade clothes and other projects is the will to learn and make mistakes. These crafty machines for DIYers do more than save time and often money; they offer consistency. Once you find one you love, familiarize yourself with its features because many models are far more versatile than you may think.