Do you remember that game you played as a child? You know the one where you had to choose what to bring with you if you were stuck on a deserted island. Oh man, that game was so HARD for me! Mostly because I wouldn’t want to be without anything that I love! Recently, I started thinking about this game in terms of craft supplies. So, I thought what craft supplies could I absolutely NOT live without. Of course my first thought was ALL of them! Then as I pondered this question longer I narrowed my list to the top 15 craft supplies. Are you curious what supplies made my list? Then…..read on!

This post contains affiliate links. That’s just a fancy way of saying if you click on a link and purchase something I get a little money (total score for me). For more information, see my disclosure here.

1. Adjustable Craft Table

Unfortunately for me, I don’t have a dedicated space to do my crafting. This is where an adjustable craft table comes in handy! I bought a small Lifetime foldable table when I was a teenager and that thing has paid for itself! I use this table when I sew, use polymer clay, scrapbook, and even to take pictures on. The table is super useful because the one I own is small enough to store but big enough to give you a good work surface. I even made a cover out of ironing board material for this little table so I could iron on it! Even if you have a crafting area a foldable table is a HUGE help when crafting.

2. Good Sewing Scissors

This is a must for me! If you have ever tried to use dull scissors for sewing then you understand why! Sharp, sturdy, sewing scissors make anything you do easier. When I was younger I would use cheap sewing scissors but they always dulled really quick. Then one Christmas I got a very generous gift card to Joann Fabric. That’s when I bought a pair of Gingher scissors that are amazing. Now, after several years of owning them they are still as sharp as ever making every sewing project a breeze!

3. Rotary Cutter

So, my first introduction to a rotary cutter was several years ago when I worked at a screen print shirt shop. It was my job to cut vinyl to add numbers to the back of jerseys. During one such job I managed to cut myself really bad with the rotary cutter. Luckily, I didn’t need stitches but that accident horribly scarred me from using a rotary. That was until I started making the quilted star Christmas ornament. Do you know how hard it is to cut that many squares with scissors? That was the moment I broke down and bought me a Fiskars rotary cutter. Now, I use my rotary cutter for almost ALL of my fabric cutting and I absolutely love it. Don’t get me wrong I still have a healthy fear of the rotary and make super sure that it’s closed any time I’m not using it.

4. Self-Healing Cutting Mat

This one goes hand in hand with the rotary cutter. When I first starting using a rotary I had a cheap mat that I used. By the time I had finished cutting all of the squares of the quilted star Christmas ornaments the mat had horrible groves in it. Since the mat wasn’t self-healing  every time I cut the fabric the mat was also cut. After a while those marks started making my rotary blade go a different way then I wanted it to. So, for my birthday one year my sister bought me an amazing Olfa self-healing cutting mat. Since the mat is self-healing I never have to worry about creating grooves in the mat when I cut my fabric! I can’t even begin to tell you what a difference it made in my cutting.

5. Non Slip Quilter’s Ruler

Ok, so you have a great rotary blade and amazing self-healing mat but…..what about a ruler. Well, since I have a healthy fear for the rotary cutter I wanted a ruler that would make it really difficult for me to cut myself…again. So, I have an OmniEdge non slip quilter’s ruler. The super cool thing about this ruler is that the end of the ruler actually slips over the end of your mat to make sure that it doesn’t move during cutting. As soon as I started using this amazing ruler my cutting got so much cleaner. Not to mention that it’s thick enough that I feel like my fingers are safe from accidental cutting! Trust me if you are using a thin, cheap ruler the OmniEdge ruler is a GAME changer.

6. Book Light

I know what you’re thinking……a book light? That’s right a small clip on book light is perfect to shed some light (pun intended) on small projects such as cross stitching. The book light I bought easily clips onto my cross stitch frame to help me see my cross stitch project. So, now I have way less mistakes on my cross stitch projects since I can see them (yea!). The book light  will also clip to my sewing machine if I need to sew in a room that doesn’t have very good lighting. Check out my review of the Mighty Bright book light that I bought and love!

7. Disappearing Ink Pen

For years I never had a clue this existed. When I finally discovered this pen it opened up a whole new world. In the past I would use ink pens or even Sharpies to mark my fabric or felt. However, when I got this pen those became a thing of the past! The disappearing ink pen is just that, disappearing! So, now you can safely mark your fabric and never have to worry about your marks accidentally showing after you have sewn your project (so embarrassing).

---

---

8. Iron

Technically this isn’t a craft supply but I use it as one. Having a good iron that has a steam feature is a huge help when creating fabulous projects. I have used just a plain Jane iron to smooth out paper, block crochet projects, and of course for sewing. My iron is probably the most used craft supply that I use or at least ties for first place with my glue gun! Over the course of my crafting journey I have went through several irons, luckily for me I usually get them on Black Friday when they are heavily discounted!

9. Glue Gun

I can’t begin to tell you all of the ways you can and should use a glue gun. My little low melt glue gun has been used for thousands of projects and keeps on going! The best part is that glue sticks are inexpensive and come in bulk! I seriously use my glue gun on at least 80% of my craft projects. A glue gun was absolutely essential when I made the glass bead Christmas ornaments a few years back. If you don’t own a glue gun this is one of the first craft supplies you should buy!

10. Small Scissors

A small pair of scissors can be invaluable for so many projects. I have several pairs of very sharp small scissors. One pair of small Gingher scissors I only use to cut my thread when I sew. Then I have another pair that is only used for paper projects. The trick to picking out small scissors is to make sure that they have small tips. This way you can get super close to your project! When I was cutting out snowman Christmas tags I had the hardest time getting a super sharp looking edge to his hat when I was using full size scissors. Then I used a pair of small scissors that had small tips and they did the trick! The snowman’s hat came out super cute and my cuts looked amazing.

11. Seam Ripper

As much as I hate to admit this, I’m close and personal friends with my seam ripper! No matter how well you sew I can guarantee there will come a time when you will need a seam ripper. I can’t even begin to imagine how many times I have had to tear stitches out (shakes head). That’s why I could NEVER live without my seam ripper. The secret to a great seam ripper is that it’s super sharp. This is so important because a dull seam ripper takes longer to get the stitches out and could hurt your fabric.

12. Susan Bates Crochet Hooks

If you don’t crochet then you probably won’t care about this one. However, if you have an inkling to learn to crochet or already crochet let me tell you, I LOVE my Susan Bates crochet hooks. These hooks are my absolute favorite crochet hooks any time I crochet anything. They are light weight and inexpensive. These hooks have helped me crochet so many things from a table doily to beanies for my sister!

13. Roll On Tape

When I first started making cards and gift tags I would just use the plain old double sided tape. However, that all changed one Christmas when my sister bought me Elmer’s CraftBond Tape Runner. This amazing tape just rolls on and easily goes into hard to reach areas. I have used the heck out of the Elmer’s tape! Seriously, I use this tape on every type of paper project and is handy to keep in my craft supplies. Also, you can buy refills for the original container to help save money!

14. X-Acto Knife

How many times have you needed to cut something that was too tiny for scissors? I can easily answer that question for you….too many! That is where the X-Acto knife comes in! Any time that I need to slice through something that is too small for the rotay cutter I use my tiny knife. The X-Acto knife is one of the handiest tools that you can have in your craft supplies kit because it’s so versatile. And they are pretty inexpensive especially if you use a coupon at your local craft store.

15. Sewing Machine

I have been sewing since I was 4. However, I haven’t been using a machine since I was that young! When I bought my first machine as a teenager I went absolutely crazy! The first year that I had it I made a full size quilt with matching pillow for my mom. Since then I have been through a few sewing machines (so sad when they die). A sewing machine makes life SO much easier! Especially if you like to make homemade gifts such as the zippered coin purse and feminine pad pouch. I have used my Husqvarna Viking sewing machine to make aprons, costumes, face masks, quilts, and dog blankets just to name a few! Honestly, I think I would be completely lost if I didn’t have a sewing machine that I could use when inspiration hits!

So there you have it! Those are my 15 top craft supplies that I couldn’t live without. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have several dozen (or more) supplies that I absolutely love! The crafting supplies listed here are the ones that I use almost every time I craft and would break my heart if I could no longer use them on my crafting journey. A little dramatic? Well, maybe but when it comes to crafting I’m super passionate! So, what are your top crafting supplies?

---

---

Pin Me!

Want To Up Your Sewing Skills?

Love The Craft Tutorials On The Blog?