My Crafting Arsenal: Gadgets and Apps

As a bona-fide crafting loon since the age of five, I can tell you that I have gathered quite the crafting tools arsenal (four giant crates worth to be exact). I love crafting. LOVE. I was genetically molded to love the DIY and handcrafted world as the granddaughter to two exceptional artisans: my grandfather made his living building accordions and my grandmother is the most incredible knitter and crocheter I’ve ever known. Needless to say, crafting runs deep in my veins.

And as with any passion of mine, I must become fully consumed and collect all of the products necessary to become a master. So today I’ve decided to share with you the tools and products that make up my arsenal.

Do you have a handy tool that helps you in all of your crafting? Please share in the comments.

Happy crafting!

1. X-Acto knife, $5.39
2. Cricut, $179.99
3. cutting mat set , $53.99
4. crafting station, $63.88
5. laser measuring tape, $33.68
6. Brother sewing machine, $399.99

1. Cameo silhouette cutting tool, $262.21
2. laser guided scissors, $15.99
3. scrapbooking craft tool kit, $23.73
4. wood carving stylus, $69.97
5. paper trimmer, $14.11
6. mini glue gun, $10.99

In addition to the amazing gadgets that exist in the crafting world, there are also a lot of fabulous apps that help assist with your hobbies. Here are just a few of my favorites:

Crochet Handy, $.99
This beautiful app from Interweave helps you to determine the quanity and quality of yarn that is best used for your crocheting project. It also offers some quick tips for the novice crocheter.

Michaels Stores, Free
No matter where I am, I always have to know where the nearest Michael’s craft store is located. (It’s like a security blanket.) This apps helps me locate and get to directions to any nearby store, and also offers some amazing coupon offers.

Martha Stewart CraftStudio, $4.99 (for iPad)
The “Queen of Craft” offers this great greeting card creator, chuck full of adorable holiday layouts. It makes creating your holiday cards simple and easy, right from your iPad. And you can choose to print or send them off electronically…so simple!

BlockFab, Free
As a novice quilter, I am always on the lookout for tools that can help me master the blocking technique. This nifty app helps you identify the design you want and the amount of fabric necessary to complete it. Bingo!

Stephanie Todaro

Stephanie Todaro has joined the Design*Sponge team to work on special projects and oversee our weekly Biz Ladies and City Guides columns. Although born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles, Stephanie has been lucky enough to live all over the US, including DC and New York, and continues to travel the world with hopes to one day settle down somewhere in Europe. She earned her master's degree in journalism from New York University in 2008 and now lives in LA where she works as the Director of Development for several celebrity websites and blogs about her adorable pup, Mr. Harvey. She has a slight (actually, major) obsession with all things stationery-related and likes to collect garden gnomes. To see more of Stephanie's work, check out her blog HouseofHarvey.com.

patricia virginia

my favorite tool is a 6″bodkin with a 1/4″opening.Works fantastic for inserting elastic through long casing. I insert the elastic in the opening and fold it over about a half inch and stitch through the other side. Then I push and pull till the end. No more safety pin technique. Try this you’ll like it.
kb.

It would have been nice to hear how you’ve used the tools, the way you’ve explained why you like the apps. I’m not sure I could justify buying some of the more pricey gadgets, so it would have helped to have an example of their best/most successful application.
Ticia

I LOVE my Silhouette Cameo! Best purchase ever!!!

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