Make A Thing: Back To School Craft Round-Up

Welcome to the gazillionth installment of Make A Thing,  where we make handmade gifts for people. Or ourselves. Or our cats. Mostly our cats.

Header by Rory Midhani

Hello, thing-makers! It’s been a long time and I’ve missed your faces.

Guess what? I’m going back to school in two weeks! I am a lifetime student. I am basically the Buster Bluth of my family. Realizing that I only have two weeks of freedom left has gotten me in the mood for classic “back to school” crafts, and also things that will make my life easier once I’m busy with classes. Here’s what I’ve found on the interwebs that would be great for the transition back to school.

Back to School Craft Tutorial Round-Up

backtoschoolcollage

1. This is so silly, but so cute. This little apple pencil holder would be a cute gift for the teacher in your life, as well. {Tutorial via Smart School House}

2.  I love this little calendar chalkboard. {Tutorial via LollyJane}

3.  You need to make these push pins so you can use them with your cloud corkboards and have the best office of all time. {Tutorial via House of Earnest}

4. This is for a binder tutorial, but if it still works even if you’re a notebook kind of person like me. {Tutorial via Minted Strawberry}

5. I see you, science people. I see you. {Tutorial via WhimseyBox}

6. These arrow magnets would be perfect for holding your aced quiz on the fridge for all to admire your genius ways. {Tutorial via Lines Across}

7. This painted rug would really tie your dorm room together, of that I am positive. {Tutorial via Shoes Off Please}

8. If you can pack your lunch, you will save a million dollars and also not be tempted to eat granola and yogurt and french fries for every meal like I did for three years in college. I do not recommend that. {Tutorial via Poppy Haus}

9. I heard you needed a new laptop sleeve. I think this is the perfect one and you should make it. {Tutorial via Just Crafty Enough}

I’m also thinking I need to make my bike lock prettier, probably with washi tape. What things are you guys making/have already made for the new school year?

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Hansen

Hansen is the former DIY & Food Editor of Autostraddle.com and likes to spend most days making and cooking and writing. She teaches creative writing at Colorado State University and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in her free time.

Hansen has written 189 articles for us.

15 Comments

  1. 8 and 9 look like they require a whole lot of sewing skills… If only I had been whacked a little harder with the crafty stick and less of the bookworm stick

    • It’s not hard to learn how to sew! There’s a ton of video tutorials (and books!) if you’re keen on learning. You can do it!

  2. Yay, this is making me excited to start uni again. Thanks :) And that rug is amazing, I might do that for every room in my house.

  3. I do need a new laptop sleeve, problem is… I CAN’T SEW.

    I’m loving looking at all of these though, I might try making the cloud corkboard.

  5. A chemistry thing on Autostraddle! – not going to lie, I squee’d a little.
    I don’t even do crafty things but I think I might have to make a special exception for those glasses.

    • I am both crafty and sciencey so that chemistry glasses project is really relevant to my interests.

    • I had no idea what glasses you were talking about until I looked back up and realized that there weren’t any grey shoes up there. Seriously, I was sure those were the toes of chemistry shoes. Sigh.

      Also, chemistry shoes should be a thing, too.

  6. It’s a good thing I finished school a long time ago. I’d never go back even if they paid me.The craft round-up is nice though.

  7. Aaaw the apple pencil holder! Although I don’t think I’ve seen glass apple juice bottles in that shape in a long time. The bottles are mostly plastic :/

  8. In my classes, I use popsicle sticks with students’ names on them for cold calling–I’ll ask a question then whoever’s name I draw has to answer, so everyone has to be on their toes. I just made a cup for the new sticks out of last year’s, which was totally a good use of my time and not procrastination from all the planning I have to do. >.>

  9. omg these are so abnosome. I’m not even a teacher but I would totally use the calendar chalkboard.

  10. Thanks for including the rug in your roundup! I haven’t been in a dorm in a while, but this would be a really adorable one!

  11. My mom has promised to buy me a sewing machine for no fewer than three birthdays and/or Christmases since my first one broke in elementary school, and yet here I sit, unable to make the laptop sleep I so desperately need.

  12. I made myself a laptop sleeve not long ago. It’s not as perfect as that one but I like it. I hand-sewed a Powell’s Books patch on the front because I didn’t know what else to put it on. I have this thing with stickers/patches, I have to know I want the sticker and object it’s on for many years before I put it on.

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