A craft is any skill pertaining to a particular trade and art. The word craft was formerly exclusive to any practical art such as basket weaving, woodworks, metal works and such. Over the decades a more “artsy” form of craft merged with the “practical” as the realm of home economics’ needle works and resulted into what is known today as arts and crafts. The terminology is differentiated from the Arts and Crafts movement at the turn of the 20th century.

There are four basic categories of crafts applicable today: decorative, textile, fashion and paper craft. Decorative craft deals more with the practical arts that are directly connected with home decorations and interior designing. This category includes furniture work, metal work, faux painting, glass staining, basket weaving, dried flowers making the likes. Working with ceramics also falls in this category.

Textile craft is high on the list of homemakers today as the crafts are easy to make and are highly “usable”. This type of craft includes any creation where you use fabric or yarn and thread. Some examples are knitting, cross stitching, crocheting, quilting, weaving, dyeing and more. These craft can also fall into fashion or decorative craft as they could be worn and could be put on display.

Paper crafting is all about using paper in the art work. There is origami, paper mache, recycling paper and kid’s art work such as potato stamping or hand printing. Block printing and stencilling are under paper crafting too.
Fashion craft include all craftwork that could be worn by a person. This category includes hats, jewellery, shoes, belts, bags and other items of clothing. The category crosses with decorative and textile.

Crafting is a very popular hobby. In recent years, there has been a surge in textile crafting activity as craft shops started giving free lessons on the various ways of knitting, crocheting and cross stitching. Browse online and you will be amazed by the different types and kinds of threads and yarns being sold today. Even a person who does not know how to knit will be inspired to learn just so she/he could knit a simple bonnet or muffler scarf.

There are websites that could teach you the basics in drying flowers and making potpourri out of them. Tie-dyeing a shirt is easy and inexpensive. Learning how to faux paint a wall is so easy as long as you have the right materials and tools.

In decades past, a certified crafter had to source for his/her equipment and tools from hard-to-find specialty shops. Today, you can source for those little acrylic paints you need for tinting ceramics, or that gold speckled thread for your cross stitch, or that pre-cut balsa wood for your woodcraft, at most online craft shops. You can download a cross stitch pattern for free and then order the threads and bird’s eye cloth from an online craft shop. The rise in the number of crafters is mostly due to the availability of supplies and materials.

Author Bio: There are several types of crafts that are gaining popularity with hobbyist. These crafts are easy and inexpensive to do and definitely worthwhile. Find the best deals in craft shops in your area.

Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: art, art shops