21 DIY Creative Crafts for Adults on Lockdown

This post will suggest 21 DIY creative crafts adults can do while social distancing.

As everyone says, it is officially day 12 of social distancing/quarantine and day 2 of lockdown here in the UK.

How do I feel, you might ask?

I’m holding up.

I spent most of my career working from home, so I’m not a stranger to it.

But this time, instead of burying myself in work, I’m shaking up my routine with activities, from gardening to reading, blogging and stuffing myself with homemade cupcakes.

The other day, I saw tweets complaining about boredom and not knowing what to do with so much free time.

So, I went searching for creative crafts to do during this period.

Naturally, the search engine only displayed kids’ crafts until I had to tweak the search term to reflect ‘adult activities’.

I figured that many adults like me at home can’t go to work but must distract themselves from the news and social media.

So, I came up with this list.

Pin this first!

Here’s a handy list of 21 DIY creative crafts for adults on lockdown.

While I understand that some of these activities will require supplies, I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble with the police or the government for leaving your home.

I suggest you pick the ones that you can easily do at home.

This means that you can make use of items around your home.

The other suggestion is to get supplies from your local grocery store since we’re only to get essential items.

For instance, I got seeds and compost for my garden from my local Aldi.

So, look through the activities and pick one that you will enjoy.

Then research the supplies you will need to get it down.

Finally, find out if you can get them from your local grocery store.

You can check their website for availability.

Another option is to order supplies from online stores that still deliver.

The postal services in the UK aren’t affected by the lockdown, so you should definitely get your order.

Now let’s get into it!

Watch the YouTube video below to get started.

Collage Art

Like scrapbooking, collage art is also possible during this period, especially if you’re naturally artsy.

Being artistic is actually a huge bonus right now because you can use one skill for different fun projects.

I’ve seen quite a few mind-blowing crafts on TikTok.

If you have a Poundland nearby, you can get art supplies, including plain canvas, there.

Decoupage

This is also another fun DIY creative craft that I discovered.

I never knew decoupage was a thing, much less something you can easily do at home.

So, if you have furniture or items around the house that need refurbishing, you can try decoupaging them.

Again, being artsy comes in handy here. This way, you can experiment with different designs.

Learn how it is done.

Knitting

Another thing I used to do was knit.

I think the last thing I knitted was a muffler in elementary school.

It wasn’t the best, but it turned out okay.

If knitting is a hobby you used to enjoy or you would like to learn from scratch, you have plenty of time to do so right now.

Here’s a helpful video for you as well.

Sewing

Quick story; a few days before I started social distancing, I saw the prettiest sewing machine at the charity shop for an absolute steal.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and I regret not buying it.

Sewing is such a great skill to learn during this period.

In fact, a friend is ordering a sewing machine from Amazon as we speak.

Learning how to make clothes for yourself, your friends, and your family is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Here’s a handy video for beginners

Crocheting

I’ve always been curious about the difference between crocheting and knitting, and I’ve finally learned about it.

According to omgheart.com,

both are really methods of looping yarn together, just in different styles. Knitting uses a pair of long needles to form the loops, moving a set of loops from one needle to another. The stitches are held on the needle or “live”. Crochet uses a single hook to directly hook the loops on the piece.

Meanwhile, someone on Quora says;

while crochet is easier to learn, once you learn knitting, your applications increase. It makes for better sweaters, socks, gloves, hats, etc. On the other hand, crochet makes beautiful afghans, blankets and warm mittens, scarves, and hats and items can be finished a lot faster.

So, make your choice!

Learn how to crotchet towards winter!

Embroidery

This is one of those DIY creative crafts for adults that I see in historical Korean dramas.

It is one of the compulsory skills that one must learn if one comes from a noble family.

To say the least, embroidery is a fascinating craft.

I applaud people who are committed to it.

If you’re interested in embroidery and the supplies are easy to get, go right ahead.

Embroidery is not only a handicraft; it can also be integrated into daily life.

For example, embroidered patches with beautiful patterns can cover clothes stains and tears or add colour to express individuality!

You can customize your embroidered patches freely at GS-JJ.

Custom patches can be designed with patterns and styles by yourself, combining your creativity and fashion, which is also a good DIY craft.

Fuel your curiosity and decide if it is worth your time.

Self-Portrait photography

As an upcoming photographer, I’m pretty pumped to not be able to take my spring pictures.

The weather has been so gorgeous lately that I’ve consoled myself with self-portraits and product photography.

You can do the same.

Take a step further from taking selfies to self-portrait photography, especially if you have a camera.

This way, you’re killing two birds with a stone by creating great content and learning photography.

You can always use your iPhone if you don’t have a camera.

Learn how to get started at home:

Video editing

Do you want to make YouTube videos forever?

Now is the time.

Go on Udemy and grab a video editing course to get started.

You can also start with a YouTube video as well.

Candle Making

Listen! While researching activities, I never knew how easy it was to make candles.

I would have started long ago.

Candle-making will be an addictive hobby because I want to experiment with different essential oils and fragrances.

Spice up your home with a lovely scent with your homemade soy candles.

I suggest you order supplies online.

I doubt you will find any supply store open right now.

Candle-making for beginners:

Jewellery making

To be honest, jewellery making can easily get complex, but we’re not about to go that route.

We just want to make simple, fun jewellery that we can wear when we return home.

We also want to be able to show off our handwork to our colleagues.

You can easily get started with making tassel earrings. (the layered ones are easily my fave!)

Soap making

If you’re tired of using commercial soaps that have harsh chemicals, you can easily make yours.

But before you do, ensure you can access the supplies.

There’s no point in starting a project and leaving it halfway due to a lack of supplies.

Watch how to make soap at home.

Upcycling

This is also another fun DIY creative craft that adults can truly enjoy.

This is because you’re fully involved in the creative process of transforming seemingly mundane things like furniture into masterpieces.

Slightly similar to decoupage, upcycling doesn’t require artistic designs.

A piece of old furniture can be painted monochrome as long as it works for you.

Thankfully, you can also get supplies for upcycling at your local Poundland.

Better still, order online.

Pick one or two projects to get started:

Watercolour painting

Can we agree that artists sometimes have all the fun?

They easily have one of the best skills ever!

Can you believe I contemplated buying a watercoloured craft pad a few weeks ago? Smh!

Anyway, even if you don’t have a talent for art, you can just paint something abstract.

Don’t put yourself under the pressure to create something perfect.

You’re literally just engaging in this activity to distract and de-stress yourself from a pandemic.

So, take it easy!

Watercolour painting for beginners.

Colouring books

Remember what I said about some requiring little to no activities?

If you can’t get adult cookbooks on short notice, take one from your kid brother.

Plus, they also have an endless supply of crayons.

This is the time to share with them.

While this activity will occupy and distract you, you’ll also get to bond with your sinking.

It’s a win-win situation if you ask me.

Interior design

So, I’ve been seeing some pretty gorgeous makeovers on TikTok, and I think it’s a fabulous idea to redecorate your house during this period.

But it would only have made sense if you had planned this earlier and had supplies.

Yes, I’m very interested in having supplies for your project.

Before starting, you need to be sure of what you have at home and what you can get on short notice.

Alternatively, learn how to use Origami for a stunning DIY Home Decor.

Some tips to inspire you!

Calligraphy

Calligraphy is one of those skills that I wish I could learn.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but there’s something so enchanting about being able to write like that.

If you want to learn this period, YouTube’s got you!

Calligraphy for beginners

Jigsaw Puzzles

You can always try jigsaw puzzles if you get bored with board games.

Yes, I intentionally did not include jigsaw puzzles in my list because I know they have almost become a default activity for most people.

So, step away from that and play with some jigsaw puzzles.

You never know how many hours of boredom you can kill by simply being occupied.

Naturally, there’s a video for everything on YouTube. Enjoy!

Pom-Pom making

Pinterest’s arts and crafts section can be very interesting because you’ll find some projects you never even thought of.

Yes, making pom-poms is a thing because you can include them in other designs. E.g. bookmarks.

If you’re gonna make some Pom-poms, find out what else you can easily make from it.

Here’s a useful tutorial!

Bath bombs

Bath bombs used to be trendy a few years ago.

But you never know if it will make a comeback before the end of this period.

You can have fun making them with or without your kids.

If you make excess, you can save them to give as gifts when we have a semblance of normalcy.

Learn how to make bath bombs.

Mosaic Art

According to Askdifference.com,

the main difference between Mosaic and Collage is that the Mosaic is an image made from an assemblage of small pieces of coloured glass, stone, or other materials. Collage is a technique of art production using an assemblage of different forms.

I included collage and mosaic art in my list because I know they can be used interchangeably, even though they are different.

So, pick one or both based on the supplies you have in the ground.

Don’t forget to keep your work and frame it when you can.

It makes for a good keepsake.

Make mosaic art easily.

Phew! What a list!

I enjoyed putting it together, and I hope you do too.

For those of us working from home, you might burn out soon.

So, spice up your routine with any of these activities.

For those of us stuck at home and unable to go to work, make sure, there’s a balance in your routine between activities that bring you money (e.g., applying for a job or working on your side hustle) and activities that de-stress you (anyone above).

I hope you enjoy my list of 21 DIY creative crafts adults can engage in while social distancing and quarantining.