7 Trending Crafts to Sink Your Hands Into in 2022

Before I joined the ClassBento team I had no idea what a terrarium was, let alone the incredible effect that can come from upending a cup filled with paint onto a canvas – all hail the joys of paint pouring (shoutout to Chelsey Foskett for showing me how it’s done). 

Three years on and a ton of workshops later, I can proudly say that my brain is a craft glossary. As Head of Editorial, every day the team and I are inspired by traditional crafts and techniques that have evolved over the centuries. What’s even cooler, is the way these are brought to life through workshops and shared with passionate makers and curious newbies – many of whom haven’t picked up a paintbrush since primary school. 

And whether it’s the result of being cooped up in our houses for months on end or the power of platforms like TikTok pushing trending craft videos out to millions of eyes across the globe, niche crafts are finally having their much-deserved moment in the spotlight. 

From glass and flame to looping and arranging, here’s our pick of the up and coming crafts you need to sink your hands into in 2022. 

 

Glassblowing

For anyone who wants to wield fire and flame like Gandalf (or just make really cute homewares). Glassblowing has been on our radar since the amazing Mark Eliott listed his beginner's workshop back in 2019, and it seems the rest of Australia has finally caught on. 

The first sign that glassblowing had claimed the hearts of crafters across the nation were the hundreds of five-star reviews and booked out dates months in advance. Next came the candy-hued vases with funky imperfections and beautiful curves brightening our social feeds. Our suspicions were finally confirmed when The Block hosted a couples glassblowing challenge last October, and visits to our website went through the roof. Sayonara Kmart tumblers, DIY glassware is officially hot. 

Why you’ll love it

You wouldn’t expect it, but manipulating molten glass is kind of like playing with sticky toffee. Leave it out of the flame for too long and it will shatter into a million pieces, keep it too hot and it will continuously melt and fold over itself. The whole process is completely mesmerising, not to mention the fact that even the wonkiest, misshapen objects end up looking cool. I can confirm that glassblowing definitely lives up to the hype. 

 

Tufting

When local creative institution Work-Shop lists a new class, you know it’s about to be big. Introducing tufting, the faster and edgier alternative to punch needle. “Why?”, you ask… Well, punch needle’s younger, much cooler sister involves a handheld machine known as a tufting gun that has the hypnotic effect of painting with thread. Did we mention they come in pink?

A year ago we didn’t even know what tufting was, but in the short three months we’ve started offering classes, it’s cemented itself as one of our most viewed workshops. And it’s not hard to see why. If you’re still in doubt, check out #tufting for a smorgasbord of inspiration and gorgeously patterned fluffy rugs, wall hangings and bordered mirrors.
 

Why you’ll love it

Sometimes tufting speaks louder than words, see for yourself.

 

Stained glass art

If you’ve ever marvelled at the beauty of stained glass windows in old cathedrals, it’s easy to see why this breathtaking craft is making a comeback. What started as an interior design trend in 2021 has made its way onto the Pinterest boards of passionate DIYers across the country. And lucky for you, we’ve got some classes for that!

Stained glass painting (our most Pinned photo ever) has been steadily climbing our list of “most-viewed classes” and is the much simpler rendition of this traditional technique. Remember the joys of stencilling as a kid? Well, this is kind of the same – you simply switch the paper for glass and use special paints to bring your designs to life. 

For the stained glass die-hards, you’ll want to sign up for this leadlight course where you’ll learn how to cut glass, lead and solder to create a totally customised glass panel. 

Why you’ll love it

Can you think of anything more relaxing than watching the sunlight stream through your very own coloured glass window as you drink your morning cuppa? 

 

Terrazzo 

Pronounced “teh - ra - zow” and apparently what everyone was Googling in September last year. Since then, we’ve had an influx of crafty makers come to us with terrazzo homewares classes and we personally can’t get enough of this eco-friendly technique.

Katie Jeanes, our Head of Marketing, was waiting in eager anticipation for ClassBento’s first-ever terrazzo craft kit to arrive in the post the last lockdown, and she wasn’t disappointed when it did. The very next Monday she was showing off her handmade terrazzo coasters over Zoom – and boy did they look chic!

Why you’ll love it

These playful speckly designs are created through a cathartic process of hammering, curing and sanding. And, depending on your levels of home-reno enthusiasm, you can even DIY a statement terrazzo coffee table with not much more than some recycled ceramic tiles and concrete. 

 

Crochet

With January page views of our classes trending up and the TikTok hashtag #crochet sitting at almost six billion views, it’s safe to say that this age-old craft is having a moment. For those not well acquainted with the finer details of fibre arts, crochet is kind of like knitting but different. 

Throw out that image you’ve got of your Nan in a reclining armchair, click-clacking her two needles as she loops your beloved Christmas jumper. With crochet, all you need is a single hook and a ball of your favourite coloured yarn or thread. We promise that after mastering some simple interlocking stitches you’ll be well on your way to creating your very own crochet accessories to flaunt or gift to a special person.  

Why you’ll love it

It’s the perfect antidote to post-lockdown social anxiety because you can literally do it anywhere! I went to a birthday picnic last week and a friend was sitting off to the side trying to finish a crochet hat  – truly all you need is a quiet patch of grass and a YouTube tutorial to have a good time. 

 

Dried flower arranging (the eco-friendly kind) 

Touted as the sustainable alternative to freshly cut flowers, searches for dried flowers peaked on ClassBento (and Google search) in September last year, and we don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon. 

A few important things to remember before being completely overcome by the magnificence of a vibrant bunch of yellow #billyballs: anything rainbow coloured has probably been synthetically dyed and chemically preserved which isn’t great for the planet. Like everything on the Internet, beware of unfounded claims of sustainability. 

Many local florists will naturally dry flowers like natives by hanging them upside down in a dark room. Our Editorial Manager Laine even experimented with her own dried lavender a few weeks ago. Sorry, Harry, we need your cupboard under the stairs for a while. 

Why you’ll love it

You don’t have to get up at 4am to get your pick of the bunch! While dried flowers sometimes have a higher upfront price tag, they hold their shape and natural fragrance for months so they’re a more affordable alternative if you love using florals to brighten your home. And if you go the naturally dried route, you’re helping the environment too! Keep your arrangements at room temperature for best results. 

 

Polymer clay everything

Remember those bright rainbow rolls of clay you used to squish when you were in kindy? That was polymer clay – and it’s back in a big way! We first became enamoured with the stuff when local Sydney artist, Blair Zhang, launched a miniature succulent making class back in March 2020 (yes, the month our lives changed forever). Honestly though, can you believe these succulents aren’t real? 

Ever since there have been so many crafty makers experimenting with this malleable material that we’ve had to give polymer clay its own category on the website (here). Beware the #polymerclayminiature hashtag, if you’re not careful you’ll lose an entire afternoon awwing at tiny bowls of ramen and mini desserts. 

Why you’ll love it

It doesn’t matter whether you’re in need of a new pair of statement earrings, a handmade vase for your dried flower arrangement (*read up*), or a cute mini planter for your air plants. A pack of polymer clay can provide all of the above and much more for an RRP of $15 or less depending on where you shop. What you do next is up to your imagination!