Craft Blog|all things crafty & creative

Often when people think of crafts, they think of things like crochet, scrapbooking, or jewelry making.  These crafts are usually more associated with girls and women, but boys can be crafty, too.  Just ask them, and they’ll let you know that they enjoy creating with their hands as well.

There isn’t anything saying that a boy can’t enjoy any of the crafts mentioned above, but they are thought to be a little more feminine.  Boys typically need some crafts that allow them to be creative, in a masculine kind of way.  The following crafts might be what they’re looking for.

Woodworking – You can’t deny it, woodworking seems to be more of a manly craft than something a girl would like.  That doesn’t mean a girl couldn’t enjoy woodworking, just that it’s not a feminine craft.  In fact, you would probably see anyone enjoying this craft with dirty hands, sawdust all over them, and possibly a little sweaty.  Those just aren’t things most girls enjoy.  A boy, on the other hand, would think it was great!

There are a number of different areas of woodworking that a boy can try.  The simplest is whittling; the most complicated is to make a designer piece of furniture, a musical instrument, or a boat.  All of these are considered woodworking, although they’re also called something else.

Whittling is taking a piece of wood, often a stick, or driftwood that is found, and removing small pieces of wood to create an animal.  Balsa wood is a good wood for beginner whittlers because it is easy to manipulate.  The denser the wood, the harder it will be to remove what shouldn’t be there.  Make sure to keep your whittling knife, or any other item used for carving, sharp.  This will make your job much easier.

The more complicated aspects of woodworking include using electric power tools to cut, sand, and shape pieces of wood.  Often detailed plans are needed for this type of project and you have to be much more careful with what you’re doing.  If you make something simple like a bird feeder, being exact isn’t that critical.  It would be extremely important to be precise when you’re making fine furniture out of expensive woods.

Besides woodworking, boys sometimes do enjoy crafts that are considered to be more feminine.  Many professional football players enjoy crocheting or knitting as a way to relax.  Some even create items that can either be auctioned off or given away to help others.  Let’s see anyone call them a sissy for enjoying these crafts!

Blacksmithing is definitely a manly craft.  It’s another one of those dirty, stinky crafts that most girls don’t like.  It takes a great deal of strength to be a blacksmith.  Let’s face it; girls just don’t have the muscles.  Blacksmithing and wrought iron work also takes a lot of skill.  Manipulating hot metal isn’t a task for the faint of heart, or the weak of muscle.

Crafts that boys would enjoy will most likely be more physically demanding than what a girl would choose.  There are also boys and men that enjoy the more feminine crafts, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  Whatever they choose, it’s important to remember that boys can be crafty, too.

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