2026 Craft Predictions

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

This week I saw a tik tok (read an article) recapping the craft trends of the past year. And I agreed with the creator’s observations, after 2025, many of us have shocking amount of tin rolls laid to rest in our craft supplies graveyard. And it makes sense - tin embossing, quilting, and paper chains all sound like recession indicators to me.

I thought I’d look ahead, because even as we continue to mourn Joanne, I do believe we have great year of crafting ahead of us. So, if you want to be ahead of the curve, here are my crafting trend predictions for 2026:

Since I’ve already mentioned tin embossing, I’ll continue to sing its praises for a moment more. I’ve never met such an easy, lowkey, but artful project. I love this style’s Mexican roots, inspired by hojalata which traditionally uses the common material of tin to adorn every day items. And I am relieved to report it’s the most inexpensive craft I dove head first into all year!

Now that this project has made it’s way rapidly through the ranks, here are some of my favorite tips + projects I’ve seen:

Image sources: Custom tin name cards, the stunning work of George Greaves, a punched tin tissue box available on Etsy, and endless shape inspiration from Catherine Sieck

I was determined to try tin embossing after seeing Natalie create this scroll-stopping zodiac series. The idea of framing tin shapes, especially in playful painted frames with colorful backdrops, hooked me right away.

To make this easy craft even easier, The House That Lars Built introduced the idea of using a printed template to trace your design in this blog post.

Christmas ornaments were really the perfect project for this technique. But now that we are past the holidays, what will scratch the embossing itch? I nominate: Matchbox covers.

And lucky for us, the crafting queen Katie Jane has already posted the perfect tutorial:

Have you tried tin embossing yourself yet? If not, all you need to start is a roll of 36 gauge foil and a set of ball styluses. Yes, it is that cheap and easy.

Recently in this post about a quilted Christmas, I announced 2026 as the year of the quilted wall hanging. Specially framed quilts.

Quilting has not only been popular as a project recently, but I have seen quilt block motifs popping up in every direction. (They even inspired the name of this Substack - Block Party!)

As quilting becomes more and more popular among our age group, it’s going to start filling our walls. Framing and matting already blew up in 2025, so framing our patchwork projects is a natural progression.

But there is another obvious next step I am expecting most - a rise in the popularity of whole cloth quilting. If quilting intimidates you, bores you, or is bleeding your wallet dry - whole cloth quilting may be the answer.

This technique involves a single panel of fabric with a design of your choice printed on top. You then machine quilt by hand over the lines of the design, through the top panel, batting and backing fabric to create a non-patchwork quilt! Instead of piecing fabric scraps together, your skill is spent on more impressive quilting patterns.

My favorite follow for this art form is Lindsey Faith. This talented textile artist drops beautiful holiday designs and I love her subtle quirky twists on a traditional feel. But the best part? Lindsey offers her whole cloth panels in her online shop!

Source: Lindsey Faith Textile Studios

My close friend Hayley gifted a handmade play mat to her nieces as her first whole cloth project. And I saw this amazing creator, who sewed ALL of her Christmas gifts this year, with her stack of self-designed patterns!

That is what is cool about these kind of quilts - you can purchase whole cloth designs or have your own custom ideas printed onto fabric! In fact, this has me thinking I should make a whole cloth quilt version of my viral star quilted tote bag…

In the same thread (pun absolutely intended), I see no limits to the textiles we will hang on our walls in 2026. From previously discussed patchwork hangings, to embroidered art, to framing fabric swatches instead of prints.

Actually, that last one is one of my favorite hacks. Sometimes if I fall in love with a fabric that turns out to be vintage or designer or /per yard, I’ll just order a sample. For a few bucks, I have at least a bit of that textile perfection to frame (with an abundant mat in a delicious color, as I mentioned previously) or to complete a small patchwork project.

Sources: Folkling is my favorite source for vintage textile wall hangings

You can’t beat the texture of actual textiles, but I have been eyeing these textile prints on Etsy for a while. This shop is full of $4 digital art downloads that look like framed fabric!

The age of artisan junk journals was already ushered in swiftly by Louise Carmen, and we couldn’t be more grateful. As someone who had quite the angsty poetry phase in high school, I have been so inspired by the trending of messy analog documentation. Especially since I haven’t actually journaled consistently in any form in about that long.

I’ve always been a sucker for a pretty notebook, of course. But the fear of messing up a single page has kept my collection dreadfully empty since I was a kid. The casual but beautiful nature of junk journaling has piqued my interest.

And not just mine, clearly! My feed is filled with the most interesting ideas for customizing your leather journal fully. My favorites include studs and these insane stitched designs by Brook Pizio.

I have already purchased leather, hole punches, thread, and beads to create my own custom journal this year. And I want to learn more about bookbinding to create my dream insert too!

And to go a step further, in 2026 will these devastatingly beautiful diaries be paired with some The Artist’s Way morning pages perhaps?

As many turn to “bricking” themselves out of social media - or even hanging their iPhone on the wall, landline style - we will continue to turn to enrichment over entertainment. Snail Mail subscriptions offer human connection, art, and a little monthly surprise - usually for less than $10.

I would love to gather a bigger list of snail mail subscriptions from creators I love - let know if you this is something you’re interested in! For now, here are a few I am either eyeing or already enrolled in.

Sources: Snail mail subscriptions by Pocket Art, Miss Bird Boy, The Lichen Collective, and Brittany V Wilder

Personally, I love how this newly popular format allows me to support creators I love. I have been prioritizing supporting small businesses and artists with my actual $$ (not just my word of mouth) more than ever recently, and subscriptions are the easiest way to do that!

I am really interested in this similar Substack format myself right now. Here I’ll be posting curated crafting ideas like these, and for paid subscribers, monthly fabric collections + my personal projects and how you can recreate them! I’d love to tell my 15yo self I am basically blogging in 2026.

UK-based crafter Paula Aver took the yarn community by storm with her crochet scoodie pattern (scarf-hoodies!) She inspired me to make a quilted scoodie myself, and Paula just released a knitted version of her viral pattern too!

We’ve seen the Scoodie, we’ve seen the Sophie Scarf, I predict that next in the line-up of small approachable knitting projects is: mittens!

Maybe they are quilted, maybe they are felted, or maybe they are crocheted. Bonus points if they are fair isle. But they are all practical and all cozy.

Sources: Knit Trout Mittens by Ida, Botany Mittens Pattern, Holviks Rose Mittens Pattern, Thora Mitten Pattern, Alma Mittens Pattern, Amelia Mittens Pattern

When I moved from Utah to Montana last February, one of the things I was saddest to leave was sewing club! My friend Chloe, an amazing clothing seamstress, hosts a small group. We would gather in her grandma’s backyard greenhouse shed, gab, and pull out our WIPs! It was as dreamy as it sounds, and I was lucky to have it while I lived there.

Now that there is a sewing-club-shaped hole left in my life, I’ve been getting up the nerve to join or even start something similar where I live now! And 2026 is the year.

I have seen some important discussions recently about creating the village we crave by being that village first. Crafting with a group of new friends is an amazing way to expand the borders of your village.

I can go on, and if you want me to - subscribe below 🫶 Not only will you immediately get to see the rest of my 2026 craft predictions, but you’ll be joining a virtual sewing club to show off your projects to! Plus you’ll get full access to my posts, including monthly curated fabric palettes.