Chappell Roan’s Rolling Stones October cover story opens with, “Wanna bedazzle my grinder?” Anna Wintour’s Vogue recently dedicated 700+ words to the power of junk journaling. The crafting tag on TikTok has over 900 million posts. What started as a hobby for introverts has now expanded into a social activity for cool kids with vibey craft nights aesthetically pleasing enough for Instagram. So, why is crafting so big in the year of our lord 2024?
Before you come for me in the comments, I’m well aware that the art of crafting is nothing new. From kindergartners covered in glitter to midwestern moms’ scrapbooks, crafts have always reigned supreme. But somewhere along the way, the DIY aesthetic became something to covet. And regardless of if you find TikTok trends passé (yes, cool girls speak French), crafting is inherently sentimental which saves it from being another viral moment to roll our eyes at — like run clubs (PLEASE STOP).
Instead, crafting feels like the ultimate throwback to ~girlhood.~ And while we all know the summer of 2023 was the peak of “girlhood” as a trend, there are still remnants left over that aren’t Barbie-themed. This year gave us coquette bows and bag charms. It also saw the rise of tradwives (with its associated political ramifications aside). And if you had a brat summer, you can thank the pop girlies who dominated the Grammy nominations this year. Being “just a girl” isn’t going away anytime soon, so it makes sense why our habits and interests would reflect this feminine spirit.
Let’s investigate the internet’s latest hyperfixation with DIYing our lives, the rise of the Pinterest girlie, and the mark she’s leaving online as well as IRL.
Who Is A Pinterest Girlie?
@martina_calvi_ The most wholesome time!! Everyone brought such lovely energy and was so open to meeting new crafty friends, can’t wait to do it all again in Brisbane, Melbourne and NYC later in the year. #craftygirlies #craftygirl #scrapbookingnight ♬ BIRDS OF A FEATHER sped up – Lilly 🎃
A Pinterest Girlie is heavily aesthetically minded but thrifty. She knows that burgundy boots are in this fall, but she’ll be damned before she buys them firsthand. She casually picked up sewing or crocheting or knitting as a fuck you to fast fashion but isn’t above namedropping brand names she found second-hand. The DIY lifestyle expands way past her closet, though. She’s artsy but not an artist. She’s trendy but not a trend chaser. She’s quite literally scrappy and most certainly better than you.
Martina Calvi, is an artist and “sentimental crafty girl” whose book The Art of Memory Collecting: Create Scrapbooks, Zines, Trinkets, Collages and Keepsakes to Preserve Treasured Moments came out end of October. She’s also a self-described Pinterest girlie.
“To me, the Pinterest girlie is the girl who loves curating their own little world,” Martina tells Betches. “She probably grew up on Tumblr, and she’s always finding little ways to creatively express herself — whether it’s the trinkets hanging off her bag, the book she’s reading, or her latest DIY project.”
Why Are Crafts The Latest “It Girl” Hobby?
Whether crafting transports you back to your Tumblr-scrolling, diary scribbling teenage years, or is simply an effort to return to a creative outlet for current angst at the world, it feels like the increased interest in crafting is based in some form of pre-internet nostalgia.
“I have a hunch that the influx of AI-generated art gave us a kind of craving — or maybe just a renewed appreciation — for handmade and crafty creations,” Martina muses. “When technology advances in exciting and unknown ways, it’s comforting to know that glue and paper will always be there.”
Dr. Isabella Rosner, a historian on TikTok, recently discovered tiny paper cutouts under floorboards of a 17th century schoolhouse in London — literally leftover craft projects from teenage girls. “There is something very beautiful about knowing that at any age, in any century, us girls have always been the same,” Martina says. “We love being creative and making our lives a little more beautiful.”
Perhaps crafting is just an extension of the soft girl era that convinces us that staying in and going full hygge — the Danish obsession of getting cozy — is the true hot girl activity. There’s also something grounding in the tactile nature of crafting that doesn’t exist online — whether or not you decide to share your progress on social media later is up to you.
Is Crafting Good For You? Like, For Your Mental Health And Stuff
Sometimes, it can feel like hobbies we’re passionate about ultimately become monetized (I say as a writer who now writes for a paycheck, lolz). Doing a craft for fun — and not to sell it on Etsy — almost feels radical in our current economy. Creativity for creativity’s sake is something we easily lose touch with as adults with adult schedules and adult responsibilities. How does one balance a desire for aesthetics and making something pretty and just embracing the mess of project-making?
“I ask this question for every project, and I still haven’t found the answer!” Martina says. “There’s always a tug and pull in either direction, chaos versus control, and I find that tension exciting to continuously explore.”
For someone who wants to dip their toes into crafting, Martina suggests starting with junk journaling. “Most of us already have mementos, tickets and photos and paper bits kept in our wallets or in a drawer somewhere,” she says. “Junk journaling is a pressure-free, easy way to start storing these tangible memories in a way that honors them.”
Moral of the story? “Just start pasting!”
