DIY Kits for Book Lovers

It’s hard to say with a serious face that 2020 was more than a year ago, but…more than a year ago, I pulled together a roundup of DIY craft/art kits for book lovers. These offered a chance to create something tactile while retreating inside. Maybe you were listening to a book or podcast while working on one or not. That doesn’t mater. What mattered was giving restless hands and eager minds a chance to try out and experiment with bookish play.

Now that we’re entering into year three of the pandemic, it seems only right to revisit this idea and to highlight even more DIY kits for book lovers. I’ve rounded up a new selection, not included in the first, in order to offer an array of options.

Too often, we get caught up in the idea that if we want to do something crafty or artsy, we have to be good at it. Let me emphasize that you shouldn’t be good at these. Instead, let yourself try a new skill or hobby out, no matter how “good” or “bad” you think you’ll be at it. This is how you can invite wonder and joy into your life. I have a pile of projects I started and quit or started and failed at or started and was pleased by, and what matters more than any of the physical outcomes of those is that they allowed me to engage in something off a screen, on my own time, and for no monetary purpose.

I invite you to try something that piques your interest for no reason other than that. We’re this deep into a challenging time to be a human in the world. Removing expectations and outcome from doing something simply because you want (in a safe way) is more than necessary.

All of the items below are kits, meaning that you get everything in one place (in other words, you won’t see downloadable cross-stitch patterns here — that’s for another roundup). In the rare exceptions, I’ve noted where you may need to acquire additional supplies to complete a project.

DIY Kits for Book Lovers

Ever wanted to weave your own bookmark? This kit will let you learn the art of bookmark weaving. $19

Materials for book binding included in a kit to make a leather journal.

Explore the art of bookbinding and make yourself a leather journal in the process. $38

You’ll discover a little bit about book binding with this fun make a notebook kit. $18

A white hand holds a miniature book. Beside are other miniature books and more miniature books on a miniature bookshelf.

With this kit, you can make your own miniature books. There are supplies for 30 of these mini books, and bonus: you can read them, too. $59

Paper marbling is a whole lot of fun. This marbling kit has supplies for 16 projects, perfect for creating some greeting cards or art for your walls. Maybe you can incorporate some of your marbled paper into a book you bind. $28

Colorful felt with black outlines in the background. The foreground image is of a quiet book with a lion on the front.

A toddler might not be able to make this entire quiet book by themselves, but it would make for a fun project to work on with a young one. This lion quiet book will run you $35.

Image of a miniature book nook. it's blue with a window seat, a black cat, and books.

Make a cute little book nook that you can then put into your own real book nook. This is a perfect piece of DIY decor for your shelves. $33

Image of an embroidery hoop. The design is of an open book with flowers growing out of it.

Try your hands at embroidery. This embroidery kit combines the craft with the opportunity to create a blooming book. $34

Image of a cross stitch bookmark. it features colorful dinosaurs inside of a library.

If you’re curious about cross stitch, look no further than this adorable dinosaur library bookmark kit. Steggy’s spines are books! $15

Image of three open books. There are six felt cat corner bookmarks on the books.

You’ll need a needle and felt for this bookish creation, so know this isn’t a kit. But it was so dang purr-fect I needed to include it. Make your own cat felt corner bookmarks! $6 for the downloadable patterns.

Image of a paper sculpture inside a display jar. The paper sculpture has a yellow chair, glasses, and books on a shelf.

Discover the world of 3D paper craft and create your own book nook. You…can’t use it to sit in or read in because it is paper, but you can put it in your life-scale book nook. $47.

Image of the inside of a journal made from library cards.

The picture above doesn’t give you the whole scope of how cool this project is, so make sure you swing over and look at all of the images. You’ll get to make your own cute journal made from recycled library due date cards. $25 and up.

Image of box containing the tools to make an origami dragon bookmark.

Make your own origami dragon book! You’ll be able to make what are essentially six five-page books and build them into a dragon. $25

Image of three library card drawers turned into succulent planters.

Create your own library card drawer succulent planter, complete with succulents. What a dream project, marrying a love of books and plants. $23

Nobody has to know, nor do you need to even care, that this DIY bookstore kit is for a dollhouse. You get to make your own bookstore! The level of detail in this kit is incredible. $84. (You’ll also want to check out this entire shop, including this book cafe DIY option!).

Image of a finished diamond painting project that features two foxes reading together.

Diamond painting was a popular art project that popped up early in the pandemic across social media, but finding kits was challenging. Good news: you can not only find them more easily now, but you can find adorable ones like this foxes reading project. All items are included. $40

Image of a finished paint by numbers kit featuring a white woman reading in a solarium surrounded by plants.

When is the last time you did a paint by number kit? This grown-up version of a childhood favorite takes a lot of the stress and anxiety out of painting, plus you can hang this gorgeous bookish work of art wherever you need a pop of color. $30. Here’s another awesome bookish paint by number kit option from the same store.