Handicrafts Made Simple makes it easy to add Charlotte Mason handicrafts to your homeschool schedule. Video demonstrations and complete project instructions walk you and your children through interesting and useful projects. (Grades 1–12) See full description
Teach your children useful life skills with Charlotte Mason handicrafts lessons!
Charlotte Mason intentionally included handicrafts in her school schedule. She believed that “another elemental relationship, which every child should be taught and encouraged to set up, is that of power over material. Every child makes sand castles, mud-pies, paper boats, and he or she should go on to work in clay, wood, brass, iron, leather, dress-stuffs, food-stuffs, furnishing-stuffs. He should be able to make with his hands and should take delight in making” (Vol. 3, p. 80).
Now it’s easy to add handicraft lessons to your curriculum with Handicrafts Made Simple.
Each Handicrafts Made Simple video course presents one handicraft and includes
Step-by-step instructions with close-up details that will give you and your children confidence as you learn.
Fun projects that your children will actually use.
A 12-week suggested schedule with freedom to work at your own pace and accommodate all levels of expertise and skill.
A complete list of easy-to-find, inexpensive supplies so you can get started right away. (See a list of materials used for each handicraft.)
A downloadable booklet with complete instructions for the lessons and ideas for bonus projects.
Enjoyable lessons and projects for both boys and girls, older and younger.
Sample Video
This sample from session three of Handicrafts Made Simple: Crochet gives a good feel for the short lessons, detailed close-ups, and level of content in a middle lesson.
31 reviews for Handicrafts Made Simple (Charlotte Mason Handicrafts Curriculum)
Christie Groff –
This is a terrific addition to the products SCM offers! I look forward to using these with my kids.
It is exciting to see that both the Shafer and Smith kids are directly involved in the business of SCM.
Teresa –
I can not believe how much you and your daughter look alike!! How I envy your opportunity to work so closely with one of your children. Please let her know that she did a fantastic job on the DVD sample that I watched. I thought it was you at first and remarked to my daughter how thin you had gotten!!! 🙂 We will be ordering ours very soon. We are excited to begin!! Thanks for thinking of this wonderful idea!!!
Sarah –
Wow! Your daughter is incredibly poised and gracious in that clip. Please pass along my congratulations for a job well-done.
KimC –
Your daughter looks like you! She’s lovely.
What a wonderful and needed resource. Can’t wait to try out the DVDs!
simple home –
Thanks for offering these DVDs. Sonya, your daughter is adorable and did a great job.
Nanci –
What lovely products, as always!
How nice to see the good fruits of a Charlotte Mason education in your beautiful daughter!
Holly –
Thanks for these Dvds. I always wonder what to use for teaching my children handicrafts. You did such a great job!
Jennifer –
So excited to use these in our homeschool. Your daughter did an excellent job.
Cathy –
I was wondering if you made these DVDs suitable for other regions outside of the US. We are in Australia, and therefore in region 4. I would love to get the crocheting one for my daugther, but need it to be compatiable. Your daugther has done a wonderful job, and explains it so clearly. I hope that you do make other regions dvds! Cathy
Doug Smith –
None of our DVDs are locked to a region. They are only in NTSC format, though. If your player can handle that then it should play without any region issues.
Donna Jo –
This looks great! Thank you for including a sample of the video. Will there be a sample of the booklet posted here soon? Thank you.
Sonya Shafer –
Hi, Donna Jo –
We were not planning to post a sample of the booklet since the main content is the DVD. The booklet simply helps you follow along with the DVD sessions and includes any extra tips or other material that will be helpful. For example, the crochet booklet contains copies of the crochet patterns.
Marcee –
WOW! I am so excited about these. I want them all for myself:) Sonya, your daughter is incredible-what a lovely lady.
Valerie –
Your daughter is a beautiful example of a well poised young lady that represents great parenting and the benifits of a great homeschool enviroment. I pray to do as wll with my 4 year old twin girls Thank you for the sample DVD . I will be ordering for my family.
Michelle –
I’m interested in the 12 week schedule you suggest in the booklet. Can you give any info on how you suggest scheduling handicrafts or would that give too much away?
Sonya Shafer –
Certainly! Each 12-week schedule is a little different, depending on the handicraft and projects the children will be doing. Mainly we recommend taking the first week to watch the first episode and gather supplies, then the rest of the weeks are spread out according to how long a particular project might take. If it’s one that might require a little extra time (more than just one session) to finish, we recommend watching the video and starting the project one week and continuing to work on it the next week (or two, if the project is a large one).
The main goal is to keep a lesson short enough that the children don’t get overwhelmed or tired and start doing slip-shod work. Feel free to spread a project out over a couple of weeks (or more) to accommodate your child’s level of skill and interest. As with all our resources, Handicrafts Made Simple is a tool for you to use as it works best for your family.
Oh, yes, sometimes we recommend using a newly-learned skill around the house. For instance, in the hand sewing lessons, the children learn how to sew on buttons on week; so we recommend that they take the next week to sew on any missing buttons on clothes around the house. 🙂
Dianna –
Oh my goodness! I just found out that these were available, and I am SUPER excited. Based on the sample video, it looks like they are very simple and easy to understand.
I’m keeping this in mind for a future purchase to do crafts with my daughter. She loves crafty things, but I’m not the most handcrafty person. This will be great for both of us. How fun!
Ana –
I bought the hand sewing DVD my daughter nine is enjoying, I’m pretty much just coaching her, she is following the instructions. Thank you for making these DVD’s, I hope eventually you made a machine-sewing one for beginners.
Thank you
God bless
Ana
Laura Sproul –
What ages can get started with, say, crochet? I have a 5 and 4 year old. I am considering starting with finger knitting…….
Warmly,
Laura
Sonya Shafer –
Rebekah has worked with children as young as five, but those were situations where she did most of the work and the children moved the loops around at her direction. It depends on the child, of course, but six years old is probably the youngest you would want to go for a pleasant and successful experience. I think finger knitting is a great idea for the younger ones.
Kat –
this is great! i have two boys though and was wondering other than sewing etc, it offered? 🙂
Kat –
or rather… i see the three above, can i suggest a few videos specifically for boys? i need help in that area for handicrafts 🙂
Lanaya –
My 10 yr old daughter is enjoying the Paper DVD. She made me a set of 12 envelopes at my request. It’s nice to let her watch the DVD and take off without me having to take her by the hand. Thank you, Rebekah!
cheryl ramirez –
Wow! I’ve been making my single crochet stitches wrong all these years!
cheryl ramirez –
By the way your daughter is lovely! A wonderful product of homeschooling by loving parents!
Sarah –
Which one of the hand-sewing or the crocheting should I start with for a 6 year old girl?
Do you expect to do more titles in the future?
Any for boys (wood, leather, etc.)?
Thank you.
Sonya Shafer –
Hi, Sarah. Either would be good for a 6-year-old girl. You might see which one she is interested in learning first. We do have plans for more titles in the series, and some of those plans include using other natural materials like wood, yes.
Sarah –
Thank you for making these available. My little girl has recently developed a huge interest in sewing. My son is starting to become curious as well. I’m sure they will enjoy these lessons and making something useful with their own hands. I am glad you are working on more titles in the future.
roopa –
do you have anything for a 5 year old other than sewing cards which she has done already?
thank you i am thinking i can purchase this dvd next year when she is 6?
Sonya Shafer –
Roopa, we don’t have anything already prepared for a five-year-old, but you might try using a plastic needle and yarn (like the one she might use with sewing cards) to sew together sheets of felt in various shapes. You could pre-punch holes in the felt so she could learn to do a stitch but would be looking for the holes. This activity might be a good transition between sewing cards and hand sewing with a real needle.
Kendall –
I just ordered the Paper and Cardboard DVD’s for my 7 and 9 year olds! They love learning new handicrafts and these lessons are easy to follow and perfectly explained! They’ve made so many beautiful envelopes to send to family and friends! Can’t wait to see what they will create in future lessons!
Thank you for making this series so practical and useful. Blessings to you!
Kelly –
Would you consider ‘string art’ a handicraft? Just curious because it wasn’t on the list of handicrafts. Thank you!
Sonya Shafer –
Oh, I’m sure there are many handicrafts and life skills that are not on our list. We just brainstormed as many as we could think of over a few days to offer some suggestions.
Di –
Can anyone tell me what sort of projects the paper DVD covers?
Jordan Smith –
The Cardboard & Paper DVD covers six projects: Paper Envelopes, Sketch Book, Cardboard Boxes, Art Portfolio, Fancy Boxes, and a Puppet Theater.
(You can click any of the covers at the bottom of the product description to enlarge them and see the full list of sessions on each DVD.)
Heather D –
The cardboard and paper dvd looks similar to Sloyd instruction, is it? Would love to see dvd’s for the more advanced sloyd projects (wood and possibly metal).
Jordan Smith –
Sloyd is a different handicraft than what is covered in the Cardboard and Paper DVD. In Cardboard and Paper, the child is guided through the process of creating paper crafts such as boxes, a puppet theater, and a sketch book.
azizanoor –
Would this DVD work for a left-hander?
Doug Smith –
Knitting, Crochet, and Hand Sewing may need some adjustment for a left-hander. Some left-handers may actually be right-dominant for those particular handicrafts and pick them up just fine as-is. Others may benefit from watching the video in a mirror or watching on a computer with software that can flip the image horizontally, such as the free VLC Media Player.
There’s no difference for Paper and Cardboard other than using left-handed scissors. For Woodworking, it’s important to know the safety features of any power tools that may optionally be used and if left-handed use is possible or different.
Gwendolyn –
What age would the Wood working video be appropriate for?
Jordan Smith –
We recommend the Woodworking DVD for grades 6–12, with adult supervision and help as needed.
Debra –
What kind of equipment and tools are needed for the woodworking DVD?
Jordan Smith –
This page has a full list of materials and tools needed for each DVD.
Rated 5 out of 5
Lori –
I am so impressed with these DVDs! I was honestly very hesitant to spend $18 on a DVD when there are so many free crafting tutorials available on YouTube, but I had not been able to find any hand sewing tutorials I liked, so I decided to give the DVD a try. I am so glad I did! The projects are perfect for children and the materials are inexpensive and easy to find. And, Rebekah is a fantastic teacher. She is clear and calm, her pace is perfect, and the camera work is excellent. I enjoyed the hand sewing lessons so much that I recently purchased both the crochet and knitting DVDs. I can crochet and knit well myself, but I’m always a bit at a loss when it comes to explaining what I’m doing to my kids, and I look forward to using the DVDs to both help ground my kids in the basics and to give me some guidance on the best way to teach them.
I’m using the handicrafts lessons with my older two children, who are 6 and 12. My 12 year old could complete all of the lessons in the 12-week time frame suggested. However, especially in the knitting and crochet programs, the lessons soon progress beyond what my 6 year old could accomplish without frustration. So my plan right now is to use the DVDs over multiple years, rather than multiple weeks. For example, this year we are going to work on just the first four lessons in the crochet DVD, and work up to making a simple potholder. Then, if my daughter is interested in more crochet work, we can do other simple projects using the single crochet stitch from some kids’ crochet books we have. Similarly, I plan on us just going over the first two lessons on the knitting DVD and working on making garter stitch dishcloths, and once she gets the hang of that, we can move on to simple garter-stitch projects. Then, next year we will make the scarves, and the year after that move on to hats, etc. My older child, if he is interested, will simply work through as many of the lessons as he wants to, but I think it would frustrate my youngest too much to try to do some of the later lessons, so we will be tackling just the first project from each video this year, because those do seem to be skills she can develop without too much frustration at this age.
Christie Groff –
This is a terrific addition to the products SCM offers! I look forward to using these with my kids.
It is exciting to see that both the Shafer and Smith kids are directly involved in the business of SCM.
Teresa –
I can not believe how much you and your daughter look alike!! How I envy your opportunity to work so closely with one of your children. Please let her know that she did a fantastic job on the DVD sample that I watched. I thought it was you at first and remarked to my daughter how thin you had gotten!!! 🙂 We will be ordering ours very soon. We are excited to begin!! Thanks for thinking of this wonderful idea!!!
Sarah –
Wow! Your daughter is incredibly poised and gracious in that clip. Please pass along my congratulations for a job well-done.
KimC –
Your daughter looks like you! She’s lovely.
What a wonderful and needed resource. Can’t wait to try out the DVDs!
simple home –
Thanks for offering these DVDs. Sonya, your daughter is adorable and did a great job.
Nanci –
What lovely products, as always!
How nice to see the good fruits of a Charlotte Mason education in your beautiful daughter!
Holly –
Thanks for these Dvds. I always wonder what to use for teaching my children handicrafts. You did such a great job!
Jennifer –
So excited to use these in our homeschool. Your daughter did an excellent job.
Cathy –
I was wondering if you made these DVDs suitable for other regions outside of the US. We are in Australia, and therefore in region 4. I would love to get the crocheting one for my daugther, but need it to be compatiable. Your daugther has done a wonderful job, and explains it so clearly. I hope that you do make other regions dvds! Cathy
Doug Smith –
None of our DVDs are locked to a region. They are only in NTSC format, though. If your player can handle that then it should play without any region issues.
Donna Jo –
This looks great! Thank you for including a sample of the video. Will there be a sample of the booklet posted here soon? Thank you.
Sonya Shafer –
Hi, Donna Jo –
We were not planning to post a sample of the booklet since the main content is the DVD. The booklet simply helps you follow along with the DVD sessions and includes any extra tips or other material that will be helpful. For example, the crochet booklet contains copies of the crochet patterns.
Marcee –
WOW! I am so excited about these. I want them all for myself:) Sonya, your daughter is incredible-what a lovely lady.
Valerie –
Your daughter is a beautiful example of a well poised young lady that represents great parenting and the benifits of a great homeschool enviroment. I pray to do as wll with my 4 year old twin girls Thank you for the sample DVD . I will be ordering for my family.
Michelle –
I’m interested in the 12 week schedule you suggest in the booklet. Can you give any info on how you suggest scheduling handicrafts or would that give too much away?
Sonya Shafer –
Certainly! Each 12-week schedule is a little different, depending on the handicraft and projects the children will be doing. Mainly we recommend taking the first week to watch the first episode and gather supplies, then the rest of the weeks are spread out according to how long a particular project might take. If it’s one that might require a little extra time (more than just one session) to finish, we recommend watching the video and starting the project one week and continuing to work on it the next week (or two, if the project is a large one).
The main goal is to keep a lesson short enough that the children don’t get overwhelmed or tired and start doing slip-shod work. Feel free to spread a project out over a couple of weeks (or more) to accommodate your child’s level of skill and interest. As with all our resources, Handicrafts Made Simple is a tool for you to use as it works best for your family.
Oh, yes, sometimes we recommend using a newly-learned skill around the house. For instance, in the hand sewing lessons, the children learn how to sew on buttons on week; so we recommend that they take the next week to sew on any missing buttons on clothes around the house. 🙂
Dianna –
Oh my goodness! I just found out that these were available, and I am SUPER excited. Based on the sample video, it looks like they are very simple and easy to understand.
I’m keeping this in mind for a future purchase to do crafts with my daughter. She loves crafty things, but I’m not the most handcrafty person. This will be great for both of us. How fun!
Ana –
I bought the hand sewing DVD my daughter nine is enjoying, I’m pretty much just coaching her, she is following the instructions. Thank you for making these DVD’s, I hope eventually you made a machine-sewing one for beginners.
Thank you
God bless
Ana
Laura Sproul –
What ages can get started with, say, crochet? I have a 5 and 4 year old. I am considering starting with finger knitting…….
Warmly,
Laura
Sonya Shafer –
Rebekah has worked with children as young as five, but those were situations where she did most of the work and the children moved the loops around at her direction. It depends on the child, of course, but six years old is probably the youngest you would want to go for a pleasant and successful experience. I think finger knitting is a great idea for the younger ones.
Kat –
this is great! i have two boys though and was wondering other than sewing etc, it offered? 🙂
Kat –
or rather… i see the three above, can i suggest a few videos specifically for boys? i need help in that area for handicrafts 🙂
Lanaya –
My 10 yr old daughter is enjoying the Paper DVD. She made me a set of 12 envelopes at my request. It’s nice to let her watch the DVD and take off without me having to take her by the hand. Thank you, Rebekah!
cheryl ramirez –
Wow! I’ve been making my single crochet stitches wrong all these years!
cheryl ramirez –
By the way your daughter is lovely! A wonderful product of homeschooling by loving parents!
Sarah –
Which one of the hand-sewing or the crocheting should I start with for a 6 year old girl?
Do you expect to do more titles in the future?
Any for boys (wood, leather, etc.)?
Thank you.
Sonya Shafer –
Hi, Sarah. Either would be good for a 6-year-old girl. You might see which one she is interested in learning first. We do have plans for more titles in the series, and some of those plans include using other natural materials like wood, yes.
Sarah –
Thank you for making these available. My little girl has recently developed a huge interest in sewing. My son is starting to become curious as well. I’m sure they will enjoy these lessons and making something useful with their own hands. I am glad you are working on more titles in the future.
roopa –
do you have anything for a 5 year old other than sewing cards which she has done already?
thank you i am thinking i can purchase this dvd next year when she is 6?
Sonya Shafer –
Roopa, we don’t have anything already prepared for a five-year-old, but you might try using a plastic needle and yarn (like the one she might use with sewing cards) to sew together sheets of felt in various shapes. You could pre-punch holes in the felt so she could learn to do a stitch but would be looking for the holes. This activity might be a good transition between sewing cards and hand sewing with a real needle.
Kendall –
I just ordered the Paper and Cardboard DVD’s for my 7 and 9 year olds! They love learning new handicrafts and these lessons are easy to follow and perfectly explained! They’ve made so many beautiful envelopes to send to family and friends! Can’t wait to see what they will create in future lessons!
Thank you for making this series so practical and useful. Blessings to you!
Kelly –
Would you consider ‘string art’ a handicraft? Just curious because it wasn’t on the list of handicrafts. Thank you!
Sonya Shafer –
Oh, I’m sure there are many handicrafts and life skills that are not on our list. We just brainstormed as many as we could think of over a few days to offer some suggestions.
Di –
Can anyone tell me what sort of projects the paper DVD covers?
Jordan Smith –
The Cardboard & Paper DVD covers six projects: Paper Envelopes, Sketch Book, Cardboard Boxes, Art Portfolio, Fancy Boxes, and a Puppet Theater.
(You can click any of the covers at the bottom of the product description to enlarge them and see the full list of sessions on each DVD.)
Heather D –
The cardboard and paper dvd looks similar to Sloyd instruction, is it? Would love to see dvd’s for the more advanced sloyd projects (wood and possibly metal).
Jordan Smith –
Sloyd is a different handicraft than what is covered in the Cardboard and Paper DVD. In Cardboard and Paper, the child is guided through the process of creating paper crafts such as boxes, a puppet theater, and a sketch book.
azizanoor –
Would this DVD work for a left-hander?
Doug Smith –
Knitting, Crochet, and Hand Sewing may need some adjustment for a left-hander. Some left-handers may actually be right-dominant for those particular handicrafts and pick them up just fine as-is. Others may benefit from watching the video in a mirror or watching on a computer with software that can flip the image horizontally, such as the free VLC Media Player.
There’s no difference for Paper and Cardboard other than using left-handed scissors. For Woodworking, it’s important to know the safety features of any power tools that may optionally be used and if left-handed use is possible or different.
Gwendolyn –
What age would the Wood working video be appropriate for?
Jordan Smith –
We recommend the Woodworking DVD for grades 6–12, with adult supervision and help as needed.
Debra –
What kind of equipment and tools are needed for the woodworking DVD?
Jordan Smith –
This page has a full list of materials and tools needed for each DVD.
Lori –
I am so impressed with these DVDs! I was honestly very hesitant to spend $18 on a DVD when there are so many free crafting tutorials available on YouTube, but I had not been able to find any hand sewing tutorials I liked, so I decided to give the DVD a try. I am so glad I did! The projects are perfect for children and the materials are inexpensive and easy to find. And, Rebekah is a fantastic teacher. She is clear and calm, her pace is perfect, and the camera work is excellent. I enjoyed the hand sewing lessons so much that I recently purchased both the crochet and knitting DVDs. I can crochet and knit well myself, but I’m always a bit at a loss when it comes to explaining what I’m doing to my kids, and I look forward to using the DVDs to both help ground my kids in the basics and to give me some guidance on the best way to teach them.
I’m using the handicrafts lessons with my older two children, who are 6 and 12. My 12 year old could complete all of the lessons in the 12-week time frame suggested. However, especially in the knitting and crochet programs, the lessons soon progress beyond what my 6 year old could accomplish without frustration. So my plan right now is to use the DVDs over multiple years, rather than multiple weeks. For example, this year we are going to work on just the first four lessons in the crochet DVD, and work up to making a simple potholder. Then, if my daughter is interested in more crochet work, we can do other simple projects using the single crochet stitch from some kids’ crochet books we have. Similarly, I plan on us just going over the first two lessons on the knitting DVD and working on making garter stitch dishcloths, and once she gets the hang of that, we can move on to simple garter-stitch projects. Then, next year we will make the scarves, and the year after that move on to hats, etc. My older child, if he is interested, will simply work through as many of the lessons as he wants to, but I think it would frustrate my youngest too much to try to do some of the later lessons, so we will be tackling just the first project from each video this year, because those do seem to be skills she can develop without too much frustration at this age.