Top 15 Paper Craft Tools Needed in Your Craft Toolbox

Are you excited to get started on a craft project and then realize you are missing one of your paper craft tools or don’t have the necessary items? Like any art form, it is important that you set yourself up for success. Paper crafting can be as simple or complex as you’d like, from making cards to crafting 3D paper sculptures. The only limit to this medium is your imagination.

Not sure where to start? Not to fear! We’ve done some of the leg work for you. Keep reading to learn about 15 of the most helpful paper crafting tools you can add to your tool kit.

Scissors

It should come as no surprise that the first item on our list is scissors. Scissors are the bread and butter of paper craft tools.  A lot of your paper crafting work can be done with a handy pair of scissors. For larger work, you can use a regular-sized pair that you might have laying around the house.

But if you want to do any detailing work, it’s worth looking for a pair of crafting scissors. Crafting scissors have shorter and thinner blades, allowing you to have more control over what you are cutting. Check out these great scissors from Fiskars Microtip Scissors to get an idea of a good crafting scissor.

Colored Pens

The great thing about paper crafting is that it allows as much or as little drawing as you would like. Having a good set of colored pens at your disposal will help you add a hand-drawn touch to your work.

Additionally, If you are making cards, you can use these pens to write custom messages. This is just a great way to expand the versatility of your paper craft toolbox. This Colored Pen Set Micro Line Archival Ink comes with 11 different colors and a variety of tips sizes, you’ll always have the perfect color for the occasion.

Colored Paper

This is the most important paper craft tools you can invest in. If you want to do a more minimalist approach and use all white paper, that’s fine. But having a steady selection of colored paper will help inspire you to craft more interesting creations.

Thinner colored paper like these Astrobrights Colored Paper sets are great for creating flat 2D images.  These papers aren’t very effective when it comes to creating 3D features. So save yourself the trouble and stick to 2D.

Adhesive Dots

Of course, when you create paper crafts, you need something to hold your creation together. Luckily for you, you can buy little adhesive dots that come in rolls to use in your project. These dots are clear and double-sided. You can use the full dot, or cut out a piece from it to fit whatever you need.

Make sure you’ve got your pieces lined up before you stick them together. These adhesive dots are hard to remove once you’ve placed them. The pack of ZOTS Adhesive Dots comes with 300 separate dots!  These are a must have in any crafter’s or paper crafts tool box.

Cardstock Paper

As soon as you decide you want to incorporate 3D features, you’ll want to get some cardstock. Thinner paper like printer paper will not stand up on its own and cause frustration. Cardstock, while a little heavier, is thicker and more rigid than the option we mentioned above. Allowing it to be used in pop-up elements. And even to support other cardstock pieces when making things like paper sculptures.

This assorted Astrobrights Colored Cardstock pack comes with 25 different colors, giving you plenty of options to choose from.

Self-Healing Mat

When you are using a knife to cut paper, you don’t want to do so on just anny surface. Instead, invest in a self-healing mat to put down where you will be doing your cutting. The design of these mats takes durability seriously. After the knife passes over it, the material bounces back essentially erasing any mark from the knife.

Most also come with a grid printed on the plastic. Giving you a guide to cut straight lines to keep your project clean. Check out the Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat it comes in a variety of size options!

Markers/Sharpies

In addition to colored pens, markers and sharpies are a great tool to have on hand for your projects. These drawing implements offer a thicker line than your pens will. Making filling in shapes or doing large hand lettering a lot quicker. When working with markers or sharpies, always test them on a bit of paper not associated with your project. On thinner papers, these have a tendency to bleed through paper.

Marker packs like the Dual Marker Brush Pen set could be a good option. In addition to being duel tipped, these markers won’t bleed through the paper.

Paper Cutter

Having a paper cutter is a more efficient and accurate method than trying to use scissors. For instance, A paper cutter will allow you to line up your paper via a ruler measurement. After that, you simply slide a sharp knife component across the paper to cut a clean line.

This small Worklion Paper Cutter is portable and easy to store. You can cut up to 5 pieces of paper at a time to maximize productivity.

Stickers

Having stickers on hand is a quick way to add flare to your project that you know will look good. If you are working on a scrapbook, these stickers can be especially useful. Hand lettering and drawing on every individual page would become very time-consuming. You can find stickers for nearly every occasion, and letter stickers in nearly every font.

The Nicpro Alphabet Stickers come in different color varieties to customize the look of your piece. If you head to your local craft store you can also browse hundreds of options that they have on hand.  

For instance, check out the JK Crafts Free Winter Themed Stickers that we have created for you that are great for any paper project!  

Ruler

A ruler is an essential tool for nearly every art form. For paper crafting, when you go to add new elements to your project you need to pick the perfect spot. You can do this by either going with what feels right to you. Or you can use a ruler to find an exact placement. This is a great option if you are making a batch of cards that you want to be identical.

I find that clear rulers like the Fiskars Acrylic Ruler are extra helpful. With these rulers, you can see through the plastic. Allowing you to get a feeling for how your next move will impact the project as a whole.

Laminator

If you are creating a 2D piece, chances are you might want to laminate it. This secures it all together and creates a nice finish.

Additionally, having a laminator opens up the possibility of creating reusable templates. Can’t find the perfect calendar? Make your own template and laminate it. If you write on it with a dry erase marker, you can simply erase and reuse it every month!

You can find laminators for a very reasonable price. Check out this option, the Swingline Thermal Laminating Machine on amazon for a highly rated, inexpensive machine.

Stencils

Like stickers, stencils save you time when adding embellishments to your craft. These paper craft tools allow you to have a uniform look, while still maintaining a hand-drawn quality to your work.

You can find all sorts of letters and shape to fit your needs. However, if you don’t find what you are looking for, you can create your own stencil.

Check out this great set of Painting Drawing Stencils to add some flair to your next work of art!

Washi Tape

Washi tape offers a great way to add a fun color or design to your art. Additionally, it also provides some structural support to hold it together.

These tapes come in all sorts of colors and patterns to fit whatever theme you are using. Some of my personal favorites are the metallic tapes. They catch the light and give a subtle shine to whatever I use it on.

The Leebee Adhesive Holiday Washi Tape has a variety of patterned options giving you multiple options to work with.

Crafting Knife

Finally, this is one of the more essential paper cutting tools. If you plan to do any sort of cutting inside the paper, scissors won’t be an effective option. In addition to having a bent or torn paper, scissors are clumsy, leaving messy, jagged edges. A cutting knife allows you to cut straight into the paper, navigating curved and straight edges with ease.

The Mulwark Precision Craft Knife comes with multiple handles and blade attachments. Allowing you to customize your tool to get the job done.

Bonus DIY Cricut Die Cutting machine

As a bonus tool, we thought we’d bring up the Cricut Die Cutting machine. This tool gives you the power to create or choose from designs and have them cut out with precision.

You can choose virtually any material to use with this machine. Not only is this a great tool for paper crafting. But you can use it to do leather work, make iron-on patches, stickers, and more.

Get the JK Crafts Winter Themed Stickers here.

Check out the Cricut Explore family of products to improve your crafting game today!  

Final Thoughts

That’s it for our roundup of the most important paper craft tools to have at your disposal. Depending on what you want to do, you can pick the necessary items to help you get started. So what are you waiting for? Order some supplies and start planning your designs. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Remember to take time for yourself and Cultivate your Craft and find your Craft Therapy. Crafting Out!Iva

BELOW IS A PINTEREST FRIENDLY PHOTO. YOU CAN PIN IT TO YOUR CRAFTING BOARDS!