Kids Crafts Craft Projects for Kids

Where Can You Find Free Craft Supplies?

High school students doing arts and crafts

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While free craft patterns and project ideas abound on the internet, free craft supplies are harder to come by; you can find free crafting samples, but keep in mind that usually, "free" means at the cost of joining an email list.

If you see an offer for free supplies, read the fine print carefully. Sometimes a shipping fee is charged or they require a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Note that free offers come and go without notice. In other words, what is free one day, may come at a fee the next.

Illustration: The Spruce /Lisa Fasol

Where Can You Get Free Craft Supplies?

It is probably best to search out a freebie from a company you already know and trust, especially if you have ordered supplies by that company in the past. It should be fully expected that in order to get the free items, you may need to sign up for their email list.

Go to the websites of the companies that make the supplies you like to use. Look on their site for how to sign up for their notifications for free offers.

Crafter Beware

You should be wary when giving personal information via a form on the web to a source you do not know. Free offers are often a way to build mailing lists, which may be sold to third parties and used for solicitations.

For example, a ringtone company was offering a free sample of glue when you gave your personal information via a form on their site. Why would they make such an offer except to get you on their mailing list and then sell the list to other companies? It is best not to give your information to a company that is not in the business of selling the item to consumers.

Getting Crafting Supplies

  • Thread: You can get a free skein of flower thread. It looks like embroidery floss. It requires a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
  • Paper tubes: Paper tubes have a lot of creative potential. If you fill out a form, then you can get a free idea kit.
  • Saral wax free transfer paper: With a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you can get a small free sample of five colors of Saral wax free transfer paper and a brochure that explains ways to use Saral Transfer Paper.
  • Stickers: Get free stickers from Bigwords.com by requesting "free stickers" and providing your name, email, and mailing address.
  • Free fabric swatches: Search through the inventory at Pottery Barn. You can request several swatches that you like. There are dozens of other sources for fabric, leather, and yarn samples at FrugalVilage.com. You will generally not get much of each type, but it may spark your creativity for how to use them.
  • Miscellaneous craft supplies: Needleponters.com lists free craft supplies for a variety of different types of craft projects. Browse through their pages dedicated to painting, beadwork, crochet, needlework, card making, scrapbooking, quilting, stenciling, and kid's crafts. However, use caution when requesting the free samples and only give your personal information to a company that appears reputable.