12 Crafts Perfect for Librarians

From coffee mugs to pasties (!), here are some of the coolest crafts we hope to see popping up soon in a library near us.

1. The Mug Who Lived

With so many cute book-inspired coffee cups for sale out there, there is no excuse for any librarian to be sipping out of a boring white coffee cup. But if you prefer to DIY, try making this adorable Harry Potter mug using tips from NerdCraftLibrarian, and drink away your fears about the Dark Lord’s return.

2. Fashion and Function

Always remember to bring along a book to read, but forget to take your keys and wallet? Well perhaps you’ll be better about grabbing those things before you leave the house if you hide them inside of a book. All you need to follow this Instructable by grow_power is some fabric, glue, purse handles, and a book with a great-looking cover. It’s a great way to bring new life to a book that has already been too destroyed to read.

3. The Seed of Knowledge

Here’s another great use for old damaged books—turn them into adorable planters. Apartment Therapy has all the instructions you need to make these for yourself and, because they house succulents, they won’t get so messed up from watering.

4. Make Your Tea Time More Cozy

Maybe it’s just me, but I think your teapot looks lonely. Fortunately, with this pattern by HandMadeAwards, you can knit your own Kate the Librarian to keep it cozy all while reading it a lovely story.

5. Get Lost In Adventure

Librarians are known for crossing their t’s and dotting their i’s, so it’s no big stretch for them to move on to crossing some stitches and making great needlework designs. If you’re looking for a pattern that’s perfect to hang in the library, it’s hard to beat this design by oneofakindbydesign that invites everyone to enjoy getting lost in a book.

6. I Cannot Tell A Lie

For the more edgy librarians, it never hurts to show off your sense of humor by parodying 90’s hip hop songs with book-inspired cross stitches. This pattern by neverdyingpoet can help you impress both fans of Sir Mix A Lot and Leo Tolstoy-obsessives all at once.

7. Pick A Card

There aren’t many quilts out there that scream “librarian,” but when you have one out there that actually features copies of old card catalog pages, you really don’t need any others. This impressive feat of librarian fandom was completed by Craftster user feeddog, who once was a librarian and still works with books as part of her career.

8. Don’t Be Such A Turkey

What does a turkey have to do with librarian crafts? Well, this particularly turkey craft was made by a librarian. And not just any librarian, but one who feels there simply aren’t enough turkeys out there. If you agree with Ravelry user Steph Michauld, you can buy her pattern and start knitting your own turkey to entertain your own holiday guests or to decorate your library at any time of the year. Best of all, the small purchase price goes to supplementing the income of a librarian.

9. A Bookworm for Bookworms

Every library needs a little mascot, and this crocheted plush bookworm, complete with reading glasses, is a perfect option. You can grab your own from Etsy seller RobertaAnne.

10. She’s A Real Paige Turner

Etsy seller KrazyBoutKats sells a whole town worth of adorable cat figures, but it’s little Paige Turner here who has earned herself a place on this list. This cute career cat would also make a great mascot for a library or a great friend for any real library cats.

11. A Naughty Librarian

Even the most uptight librarian is far from prudish when it comes to a love of books and with this cross stitch by Etsy seller MeltedSquirrel, you can brag to the world about your literary conquests.

12. Not Safe For the Library

Know any librarians who stock the shelves during the day and hit the burlesque stage at night? Well then, you found the perfect audience for Craftser user calluna’s librarian pasties. Made from pages of books and adorned with sequins spelling “shhh” and tiny books at the ends of the tassels, these are only for the naughtiest of naughty librarians.