Books

Magical DIY Projects For The Wizards In Your Life

by Julia Seales

I love shopping, but there’s also a thrill that comes with creating something yourself. While it’s faster (and easier) to buy a product online or in a store, giving it the DIY try can be more fun and sometimes even more rewarding in the end. For all you book-lovers, that means getting your hands dirty to create some of these Harry Potter DIY projects.

Of course, if you’re not the most artistic person (or if you, like me, are too impatient to ever just let the paint dry first), crafting can seem daunting. After all, Pinterest projects always look perfect, but they often turn out very different than the original image.

When it comes to Harry Potter crafts, though, fans have your back. There are lots of DIY Potter projects out there, for all levels, whether you want something easy and quick or something that will challenge a master crafter.

You don’t have to have loads of gold in your Gringotts account in order to have great Harry Potter-inspired merchandise. You don’t have to have a wand and the perfect spell. And you don’t have to make a trip to Diagon Alley (or the Muggle equivalent) in order to find the perfect Potter items. All you need is a crafting spirit and a few supplies, and you can create the following genius Harry Potter DIY projects.

1

The Grim Mug

Items Needed:

  • Mug or teacup
  • Black paint pen

You could let the tea leaves decide your fate, or you could not take it too Siriusly and DIY this divination mug.

2

Cornish Pixies

Items Needed:

  • Sewing machine
  • Pattern printout
  • Pins and scissors
  • Fabric, thread, and buttons
  • Floss and stuffing for wings
  • Pinback, double-sided tape, and packing tape

If you're an expert crafter looking for a HP-themed challenge, this Cornish Pixie pattern is perfect. The instructions and pattern are available from mieljolie on Etsy.

3

Magic Wand

Items Needed:

  • Hot glue gun
  • Chopsticks
  • Paint

The wand chooses the wizard, but the Muggle must DIY her own: all you need for this craft is a hot glue gun, chopsticks, and paint. The above tutorial shows how you can create HP film-inspired wands, or pick up some accessories and design your own.

4

Golden Snitch Necklace

Items Needed:

  • Necklace chain
  • Two jump rings
  • Two wing charms
  • One gold bead
  • Piece of wire

Channel your favorite Seeker with this Quidditch-inspired Snitch necklace — you can find the full DIY instructions from Instructables.

5

Chocolate Frogs

Items Needed:

  • Melting Chocolate
  • Peanut Butter
  • Salt
  • Confectioners' Sugar
  • Chocolate Frog Molds (available on Amazon)

There are plenty of amazing HP-inspired recipes, but this chocolate frog how-to from Nerdy With Children is perfect for fans who wish they could visit Honeydukes. The molds are reusable, so you can try out different recipes each time.

6

Weasley Sweater

Items Needed:

  • Solid-colored sweater
  • Yarn
  • Tapestry needle
  • Letter chart

Knitting a full sweater from scratch can be difficult, but with this awesome tutorial you can turn a regular sweater into a customized Weasley sweater using a duplicate stitch.

7

Sorting Hat

Warner Bros

Items Needed:

  • Newspaper
  • Flour
  • Water
  • Cereal boxes or cardboard
  • Brown paint and paintbrushes
  • Masking tape

It may or may not compose didactic songs and tell you your house, but this DIY Sorting Hat definitely looks like the real thing. Get the full instructions from Snapguide.

8

Mirror Of Erised

Items Needed:

  • Cardboard
  • Measuring tape
  • Box cutter and x-acto knife
  • Black spray paint
  • Hot glue gun
  • Paint sticks and paint
  • Foam brush and old toothbrush
  • Black Sharpie

Decorate your room (and maybe reveal your heart's desire) with this beautiful cardboard Mirror of Erised. Find the full instructions from Delicious Reads.

9

Marauder's Map

Items Needed:

  • Printer and paper
  • X-acto knife or scissors
  • Glue sticks
  • Template

Follow along with this video (and find written instructions and templates from Instructables) to make a DIY Marauder's Map - the perfect craft for all who solemnly swear that they're up to no good.