Crafts for Decorating the Dorm Room

Every dorm room needs a cozy throw, something to wrap about one's shoulders during late night study sessions (or video game marathons) and remind one of home. This soft fleece blanket can be whipped up in an hour or so, in fabrics that match any dorm decor. It's a great craft project for younger siblings to make. And it pairs beautifully with a set of no-sew DIY fleece pillows too.

Outfitting that new dorm room or first apartment with stylish, DIY desk supplies adds a little color, as well as practicality. And there's nothing like a fabulous, custom-made desk blotter to designate an "I work here" space. This particular version is so easy to do, and so easy to change out, drips and drops are a non-issue. (Plus, you can pair the blotter with a ridiculously whimsical pencil pot.)

A little paint - and little creativity - is all it takes to transform mundane cork squares into something special that jazzes up that dorm room in no time flat. Of course, cool corkboards require cool thumbtacks too, like DIY tacks covered with goofy photos, for example, college landmarks or even glossy campus map buttons.

That new dorm room or apartment bedroom may look plain now, but by the time you outfit the bed with colorful linens and a duvet, it will be both cozy and stylish. Why spend the money on pricey linens when making your own DIY duvet cover is so easy? And you can pair it with all sorts of fun linens - custom made pillowcases, a bolster and throw pillows too.

Between the beige walls, lack of storage and ban on hammering nails, decorating a dorm room or first apartment can be challenging. This craft project - a DIY jewelry frame - gives your teen or 20something somewhere to stash her jewelry, while adding a splash of color. And the technique works equally well for stylish bulletin boards.

Button-sewing is one of those classic, essential skills every college kid or 20something should know how to do. But he (or she) will need the basic tools, including a needle and thread. Make it easy with a cute, compact sewing kit like this one. Best of all, it's a good way to use up odds and ends from other projects - fabric scraps from a bulletin board/jewelry frame project, for example, or fleece from a cozy dorm blanket - and a squat mason jar.