My Top 3 Favorite Crafting TV Shows
Who knew cable television could be so crafty? DIY channels have long been airing instructional videos for home improvement projects, but actual crafting programs have only begun popping up in the last few years. I decided to go ahead and put together my list of what I consider to be the best crafty television programs, beginning with TLC’s Craft Wars, a program that ranks crafters from worst to best based on the quality of their craft projects.  

TLC’s “Craft Wars”
“Craft Wars” is a reality show hosted by 90210 alumni, Tori Spelling. The contestants compete in judged crafting challenges, but Spelling isn’t the one to impress. There are three crafting judges for each competition. The winner takes home $10,000, so competition is fierce.
The crafters interpret the initial challenge and design something they think can win over the judges and get them into the Master Craft challenge. For instance, one crafter was eliminated for creating a duffel bag that had some obvious construction issues. Both a retro-style collegiate bag and a traditional duffel bag, created with patterned fabrics, made it to the Master Craft challenge.
The Master Craft challenge requires competitors to create something large and impressive. In one episode, a child-size red schoolhouse won the Master Craft challenge and netted contestant Cheryl $10,000. Not only is the show awesome to watch, I picked up some excellent crafting tips and tricks along the way.

Hallmark Channel’s “The Martha Stewart Show”
Love her or hate her, there’s no denying Martha Stewart can craft. [Side-note: I love her.] Airing on the Hallmark Channel, “The Martha Stewart Show” teaches viewers how to create new and classic crafts, such as cupcake wrapper flowers and rustic hanging lanterns. In terms of crafting programs, Martha’s show definitely provides the most in-depth and detailed tutorials for creating remarkable projects.  
Unfortunately, the Hallmark Channel is not available from every cable provider. I recently subscribed to Verizon FiOS because my other provider was missing The Hallmark Channel and a number of other channels. The Hallmark Channel is included in the FiOS traditional package, so I subscribed using a discount code I found online. Right now the company is offering a number of promo codes for new subscribers, but unfortunately the Verizon promo codes may not be here next year.

DIY Network’s “Craft Lab”
Jennifer Perkins hosts DIY Network’s “Craft Lab”, a show that demonstrates how to make ultra-modern crafts. They call these crafts: the next generation of crafts. On one episode, host Jennifer Perkins guides viewers on how to make a really innovative dog food dish, complete with your dog’s name, some cute paw prints and other designs.
In terms of crafting, “Craft Lab” does not disappoint. The show introduces us to brand new crafting projects, as well as new twists on old classics. According to the DIY Network, “No matter what your skill level, there is always something you can do on Craft Lab!” I found it to be really interesting, as well as comprehensive. They even tell you where most items can be purchased. 

Cable Learning Is Easy with DVR 
I found that DVRing these programs made it easier for me to do the project. I’d watch the program first, making sure to write down everything I needed but did not already have. Once I had my crafting supplies, I’d go ahead and re-watch the program, oftentimes crafting right along with the host. In general, it’s easy to write down the instructions, but I found my projects were more successful when I followed along. 

This post was written by Author: Jenny Daniels