25 Washi Tape Craft Ideas You'll Want to Make This Weekend

The Best Washi Tape Craft Ideas to Try Right Now

If you've been hoarding rolls of washi tape and wondering what to actually do with them, here's your answer. The best washi tape craft ideas include decorating picture frames, making geometric wall art, jazzing up plain notebooks, wrapping gifts without a bow, and creating little flags for plant pots. Washi tape is forgiving, repositionable, and comes in hundreds of patterns, so it's one of the easiest craft supplies to pick up and actually finish a project with in a single afternoon.

I made three of the projects below on a rainy Sunday with a hot coffee and a pile of rolls I'd been "saving for the right moment." Turns out, any moment is the right moment. Let's get into it.

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What You'll Need

You don't need much. That's the whole beauty of washi tape crafts.

• 4 to 6 rolls of washi tape in coordinating or contrasting patterns
• Scissors or a craft knife
• A cutting mat (if you're doing anything geometric)
• A bone folder or credit card for pressing edges flat
• Your base surface: notebook, canvas, glass jar, wooden frame, plant pot, kraft paper

Optional but helpful:

• A ruler for straight lines
• Tweezers for tiny detail work
• Mod Podge if you want to seal and permanently set any design

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10 Washi Tape Craft Ideas to Get You Started

These are beginner-friendly, low-commitment, and genuinely satisfying to make.

• Notebook or journal cover: Cover the front of a plain composition notebook with horizontal strips of washi tape, overlapping slightly so no paper shows through. Mix patterns for a patchwork look.
• Geometric wall art: Tape a canvas or thick cardstock with diagonal and vertical lines in 3 to 4 tape colors. Fill in triangles with solid-colored tape for a modern art feel.
• Photo display wall: Run strips of washi tape directly on your wall in a grid or diagonal pattern, then tuck photo corners underneath. No nails, no damage.
• Gift wrapping accent: Replace ribbon on a kraft paper wrapped gift with a few parallel lines of patterned washi tape. It looks intentional and polished.
• Decorated glass jars: Wrap washi tape around plain glass jars in horizontal bands. Use as pencil holders, vases, or bathroom storage.
• Plant pot flags: Fold a 2-inch strip of tape over a toothpick to make a tiny flag. Label your herb pots or seedlings with a marker after.
• Bookmark: Layer two strips of tape sticky-side to sticky-side, trim into a long rectangle, punch a hole at the top, and thread through a piece of twine.
• Washi tape picture frame: Run strips of tape along the border of a plain white or wooden frame. Layer thin tape over thicker strips for a more textured look.
• Laptop or phone case decoration: Tape geometric shapes or simple stripes onto a plain white phone case. Seal with a thin coat of Mod Podge and let dry fully before handling.
• Advent calendar numbers: Cut small squares of kraft paper, write numbers 1 to 24 on them, and attach to gift bags or boxes using a small piece of rolled washi tape as a sticker. Swap out colors by season.

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Going Further: Intermediate Ideas Worth Trying

Once you've got a feel for the tape, these projects are just as simple but look more impressive.

• Washi tape stained glass: Cut geometric shapes directly from tape onto a white sheet of paper or thin vellum. Hold it up to a window for the light to come through. It looks stunning with translucent tape colors.
• Decorative electrical cords: Wrap phone charger cables or lamp cords with washi tape in a spiral. It takes about 10 minutes and makes the cords look intentional instead of messy.
• Custom gift tags: Cut cardstock into tag shapes, cover entirely with tape strips, punch a hole at the top, and write the recipient's name with a white paint pen.
• Washi tape art frames: Tape directly onto a wall to create a "frame" around a piece of art, a mirror, or even a blank section of wall. It peels off cleanly when you're ready to change it up.
• Decorated mugs: Apply tape to a plain ceramic mug, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes to set, and let cool in the oven. Use dishwasher-safe Mod Podge over the top for extra durability.

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Tips for Working With Washi Tape

A few things I've learned the messy way so you don't have to.

• Tear by hand for a natural, textured edge. Cut with scissors for a clean line. Both are useful depending on the look you want.
• Store your rolls on a key ring or a wooden dowel so you can see all your patterns at once. Digging through a drawer means you always forget what you have.
• If a strip lifts at the edges on a smooth surface, press it down firmly with your fingernail or a bone folder. Give it a minute before touching it again.
• Cheap washi tape from the dollar store works great for practice or temporary projects. For anything you want to last, spend a little more on Japanese-made tape, which has better adhesion and color.
• On painted walls, always test a small piece first and leave it for 24 hours before committing to a full design.

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Variations by Age Group

Washi tape is one of the most age-flexible crafts out there.

• Kids (5 and up) love making bookmarks, wrapping birthday presents, and decorating their school supplies. The tape is safe, easy to tear, and hard to mess up.
• Teens tend to gravitate toward phone cases, journal covers, and room decor like photo walls.
• Adults find the most satisfaction in home decor projects, gift wrapping, and planner decoration.

There really is no wrong way to use washi tape. The worst that can happen is you peel it off and start again.