Recent research has revealed that tie-dye is the most popular 1970s inspired craft. Tie-dye receives an average of 971,000 Google searches every month, along with nearly six billion hashtag views on TikTok and over seven million hashtags on Instagram. The analysis was carried out by creative resource Design Bundles, who compared the volume of Google searches, TikTok hashtag views, and Instagram hashtag count for each craft. This data was then used to calculate a ranking score for the top ten most popular and trendy 1970s crafts.
Tie-dye is relatively simple to do, which could be one of the reasons that it is so popular. You can use any fabric for tie-dye projects, including clothing, cushion covers and curtains. The fabric is bound using elastic bands and then fabric dye is applied to make an abstract pattern. This method has seen a resurgence in recent years as more and more people realise the financial and environmental benefits of recycling old clothing and materials.
Trendy crafts for 70s design inspiration
After tie-dye, the second most trendy 70s inspired craft is macramé. Despite having 300,000 more Instagram hashtags than tie-dye, the craft only has an average of 84,000 Google searches per month. The knotting craft also has over 623 million hashtags on TikTok, which is significantly less than tie-dye, but the second-highest volume when compared to the other crafts.
Macramé creations can be used as wall decorations, plant holders and other art pieces that can create visual interest points around the home. This craft involves tying knots to create intricate patterns and geometric shapes. Rope and twine is the most common material for macramé as they are is sturdy enough for the design to keep its shape.
Textile crafts are a popular method for many people to make their own homemade decorations. Retro crafts such as patchworking and granny squares ranked highly in the survey, as did needlepoint and hooked rugs.
Patchwork is the third most popular 1970s inspired trendy craft in the survey. On average, patchworking is googled 73,000 times every month which is the same search volume that weaving receives. However, patchworking has an Instagram hashtag count of 3.8 million, whilst weaving only has a hashtag count of 2.5 million. Weaving has a higher TikTok hashtag count of 195,500,000, compared to patchwork’s hashtag view count of 111,900,000.
As with many of the crafts featured on the survey, patchwork and weaving have been around for centuries. Patchwork is similar to tie-dye as you can use recycled fabric as well as new material. The fabric is cut into squares and other shapes and then sewn together to create things such as blankets and throws.
Weaving involves the use of yarn or threads entwined together in a pattern to create a solid material. This technique is often used to make baskets, rugs and placemats. You can even make things such as rattan furniture, which is made from woven rattan vines. You can adjust the colour palette and pattern of your creations to suit your personal style.
The table below shows the top ten most popular 70s inspired crafts, based on Google searches, TikTok and Instagram statistics.
| Rank | Craft | Average no. Google searches per month | TikTok Hashtag Views | Instagram hashtag count |
| 1 | tie-dye | 971,000 | 5,941,000,000 | 7,100,000 |
| 2 | macramé | 84,000 | 623,300,000 | 7,400,000 |
| 3 | patchwork | 73,000 | 111,900,000 | 3,800,000 |
| 4 | weaving | 73,000 | 195,500,000 | 2,500,000 |
| 5 | string art | 80,000 | 272,100,000 | 893,000 |
| 6 | decoupage | 159,000 | 33,100,000 | 1,800,000 |
| 7 | granny squares | 15,000 | 33,100,000 | 917,000 |
| 8 | shrinky dinks | 51,000 | 175,100,000 | 73,200 |
| 9 | needlepoint | 33,000 | 14,920,200 | 564,000 |
| 10 | hooked rugs | 10,000 | 310,300,179 | 14,700 |
String art is the fifth trendiest craft in the survey, with an average of 272.1 million hashtag views on TikTok, 893,000 hashtags on Instagram and an average of 80,000 Google searches each month. Pins are placed on a board in a certain pattern and then the string is woven and entwined around them to create pictures or shapes. The finished pieces can be hung on the wall to create a focal point in the living room or other areas of your house.
The sixth most popular 1970s inspired craft is decoupage, which involves glueing colourful paper onto a base object. You can decorate household items such as chairs and stools to add a modern touch or to update the interior style of your indoor space. As well as buying paper, you can also recycle old wrapping paper to decorate the furniture.
On average, decoupage receives 159,000 Google searches every month, in addition to a total hashtag collection of 1.8 million on Instagram and 33.1 million hashtag views on TikTok. This last number is the same volume of hashtag views that granny squares have on TikTok, although the craft only has 917,000 hashtags on Instagram. Granny squares have an even lower volume of Google searches, with an average of 15,000 each month.
Shrinky Dinks are the most modern craft in the survey, having been invented in the 1970s. It involves colouring in a design on sheets of polystyrene, which are then cooked in the oven. The final pieces are then made into keyrings, jewellery and other decorative pieces. This craft form receives an average of 51,000 Google views each month, along with a total volume of 175.1 million TikTok hashtag views and 73,200 hashtags on Instagram.
Needlepoint, which is a craft that involves sewing patterns and designs onto canvas, has a higher Instagram hashtag count than Shrinky Dinks with a total of 564,000. However, needlepoint only has 14.9 million hashtag views on TikTok and an average of 33,000 Google searches each month.
The final trendy 1970s inspired craft to make it into the top ten is hooked rugs. Pieces of yarn or wool are pulled through a stiff woven base to create images and patterns. On average, this craft has a low Google search volume averaging 10,000 each month. The hashtag volume on Instagram for hooked rugs is equally low at 14,700. However, the craft proves to be more popular on TikTok, with a total volume of 310,300,179 hashtag views on TikTok, which is the third-highest volume in the survey.
A spokesperson for Design Bundles commented on the findings: “It is exciting to see these 70s crafts resurge in popularity as they not only have a sense of positive nostalgia for a lot of individuals, but they also encourage skills to be passed along and given a new lease of life. This is now even easier with social media, where tutorials are readily available for those looking to pick up new crafts at home.”
