Washi Tape and Stickers: A Beginner's Craft Supply Guide
By Mary Engelbreit, Licensed Art Studio, St Louis, Missouri | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Buying Guides
A practical buying guide to washi tape and craft stickers, with decision rules for choosing rolls, sticker tins, and storage that fit how you actually craft.
Quick answer
Start with one low-tack washi tape roll in a neutral pattern and one small sticker tin, then add color or themed stickers only after you know how you use them. Buy tape for the surface you decorate most, and buy stickers in a tin if you want them to stay flat, sorted, and portable. If you mainly make cards, journals, or gift wrap, a few versatile rolls and a single tin will cover more projects than a large mixed bundle.
Match the tape to the surface, not the pattern
Washi tape is a paper tape, so its grip changes with the surface. On smooth paper, cardstock, and sealed journals it holds well and lifts cleanly; on painted walls, rough kraft paper, or fabric it can release or leave a residue. Before buying a set, decide whether you are taping paper, wrapping gifts, or labeling containers, because that choice matters more than the print.
For beginners, one roll of low-tack tape in a simple stripe or dot pattern is more useful than six novelty rolls, since you can layer it without tearing the paper underneath. If you want to write on the tape, choose a matte finish; glossy tape resists most pens.
- Paper and cardstock: any washi tape works, and low-tack is easiest to reposition.
- Walls and painted surfaces: test a small piece first and remove it within a few days.
- Fabric and textured board: expect weaker hold, so use tape as a decoration rather than a fastener.
Choose a sticker tin by how you sort, not by size
A sticker tin earns its place when it keeps stickers flat and separated. Flat storage matters because stacked loose stickers curl, stick to each other, and pick up dust, which is why a shallow tin with a lid works better than a deep box for a small collection. Sort by theme first, such as letters, seasonal, or everyday shapes, and by size second.
If you travel with supplies, a tin protects stickers in a bag better than a sleeve or envelope. If you craft at one desk, a tin still helps because you can pull one category at a time instead of dumping the whole stash.
- Small collection: one shallow tin sorted by theme.
- Growing collection: two tins, one for everyday stickers and one for seasonal or holiday stickers.
- Travel or craft night: a lidded tin that fits your bag, plus one roll of tape.
Set a starter budget and a stopping rule
Beginners usually overspend on variety and underspend on storage. A workable starter setup is one or two tape rolls, one sheet or small pack of stickers, and one tin. Add a second tape color only when you have used the first roll on at least three projects, and add a second sticker category only when the first tin is full.
This stopping rule keeps your supplies usable. Tape that sits unused for months can dry at the edges, and stickers stored loose tend to lose their backing, so buying less and storing it well protects what you already own.
Where paper craft supplies overlap with needlework
If you also stitch, tape and stickers have a second job: labeling and organizing project materials. A strip of tape on a floss bobbin or a sticker on a project bag makes a kit easy to identify without writing on the fabric or canvas. Keep tape away from the stitched surface itself, since adhesive can leave a mark on Aida or linen.
This is also where a small tin helps: keep your labeling stickers with your project supplies so you are not hunting for them when a kit is half-finished.
Decision rules for buying tape and stickers
- Buy tape for the surface you use most: If most of your projects are paper, cardstock, or journals, choose low-tack washi tape in a neutral pattern. If you tape walls or painted surfaces, test a small piece first and remove it within a few days. One roll that fits your surface beats a bundle that does not.
- Buy stickers in a tin when you sort by theme: A shallow lidded tin keeps stickers flat and separated. Sort by theme first, then size, and keep one tin for everyday stickers and another for seasonal ones. If your stickers are loose in a drawer, a tin is the upgrade to buy next.
- Add variety only after three projects: Use your first tape roll on at least three projects before buying a second color, and fill your first tin before starting a second sticker category. This rule prevents buying duplicates you will not use.
- Keep paper supplies away from needlework: Tape and stickers are for labeling bobbins, project bags, and kits, not for the stitched surface. Adhesive can mark Aida, linen, or painted canvas. Label the container, not the fabric.
Related supplies from the studio
- The Velveteen Rabbit Counted Cross Stitch Kit: The Velveteen Rabbit Counted Cross Stitch Kit includes full stitches, quarter stitches, half stitches, and French knots. A kit with several stitch types is a good reason to keep your paper supplies separate and labeled, so tape and stickers never touch the fabric while you work.
- Needlepoint Canvas: Santa Marches On: Needlepoint Canvas: Santa Marches On is hand-painted 18 count canvas, and threads and stitch guide are not included. Because threads are not included and the canvas is painted to order, you will need your own organization system, and a labeled project bag or tin keeps loose threads and stickers from mixing.
- Overcome Evil Counted Cross Stitch Leaflet: Overcome Evil Counted Cross Stitch Leaflet is instructions only and uses 20 colors of floss on 14 count black Aida. A leaflet-only project means you gather your own floss, so small labels and a shallow tin make it easier to sort 20 colors without losing track.
Who this starter setup fits
Best for
- Beginners who make cards, journals, or gift wrap and want a small, usable supply set
- Crafters who need sticker storage ideas that keep stickers flat and portable
- Stitchers who want to label project bags, bobbins, and kits without writing on fabric
Not for
- Crafters who need archival, long-term adhesive for scrapbooks, since washi tape is not made for permanent mounting
- Buyers who want a large mixed bundle of novelty tape and stickers before testing what they actually use
