11 Female DIYers Who Are Changing the Game
Updated: Mar. 13, 2021Women have carved out a powerful space for themselves in DIY. Find out more about just a few of our favorite creatives and why we love them so much.
April Wilkerson, Wilker Do’s
April is the most fearless and ambitious builder many of us have ever met. She recently built a treehouse deck, that, to us, really exemplifies her skill and creativity. As a woman immersed in DIY for awhile, April is a creative trailblazer worth following.
Website: wilkerdos.com | Instagram: @wilker_dos | Facebook: Wilker Do’s
Jenni Yolo, I Spy DIY
Jenni is a former art director at InStyle who moved back home to Milwaukee to start a home renovation business and website. We love her stylish yet affordable approach to all things DIY. Recently, Family Handyman‘s sister magazine/website Taste of Home hired her and her husband to design and build the Taste of Home Smart Kitchen.
Website: ispydiy.com | Instagram: @ispydiy | Facebook: I Spy DIY
Anika Gandhi, Anika’s DIY Life
Born in India and educated as an electrical engineer, we love how Anika’s unique story highlights just how different the paths that lead to DIY can be. Feeling motivated by the success of her early projects, Anika proceeded with a focus on beginner DIY projects and simple home improvement solutions.
Website: anikasdiylife.com | Instagram: @anikasdiylife | Facebook: DIY Life With Anika
Anne Briggs, Anne of All Trades
What makes Anne special to us is her versatility. She’s a super knowledgeable woodworker and a metalworker, gardener, homesteader and so much more. She encourages her followers to put aside their fear of failure and just try things, since most everything in DIY is, according to Anne, “figureoutable.”
Website: anneofalltrades.com | Instagram: @#anneofalltrades | Facebook: Anne of All Trades
Char Miller-King, The Wooden Maven
Once a woodworking hobbyist, Char has been creating and building for more than 15 years. As a woodworking student and now a dedicated teacher, we find her goal of empowering women and girls to follow their building dreams to be inspiring.
Website: thewoodenmaven.com | Instagram: @woodenmaven | Facebook: I Am The Wooden Maven
Amy Matthews, Sweat Equity, Renovation Raiders
Originally from Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Amy is another DIY veteran. She’s hosted several shows on HGTV and DIY Network, and we’re inspired by her knowledge and experience of all things home improvement. In 2019, Amy co-founded a Twin Cities-area nonprofit called And Now She Rises to help victims of domestic violence.
Website: amymatthews.com | Instagram: @diymatthews | Facebook: Amy Matthews
Cass Smith, Cassmakeshome
Cass is so great for the breadth of her projects, everything from woodwork to curtains. But the best part of her instructional videos is her self-effacing nature. We find her honest, real and relatable.
Website: cassmakeshome.com | Instagram: @cassmakeshome | Facebook: Cassmakeshome
Emily Pilloton, Girls Garage
When we spoke with Emily recently, we loved her ambition and accomplishments along with her down-to-earth and relatable style. Her mission is to “inspire a community of fearless builder girls everywhere.” To that end, she founded Girls Garage in 2013 to offer free and low-cost programs in carpentry, welding, architecture, engineering and activist art to more than 200 girls per year.
Website: girlsgarage.org | Instagram: @_girlsgarage | Facebook: Girls Garage
Jess Crow, Crow Creek Designs
Located in Alaska, builder and artist Jess does amazing, inventive things with epoxy and wood, using bright colors against gorgeous natural wood. We particularly love the giant boardroom table she recently built.
Website: crowcreekdesigns.com | Instagram: @crowcreekdesigns | Facebook: Jess Crow
Stefani Terry, Home With Stefani
A realtor by day and a former Army National Guard carpentry and masonry specialist, Stefani offers simple, practical DIY solutions for any room in your house. We love her minimalist and organized style. Prediction: She’ll have a huge following in the next few years.
Website: homewithstefani.com | Instagram: @homewithstefani | Facebook: Stefani Terry
Ashley Basnight, Handmade Haven
We love that Ashley Basnight is a self-taught DIYer (and a software engineer by day) who is actively trying to break down the stereotypes surrounding women — and women of color — in DIY. Her stylish creations are an inspiration, as is her story and mission.
Website: handmade-haven.com | Instagram: @smashingdiy | Facebook: Ashley Basnight