5 Cruelty-Free Spring DIY Projects

When April showers drive you indoors, use the domestic downtime to dust off your DIY handbook—crafty vegans can always find a way to banish the bad-weather blues. Whether you’re into knitting needles or pickling, this month is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves, tie back your hair in a kerchief, and dig into some old-school arts and crafts.

Perfect Pickling
Pickled vegetables are a universal favorite—the Japanese are renowned for their pickled ginger, Germans pile on the sauerkraut, and Koreans get all of the credit for spicy Kimchi. Perhaps the most-beloved pickled vegetable is the cucumber, whose historical references span everywhere from India and Egypt to Greece and Russia. In the US, the sour, green pickle completes children’s lunch boxes, chases a shot of top-shelf vodka, and makes a perfect companion for a monster vegan hoagie filled with Yves deli-style cold cuts and vegan cheese. Save money by making pickles from scratch. It’s a cinch, and the pickling technique can apply to a host of vegetables—think green tomatoes, beets, and asparagus. Simple recipes combine herbs, spices, salt, vinegar, and water for perfect pickles. Experiment with different varieties, such as kosher dill, bread ‘n’ butter, sour, and sweet.

Bring Spring Inside
The age-old folk saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Despite the downpour outside, bring the bulb-to-bud-to-bloom indoors. “Forcing bulbs” is a horticultural technique that stimulates the rapid growth of a flower. Don’t long for your May favorites—tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils—because they can be an April reality. The tools are minimal: flower bulbs, stones or pottery shards, and clear, deep flowerpots or vases. The work is even easier: Fill the container with stones, nestle the bulb on top of the stones, and finally pour water in the container until it just licks the bottom of the bulb. Over the next few days—and here’s where the clear flowerpot is a boon—watch the plant’s roots unfurl.

Festival of (Soy) Lights
Candlelight enhances ambience and creates a soft, warm environment, which is particularly welcome when storms rage. Fashioned from soybean oil, plant-based soy wax candles not only spare the bees, but also burn longer than traditional candles—without releasing chemicals and soot into your home. There’s no need to shell out big bucks on boutique candles, because creating your own container candles is a snap. First, round up your used glass jars, coffee mugs, and water glasses. Bulk soy wax is often sold in flakes, which can be purchased, along with candlewicks, from online suppliers. Select pleasing essential oils—such as lemon, peppermint, and jasmine—to scent your candles. Using a double boiler, melt the soy-wax flakes and add the essential oils. Cut the wick, leaving it two inches longer than the lip of the container. Holding the wick in place, fill the container with wax. Refrigerate, and let there be light!

It Ain’t Over Yet
The attack of the domestic arts doesn’t have to stop there. Write and illustrate a comic about why it’s cool to be vegan, knit your kid sister a sweater using cotton or acrylic yarn, craft intricate origami animals, bake kale chips, practice an instrument, or host a cozy indoor picnic—just the thing to bring together pickles, daffodils, and soy candles on a rainy spring afternoon.