Have you ever seen a DIYer post a project where she gets to a step that uses power tools, and points out that her husband, boyfriend, or father, did that part for her? It always frustrates me when I see that, because it perpetuates the stereotype that power tools, and woodworking in general, are for men. If you don’t have access to specialized tools or know how to use them, that’s one thing, but it doesn’t take a Y chromosome to learn to use a power saw. I’ll spare you my full feminist rant, but luckily we live in the age of the internet, where we can see that women can build things, too! So rather than just complaining, I thought today I’d help promote some women who aren’t afraid of sawdust.

One of the best examples of lady woodworkers is that internet superstar Ana White, who needs no promotion, but there are many other women building things and sharing their projects. Here are a few women woodworkers I’ve come across recently, and links to some of their simpler projects. Many of them have more complicated ones, too, but I mostly tried to stick to projects you could do without access to some of the less common tools they use.

Darbin Orvar

Lately I’ve been working on a few small wood projects (preview of one here, more on those soon), and when I was trying to figure out the best way to put something together, I came across the Darbin Orvar channel. Linn has videos on how to build tons of different things, and she even does some projects with lighting and electronics.

• Reclaimed wood coffee table
• Nightstand
• Bathroom wall shelf
• Garden workbench
• Fence gate

Build Basic

I discovered Build Basic when I used Jenn’s straightfoward tutorial to build a drawer last summer. Even though I had never built one before, it came out perfectly, so I have high hopes for her many other tutorials.

• Chair drink holder
• Basic drawer
• Drink tray
• Magazine holder
• Drawer organizer

Wilker Dos

A lot of April’s projects are quite advanced and woodshop focused, but it’s inspiring to see what she can make. If I didn’t already have a porch swing, I’d definitely give her porch swing tutorial a try.

• Cedar porch swing
• Folding workbench
• Planter box
• Entryway bench
• Floating corner shelves

House of Wood

I just discovered this site while researching this post, but it looks like there are plenty of great free plans for woodworking projects.

• Bathroom shelf
• Two-tiered planter
• Cubby shelves
• Nighstands
• Wine bottle and stemware rack

Pretty Handy Girl

Many of the woodworking projects here are actually from contributors, which means it’s a good way to discover new bloggers.

• Wall-mounted desk
• Raised planter bed
• Re-frame an ugly mirror
• Pergola
• Scrap wood planter box

Designs by Studio C

Cher offers free professionally-drafted plans for all kinds of furniture and decor.

• Concrete-topped outdoor table
• Wall-mounted desk
• Mini spice rack
• Planter box
• Wall organizer

Since this topic is pretty new to me, I’m sure I’m missing tons of female woodworker role models. Please share your recommendations, and I’ll add them to the list!