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DIY projects may look simple on screen, but there’s a whole lot of trial and error behind every Reel. We caught up with Aditi Agrawal to talk about the unseen side of DIY and her viral Louis Vuitton auto-rickshaw bag.
The internet loves a good viral idea, whether it’s a quirky trend, a fashion piece that gets everyone talking, or a creator putting their own spin on something unexpected. But what makes these moments even more interesting is the story behind them, the long hours, the trial and error, and the sheer patience that never really shows up on our feeds. When we come across DIY videos online, they always look fun, quick, and almost effortless, but what we don’t always realize is how much work actually happens behind the camera. There are multiple failed attempts, nights spent reworking tiny details, a lot of patience, and sometimes even starting everything from scratch just to get it right.
Aditi Agrawal, who most people know as Crafter Aditi, has been through all of it. You probably know her from the time she recreated that viral Louis Vuitton auto-rickshaw bag, but beyond the buzz, her work is all about experimenting, figuring things out one step at a time, and putting in the kind of effort that doesn’t always make it to the final video. We had a conversation with her where she opened up about what really goes into being a DIY creator, the behind-the-scenes struggles, and of course, the story behind that viral bag.
Here's what she shared!
When people watch your videos, everything looks fun, but if we peeked behind the scenes of your workspace on a regular day, what would we actually see?
Oh absolutely! You will see piles of fabric everywhere, paper scraps on the floor, glue stains on my table, and me hunting for that one perfect brush I kept somewhere. There is also a lot of trial and error, failed prototypes, and sometimes even burnt fingers from a glue gun. But honestly, that mess is my happy place and it means ideas are flowing.
If you peek behind the scenes, you won’t find Pinterest-worthy aesthetic; instead, you will find me sitting in the middle of a mini tornado, scissors gone missing, paint on my clothes, glue gun wires everywhere, and a table that looks like it survived a craft explosion. Basically, it’s 10% creativity and 90%“where did I keep that thing just now?”
What’s one behind-the-scenes reality about being a DIY creator that you think audiences would be shocked to know?
Oh my! I can give you five. For every 1-minute reel you see, there are at least 2 hours of me arguing with tape, glue, and scissors that refuse to cooperate. Half of my DIY projects are actually born out of mistakes; what looks “creative” was probably me trying to hide a glue stain. So yes, that’s that. And trust me when I say this, my hands usually have more cuts, burns, and glitter stuck on them than any craft store aisle. Sometimes I spend more time cleaning up after the DIY than actually making it. And the biggest DIY skill I’ve mastered? Pretending the mess around me doesn’t exist until the video is done.
Many of your projects look effortless on camera, but creativity often comes with frustration. Can you share a moment when you almost gave up on a project and what kept you going?
There was this one project where my glue gun literally betrayed me, burned my hand and still refused to stick anything. I remember staring at the mess thinking, “Bas, ab band karo yeh DIY!” But then I reminded myself that if I give up, I’ll be left with half a broken project and a messy table. So instead, I took a snack break, came back, and somehow the project got done. Moral of the story: chips and chai fix more DIY disasters than glue ever will.
What’s the funniest or most unexpected failure you’ve had while making something?
There are a lot of funny moments when it comes to craft, like things sticking to me randomly, my face getting all messy. All of these make me honestly think of making a video titled “DIY or D-I-Why?” someday, I guess. Trust me, it’ll be hilarious and super messy. One incident that always comes to my mind is when I once spent 2–3 hours making a clay neckpiece only to realize I hadn’t mixed the resin and hardener properly. The charms I made with that unmixed clay kept falling off the chain. Those 2–3 hours? Total disaster.
What was it about the Louis Vuitton rickshaw bag that made you want to take it up as a DIY challenge, and how did the idea evolve from just a thought into a 14-day project? And what was the audience reaction?
When I first saw the Louis Vuitton auto-rickshaw bag, my brain had two reactions: “Wow, luxury!” and “Arre, isko DIY bana ke dikhate hai!” What started as a casual thought became a full-blown mission. I sketched, cut stencils, stitched fabric, and basically lived with that bag for 14 days straight; it felt less like a DIY and more like a relationship. By the end, my room looked like a rickshaw garage and an art studio combined.
The audience reaction? Absolute madness! Some people couldn’t believe it was handmade, a few thought I had actually bought the ₹35 lakh bag, and many just laughed at the idea of carrying an auto-rickshaw on your shoulder. It was this mix of shock, appreciation, and hilarious comments—exactly what makes DIY worth it. And here’s the best part, it cost me under ₹2000 to make. Yet people still thought it was a real designer piece! To me, that says a lot: creativity isn’t about the price tag, it’s about vision, patience, and a little bit of madness. You don’t need big bucks to make a big impact.
You started with small crafts and now command a massive community. Looking back, how has your relationship with craft itself evolved? Is it still playing, or has it become something bigger?
When I started, craft was just me playing around with scissors, glue, and whatever random things I found at home. It was pure playtime, no rules, no pressure. Now, with this amazing community, it’s definitely become something bigger. It’s not just a hobby anymore, it’s a way to tell stories, challenge myself, and sometimes even make people laugh at my failures.
But at heart, it’s still fun. The day it stops feeling like play, I’ll probably go back to cutting paper hearts like a 5-year-old. That balance, between play and purpose, keeps me in love with DIY.
Algorithms reward speed and trends, but crafts take time. How do you navigate that tension between creating for the algorithm versus creating for yourself?
The algorithm wants me to post like I’m making instant noodles, but craft is more like slow-cooked biryani; it takes time, patience, and a lot of mess in between. Keeping up with everyday trends and updates is a huge thing now, especially with Instagram and YouTube changing their algorithms every other month. As creators, we have to keep adapting, experimenting, and staying flexible. But at the end of the day, I truly believe that if my content is good, it will eventually crack the algorithm on its own. So, I try to mix it up, sometimes hopping on trends for reach, and other times diving into 14-day DIY marathons for my own creative satisfaction. That balance keeps both the algorithm and my soul happy.
Would you ever have the patience to try a DIY project yourself? Tell us in the comments below.
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