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10 Female Woodworkers You Need to Know About

10 Female Woodworkers You Need to Know About

Female woodworkers are never just woodworkers. They are often Renaissance women, with many talents and skills—for instance, some are also artists, scientists, songwriters, web designers, and DIY bloggers. At Accuride, we aim to celebrate fierce, creative women in woodworking, and share their personal stories, handy philosophies, and awesome projects. We want to spotlight ten female woodworkers who are making must-see builds and inspiring millions—of course, there are many more women we’d like to highlight, so this is just a start. Here are ten female woodworkers you need to know about!

1. Alma Villalobos (Pink Soul Studios)

Based in Chicagoland, Alma Villalobos of Pink Soul Studios is a maker of things—of many things, in fact. Alma began making her own furniture simply because she wanted to. Not long after, she began Pink Soul Studios, named after her full name, Alma Rosa, which translates from Spanish to “Pink Soul.” At the core of Alma’s work, there is clearly a lot of soul. You may know Villalobos for her personalized custom push sticks, which she crafts on her Iconic CNC.

One of her most recent projects included an impressive record storage cabinet. For this project, Alma used Accuride’s 3832E Light-Duty and Full-Extension Slide with Lever-Disconnect. These drawer slides are a classic Accuride model, featuring enhanced strength and movement, as well as a patented Cam Drawer Adjust, allowing for precise vertical adjustment.


If Villalobos’s work has inspired you, check out what other tools and products she likes, and start crafting your own project!

2. Brittany Bailey (Pretty Handy Girl)

Brittany Bailey from North Carolina loves to do it all. She’s a general contractor, artist, graphic designer, web designer, photographer—and she’s also committed to breaking stereotypes and empowering novice DIYers. Her blog offers plenty of plans and inspiration for “anyone who wishes they were handy and could make their own repairs, upgrades or become a true do-it-yourselfer.”

One of Brittany’s earliest features includes “Building a Window Seat with Storage in a Bay Window.” Brittany breaks down the basics for this build, from materials and step-by-step instructions. We love all of the natural light this build would offer, as well as the handy storage underneath the seat.

Brittany’s commitment to educating others is inspiring, and we’re sure her spark will ignite others to build confidently.

3. Claire Baldwin (Polish and Power Tools)

Every woodworker starts somewhere. For Claire Baldwin, her passion began after she built a coffee table for her apartment. Her enthusiasm for building fine furniture and home decor grew quickly, and now she shares her work under the name Polish & Power Tools.

Based out of Tennessee, Claire has crafted wall decor, tables, tap handles, and mantles. She has spoken with Accuride before about her experience as a female woodworker, and the way people perceive her. Despite misconceptions about what a woodworker “should” look like, Claire says, “Woodworking is much more about creativity and the drive to create, not about physical strength.”

When Claire began making storage cabinetry, she turned to Accuride for slides that would serve her needs for functionality and movement. Accuride’s 3832ETR Touch-Release was not only easy to install, but they performed wonderfully, too. For her next projects, Claire is looking to use Accuride’s 3135EC and 3160EC undermount slides to get the job done. We’re proud to say Polish & Power Tools thoroughly embodies Accuride’s motto, “Always Moving Forward.”

4. Jen Woodhouse (House of Wood)

“DIY Blogger” is Jen Woodhouse’s latest venture, but she has a long and eclectic resume preceding it. Jen is a performing songwriter, army wife, and mother of two, so while she calls Nashville, Tennessee her home, she’s currently based out of Kentucky.

Her work, however, is recognized across the map. On House of Wood, she documents all of her designs, furniture, and home renovation projects. Her blog was recognized by Domino Magazine as The Best DIY Blog, and her projects have been featured on HGTV.com, Elle Decor, and House Beautiful, among many others.

Jen has partnered with a number of brands, including Home Depot, Simpson Strong-Tie, and earlier this year, Accuride. Woodhouse built a beautiful sliding door entertainment center using Accuride’s 3832E Full Extension Slides, which can support loads up to 100 pounds.

We’re inspired by Jen’s problem-solving and do-it-yourself inventiveness. Check out her tutorials for inspiration and guidance on your next build.

5. Ashley Nielsen (Build Like a Chick)

For Ashley Nielsen, refurnishing furniture started out as a way for her to be at home with her twin boys. She then teamed up with a friend to learn how to build her own furniture and soon went from hobbyist to full-time furniture builder. Now she designs custom pieces out of Utah.

Ashley believes in crafting anything DIY to make a house feel like a home. Lately, she’s been making tables that look like works of art, beautiful and crafted with careful attention. Check out this table with a whitewash, or this Balustrade Coffee Table. She’s also worked on projects inspired by another builder, Ana White DIY, like the Bailey Console. We love Ashley’s personal spin on this plan by modifying it with metal.

Ashley has built plenty of interest by word of mouth, and she is normally booked out six months in advance for custom work. With Ashley always keeping busy, we’re always looking forward to her newest projects!

6. Molly (WoodBrew)

Molly is one half of the duo behind Woodbrew. Alongside her partner, Dylan, Molly is a young entrepreneur who is the visionary behind their collaborations. Woodbrew specializes in woodworking, but they also feature metalworking and other materials on their YouTube channel. With more than 90,000 subscribers, Molly is making a significant impact on her educational tutorials.

Woodbrew features Accuride’s 3634EC Medium-Duty & Over-Travel Slide with Easy-Close in their tutorial for a miter saw station. This particular model of the slide is resilient and high-performing and offers a smooth close after every use.

Their latest projects include several plans for outdoor builds, including a DIY Planter Box and Outdoor Coffee Table. Look to Woodbrew if you’re ready to explore, make, and create.

7. Sadie Mae John (The Awesome Orange)

Sadie Mae John was working 60 hours a week for someone else and was tired of her regular routine. When Sadie realized her house was missing her “Sadie Touch,” she decided to find a creative outlet for herself. After her first impulse to nest, the rest is history.

The Awesome Orange was born out of that incredible rush you get after you’ve created something you’re proud of, something you love. Sadie’s can-do spirit and dedication to improving her craft is infectious. Her motto, after all, is “Build Loud, Build Wild.”

One of Sadie’s projects includes “How to Make Drawer Boxes – The Easy Way.” Sadie walks her readers through “the easy way” she decided to make drawer boxes for her master closet renovation, which includes Accuride’s 3832EC slides. These slides are a savvy option for a controlled and satisfying close, with an automatic reset stroke of 1.75’’. These slides can also support up to 100 pounds and are available for drawers up to 16’’ wide.

Wherever you are in your woodworking journey, we hope Sadie inspires you to create boldly.

8. April Wilkerson (Wilker Do’s)

When April Wilkerson started her blog Wilker Do’s, she had never used a power tool before. She began making things she otherwise couldn’t afford for her house. Now, six years later, she still prefers to build whatever she needs instead of buying it.

April is proof that if you set your mind to it and put your heart into it, you can do anything—for her, that means identifying as a maker, a DIYer, a woodworker, and a metalworker. She also encourages others through her online tutorials, which she shares via both her blog and her YouTube channel. Some of April’s most popular videos include “Building a Large Outdoor Staircase,” “Building a Covered Patio,” and “How to Build a Queen Size Bed with Drawer Storage.” We love that April emphasizes sharing the step-by-step process she takes to each build.

Whether you’re a novice or an expert builder, we can all learn something from April’s artisanship and woodwork.

9. Ana White (Ana White DIY)

Ana White is all about doing, as evident in her Twitter bio, which simply reads: “Let’s Build Something!!!”

Based out of Alaska, Ana is a DIY designer with a penchant for building cabinets, tables, beds, and more. On her website, Ana White DIY, she shares all of her plans—for free!—in a public catalog. We were immediately drawn to her plans for “Wood Tilt Out Trash or Recycling Cabinet” and “Full Length Mirror Sliding Beauty Cabinet.” If you’re looking to build a shed, a sofa, or a new shelf, Ana’s got a how-to for it—she’s got something for everybody. She also includes tips for saving even more money with DIY.

Ana has helped build and encourage an entire community of female woodworkers, and we’re inspired by her transparency and dedication to her readers and learners.

10. Anika Gandhi (Anika’s DIY Life)

Based in California, Anika Gandhi specializes in easy woodworking and simple home improvement. She builds with the belief that if she can DIY it, so can you.

By training, Anika is a physicist and electrical engineer. She quit her full-time engineering job to spend more time with her children, and shortly after, her family moved across the state. She began her blog, Anika DIY Life, to document her woodworking, DIY, crafts, and ideas.

She cites Ana White as her biggest inspiration, and we can certainly see it in her work! One of her most frequent builds are nightstands and end tables. Two of her recent projects include an ombre-stained nightstand and an end table with a hidden charging station, showcasing Anika’s knack for multipurpose projects and smart, sleek designs.

There are so many motivational, awesome female woodworkers—far more than we could feature in this article! We’d love to know what women inspire you, and what projects you’ve learned to make from them. Tag us on Instagram or use the #Accuride for a chance to be featured! You can also reach us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Linkedin. Show off your appreciation for others, as well as your own innovative designs and creations!

Danielle Ernest

External Communication Manager at Accuride International

Danielle is the External Communication Manager at Accuride International. She has 7 years of experience social media marketing and public relations. She believes marketing is about providing value to customers and building lasting relationships.

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