Handiwork

Handiwork is one of the 27 skills in inZOI. According to the in-game description, this skill involves crafting tools and jewelry. Items created at the Crafting Table can be used by your Zoi or sold for Meow. Handiwork is available from the Teenager life stage through Senior. It was introduced alongside the Collecting skill in the v0.3.0 Island Getaway DLC update (August 2025).

Handiwork is a separate skill from Housework. While Housework focuses on home management activities like cleaning, laundry, repairing broken items, refurbishing furniture, and crafting custom furniture at a Furniture Workbench, Handiwork is specifically about crafting tools and jewelry from raw materials at a Crafting Table. The two skills serve different purposes and are leveled through different activities.

Among all the skills in the game, Handiwork is one of the most lucrative. Premium tools unlock early at Level 2, and selling Gold Premium Pickaxes generates consistent profit with relatively low effort. Combined with the Collecting skill for raw material gathering, Handiwork forms the backbone of one of the most reliable money-making strategies available.

The Crafting Table

The primary way to develop the Handiwork skill is by using the Crafting Table, which can be purchased and placed on your lot through Build Mode. To get started, open Build Mode, navigate to the furniture catalog, and search for the Crafting Table. Once placed, your Zoi can interact with it to refine raw gemstones into polished jewels and craft tools and jewelry from gathered materials.

The Crafting Table works hand-in-hand with the Collecting skill. Raw materials gathered through mining and exploration are brought to the Crafting Table to be transformed into usable or sellable items. The crafted output falls into three categories:

Every crafting action at the Crafting Table grants Handiwork experience, regardless of which item you make. The only way to increase the Handiwork skill is by crafting. There are no skill books, TV shows, or alternative leveling methods for this skill. This makes it somewhat more expensive to level than skills like Painting or Cooking, since each craft costs materials or Meow.

How to Level Handiwork

Leveling Handiwork from 0 to 10 takes approximately 28 to 30 hours of in-game time spent at the Crafting Table. The experience required increases with each level. Tool crafting takes roughly 16 to 18 minutes per item, while gem cutting takes about 19 to 20 minutes. During crafting, your Zoi must remain at the Crafting Table and cannot perform other actions.

The following table shows approximate leveling times based on community testing. Times assume continuous crafting with no breaks or travel.

The most efficient leveling strategy is to rush to Level 2 by crafting ordinary tools (at a cost of 200 Meow each), then switch to crafting Gold Premium Pickaxes. Gold Premium Pickaxes grant the same amount of experience as ordinary tools, but they sell for a significant profit, so you earn money while leveling rather than draining your Meow reserves.

Level-by-Level Unlocks

Each Handiwork level unlocks new craftable items or gem cutting techniques. The following tables show confirmed unlocks at each level.

Tool Unlocks

Ordinary tools (Level 0) can also be purchased directly from the Farm Store in Cahaya for 200 Meow each. These tools sell for roughly the same price they cost to make, so they provide no profit. They exist primarily as a way to gain early experience and as starter equipment for gathering activities. Premium and Jewel tier tools are the only ones that generate meaningful income when sold.

Gem Cutting Techniques

Gem cutting allows a Zoi to shape raw gemstones into specific cuts that increase their value. Each cut acts as a fixed value multiplier applied to the gemstone's base value. Higher-level cuts produce more valuable jewels from the same raw material. Cutting takes approximately 19 to 20 minutes per gem.

Cuts become profitable only when the value increase exceeds the cutting cost. For lower-level cuts like Round and Oval, the gemstone needs a fairly high base value (200+ Meow) before the 5% increase covers the 10 to 15 Meow cutting fee. For Noble and Kitty Paw cuts at +50%, gems with a base value above roughly 100 Meow will turn a profit. At higher levels, rare gemstones combined with Star, Kitty Paw, or Noble cuts produce the most valuable output. For example, a Noble-cut Emeraldite sells for approximately 1,200 Meow, and a Noble-cut Diamond sells for around 450 Meow.

Gemstone Types and Base Values

Raw gemstones are obtained through mining at Mining Spots scattered across the game's three cities. The type of gemstone you find depends on the mining spot type (regular, silver, or gold/mixed), your pickaxe quality, and your Collecting skill level. Each gemstone has a base inventory sale value. This value can be increased by cutting the gemstone at the Crafting Table.

Ores and Common Minerals

Birthstones

Birthstones are higher-value gemstones that become more common at higher Collecting levels and with better pickaxes. They benefit most from gem cutting, since even a mid-tier cut can add significant value.

Treasure Items

In addition to gemstones, mining occasionally yields treasure items. These cannot be cut or refined but can be sold directly or contributed to the Collection Log.

Mining and Raw Materials

To supply your Crafting Table with materials, you need to mine gemstones from Mining Spots scattered across the game's cities. Before mining, you will need a pickaxe, which can be purchased from the Farm Store in Cahaya (located in the bottom right section of the map). Three types of starter pickaxes are available:

Mining Spots appear as rocky patches and shiny spots on the ground. They can be found at locations including:

• Xiang Park (best spot in Cahaya)

• Bliss Garden in Bliss Bay

• Cahaya Main Island farmland areas

• Harang River Park in Dowon

• Central Park in Dowon

• Bliss Bay school complex and the area around the central white building

• Various non-residential grassy areas across all three cities

To mine, interact with a Mining Spot and choose the "Mine with Tools" option. Using a proper pickaxe is far more effective than mining by hand. Successfully mined spots yield rocks, gemstones, or raw minerals straight into your inventory. Mining spots respawn quickly, giving you plenty of chances to gather resources. Each mining attempt takes approximately 3 minutes of in-game time.

Mining contributes to the Collecting skill, not Handiwork. The two skills level through different activities but work together: Collecting determines what you can gather, while Handiwork determines what you can craft from those raw materials.

Premium Tool Profitability

Premium tools become available at Handiwork Level 2 and are the most consistent source of crafting income. The metal ore used in crafting determines the final quality and sale value of the tool. Here is a breakdown of profit per craft when purchasing all materials at market price versus gathering them yourself:

The Gold Premium Pickaxe is by far the most profitable craft in the Handiwork skill tree. At approximately +831 Meow profit per craft and roughly 17 minutes per craft, it generates around 2,900 Meow per in-game hour of dedicated crafting. This makes it one of the most consistent money-making methods in the entire game.

Copper and Iron tools yield minimal or zero profit when materials are purchased. Only craft these if you have gathered the materials yourself and want the Handiwork experience. For pure income, always prioritize Gold or Silver metals.

Selling Crafted Items

There are three main ways to sell tools, jewelry, and polished jewels that you craft at the Crafting Table:

1. Inventory Sale: Click on the item in your inventory and select the sell option. This is the fastest method but typically gives the lowest price. Most profit calculations in this guide are based on inventory sale values.

2. Pocket Market: Open the Pocket Market app on your Zoi's smartphone and list the item for sale. You can set your own price, and other Zois in the city will browse and purchase your listings. This can yield higher returns than inventory sales, but items take time to sell.

3. Market Stall: Place a Secondhand Sales Counter on any public lot via Build Mode. Stock it with your crafted items, set prices, and select "Start Selling" to open your stall for a three-hour session. Customers will arrive and browse your goods. This method was introduced with the Island Getaway DLC and can be set up anywhere on the main island.

Higher-quality items sell for more regardless of which method you use. As your Handiwork skill increases, the quality of your crafted output improves, leading to higher sale prices across all three channels.

Seasonal Crafting

The v0.4.0 Halloween update (October 2025) introduced jack-o-lantern carving at the Crafting Table. Pumpkins grown through Gardening or purchased can be processed at a Crafting Table to be carved into jack-o-lanterns with various shapes and facial expressions. Carved jack-o-lanterns serve two purposes:

• Headgear: Zois can wear jack-o-lanterns on their heads as a costume item.

• Decoration: Place jack-o-lanterns around your home or lot as seasonal decorations. Placing Halloween items on your property triggers nightly visits from children during the trick-or-treat event.

Jack-o-lantern crafting takes approximately 20 minutes and provides minimal Handiwork experience compared to tool crafting. It is better suited for holiday fun than for serious skill grinding or income generation. The Halloween content remains available year-round, not just during the Halloween season.

The Collecting Skill Connection

Handiwork is closely related to the Collecting skill. While Collecting governs your Zoi's ability to gather raw materials through mining, fishing, and farming, Handiwork governs what you do with those materials at the Crafting Table. Developing both skills together creates a complete resource-gathering-to-crafting pipeline.

The Collecting skill also unlocks better pickaxes for purchase. At Collecting Level 10, the Collection Expert ambition unlocks the ability to buy Silver, Gold, and Jewel Pickaxes directly from the Farming Supply Store without needing to craft them. This is a significant convenience for players who want to skip the crafting step for their personal mining tools.

For optimal results, level both skills in parallel. Mine with the best pickaxe available to gather raw materials, then bring those materials to the Crafting Table to craft premium tools and cut gemstones. The cycle feeds itself: crafting better pickaxes lets you mine more efficiently, and mining better materials lets you craft more valuable items.

Family Collection Log and Display Cases

Everything your family collects, from fish and crops to gemstones, jewels, and tools, is automatically recorded in the Family Collection Log. Access it via the book icon on the right side of your screen. Completing collection sets in the log unlocks exclusive rewards such as furniture and decorative items.

As you reach certain milestones in the gemstone collection, display cases become available for purchase:

The Collection Log provides a long-term goal for players who enjoy completionist gameplay. Filling out all gemstone entries requires mining across all three cities and reaching higher Collecting levels to access rarer materials.

Character Studio Accessories

In addition to crafting at the Crafting Table during gameplay, you can also convert gemstones into decorative accessories for your Zoi in the Character Studio. This provides another use for gathered materials beyond selling and allows you to customize your Zoi's appearance with unique handcrafted pieces. Accessories made from higher-value gemstones produce more visually distinctive results.

Mood and Focus Effects

Your Zoi's mood affects crafting outcomes. The "Focused" mood state, in particular, improves both crafting quality and mining yields. You can activate the Focused mood by consuming a Focus Donut from the Meow Store:

Using a Max Focus Donut before a long crafting or mining session can noticeably improve your results. The Focused mood increases the chance of mining rare birthstones and diamonds, which in turn become more valuable after cutting. It also slightly improves the quality modifier on crafted tools, leading to better sale prices.

Role in Crime

Handiwork plays a significant role in the crime system introduced in the v0.5.0 December 2025 update. The success rates of thief interactions (such as lock picking, safe cracking, and camera sabotage) are directly influenced by Handiwork skill level, alongside Programming and Fitness skills.

The following criminal activities specifically rely on or benefit from Handiwork:

Camera sabotage at Crime Level 5 requires both Handiwork and Programming at Level 5. Despite needing both skills, only Handiwork levels during the action. The failure rate for camera sabotage remains relatively high (around 40 to 50%) even with maxed skills, likely because the Crime skill itself is currently capped at Level 5.

A higher Handiwork skill directly improves your chances of success when picking locks, cracking safes, and performing other physical theft activities. Only Young Adult and older Zois can commit crimes. Low Handiwork increases failure rates noticeably, so invest in the skill before attempting higher-tier criminal activities.

Handiwork vs. Housework

Because the names are similar, many players confuse Handiwork with Housework. Here is how they differ:

The Furniture Workbench (which lets you build tables, chairs, computer desks, and light fixtures) raises Housework, not Handiwork. The Crafting Table (which lets you make tools and jewelry from gemstones) raises Handiwork. Keep this distinction in mind when planning which skill to develop.

Money-Making Strategy

Handiwork is one of the most lucrative skills in inZOI because Premium Tools unlock early at Level 2 and sell for strong profit. The most profitable crafting approach involves three steps:

1. Mine or purchase raw materials (metals and rocks). Gold Ore is the ideal metal for maximum profit.

2. Craft Gold Premium Pickaxes at the Crafting Table. Each takes about 17 minutes.

3. Sell the finished tools through your inventory, the Pocket Market, or a Market Stall for profit.

The Gold Premium Pickaxe generates approximately +831 Meow profit per craft when materials are purchased at market price, or about +900 Meow when you gather all materials yourself. At roughly 17 minutes per craft, this yields approximately 2,900 Meow per in-game hour of dedicated crafting. This makes it one of the most consistent money-making methods in the game, comparable to high-level Painting income.

For gem cutting, profitability depends on the raw gemstone value and the cut applied. At lower levels, cutting common gems with Round or Oval cuts may not be worth the 19-minute time investment, since the 5% value increase rarely covers the cutting fee on cheap stones. At higher levels with Heart, Star, or Noble cuts, cutting rare gemstones becomes very profitable. A Noble-cut Raw Emeraldite (base 800 Meow) sells for approximately 1,200 Meow, representing a 400 Meow profit after the 50 Meow cutting fee.

Hourly mining yields at Collecting Level 10 with a Jewel Pickaxe average around 700 Meow across all three cities. Combining this with Handiwork crafting (cutting the gems you mine and crafting premium tools from the metals) significantly amplifies total income.

Tips

• Buy a pickaxe from the Farm Store in Cahaya before you start mining. The Stone Pickaxe is the cheapest starting option at 200 Meow.

• Rush to Handiwork Level 2 to unlock Premium Tools. Gold Premium Pickaxes are one of the best early money-makers in the game, generating roughly +831 Meow profit per craft.

• Visit Mining Spots regularly across all three cities to gather a diverse range of materials for crafting. Xiang Park in Cahaya, the Bliss Bay school complex, and Harang River Park in Dowon are reliable locations.

• Pair Handiwork with the Collecting skill for a complete resource pipeline: gather raw materials, then refine and craft at the Crafting Table.

• Check the Family Collection Log regularly. Completing gemstone and tool collections unlocks exclusive rewards, including display cases for your rarest finds.

• If you plan to pursue the Thief crime path, invest in Handiwork alongside Programming and Fitness to maximize success rates.

• Convert surplus gemstones into accessories in the Character Studio for unique Zoi customization options.

• At Level 5, craft Jewel Watering Cans and Jewel Rakes for gardening or additional income. These require Raw Diamonds, which are scarce, so save them for when you need them.

• Save rare gemstones (Diamond, Pink Diamond, Cat's Eye, Black Opal, Emeraldite) for high-level cuts (Heart, Star, Noble, Kitty Paw) since the value multiplier is much higher than low-level cuts.

• Do not confuse Handiwork with Housework. They are separate skills leveled through different activities at different crafting stations.

• Use a Max Focus Donut (60 Meow, 12-hour duration) before long crafting or mining sessions to improve quality and rare drop rates.

• Avoid crafting Copper or Iron Premium Fishing Rods for profit; they yield minimal or negative returns. Stick to Gold Premium Pickaxes for the best income.

• Jack-o-lantern crafting from pumpkins is fun for seasonal events but provides minimal experience. Do not rely on it for leveling.

• Once you reach Collecting Level 10, the Collection Expert ambition lets you buy Silver, Gold, and Jewel Pickaxes from the store, which is more convenient than crafting personal-use pickaxes.

• At maximum Handiwork level, aim for Noble or Kitty Paw cuts on every birthstone you mine. The 50% value multiplier on rare gems like Emeraldite and Black Opal produces the highest possible sale values in the game.