Why (and How) to Pick up a New Craft Hobby This Fall

There’s nothing like cozying up on a cold day with a cup of tea and a craft project—whether your discipline of choice be embroidery, painting, macrame, or (like me) hand quilting. After discovering the art of sewing layers of fabric together with running stitches, I was hooked and have snuggled up for many a night with a quilt on my lap, sewing until my fingers are calloused and I’m buried under a new handmade blanket.

I’m not the only Denverite looking for something to make. Interest in handcraft spiked during the COVID-19 shutdowns and continues to grow—now with a slew of new makers turning their hobby into a side hustle via sites like Etsy, which generated $2.74 billion in revenue in 2023, a seven percent increase over 2022. In 2023, the global arts and crafts market was valued at nearly $43 billion and is estimated to grow at an annual rate of 5.6 percent to a whopping $70.3 billion by 2032, according to Business Research Insights.

And the benefits to picking up an embroidery hoop or a pair of knitting needles exceed earning a few extra bucks. Health experts say that making something by hand can improve memory and attention and reduce anxiety and depression. Other studies have shown that making art can help people heal from illness or injury by allowing them to express their emotions visually.

But it can be tough to start from scratch. For those looking for an easy way in, eight-year-old Adults & Crafts, a Denver-based craft subscription service, offers kits for wood burning, engraving, candlemaking, and heat embossing. Kits come with everything you need (including simple instructions) and can be customized with your favorite designs and color palettes. Also available: monthly subscriptions and “craft parties,” where you can gather friends and family for a live, instructor-led virtual session for $50 to $70 per person.

“We kind of lose our creativity a little bit as we grow up, and that’s mainly because, unless you’re just an artsy person, a lot of people—teachers, parents, whoever—will kind of handle that for you,” says Stephanie Kim, director of marketing for Adults & Crafts. That’s where a subscription service can help.

As a crafty person in her youth, Kim says she didn’t have time or energy to be creative while working a nine-to-five. “You go home, maybe you scroll a little bit, veg out, and go to sleep and do the whole thing all over again,” she says. “For me, it felt like there was a hidden, tucked-away side of me that I just never gave love to. So when I [rediscovered crafts], it really felt reigniting, like my spark just came alive again.”

Kim says that while crafting is a great way to relax and unplug solo, social crafting is especially great for the holidays, when families want a group activity that doesn’t involve a screen. “In a time that can kind of be high stress around the holidays, [a craft kit] is the most fun and convenient thing that can be sent to you,” Kim says. “It’s something that you can do with your family that’s really hands-on.”

So whether you’re gifting something handmade this season, staving off post-Thanksgiving political chatter, or just itching to bust out the hot glue gun, here are three ways to pick up a creative hobby this fall.

Take a Handcrafting Class

Denver Art Museum

If you’re the type of museumgoer who stands in front of artwork and thinks I could do that, now’s your chance to prove it. Adult art programs abound at the Denver Art Museum, where students can enroll in daylong, four-week, or six-week workshops spanning meditative painting, basket weaving, papermaking, and more. Tickets for the winter/spring 2025 semester are on sale now.

Art Students League of Denver

You always loved art classes as an adolescent, but nine-to-five adult life has prevented you from pursuing a passion project. You’re in luck: The Art Students League of Denver (ASLD) has been inspiring creative Denverites for 35 years from its headquarters in the Speer neighborhood. Enrollment is ongoing for fall and winter classes, which include figure drawing, painting, pottery throwing, creative sewing, and more. For $65 per year, members enjoy discounted class prices and the option to show off their creations during ASLD’s Summer Art Market.

Rosy Rings Studio

Stop into Congress Park’s Rosy Rings Studio not only to cross a few people off your holiday gift-buying list, but also to learn how to make some of their home decor yourself. Classes for creating candles, fall wreaths, and sachets start at $75. And don’t leave without arranging a bouquet of botanicals from the dried flower bar for $0.50–$20 per stem.

Woodworks Studio

Flannels aren’t required (but they are encouraged) at Woodworks Studio in the Overland neighborhood. Beginner classes—which include instruction and materials to make a table or bookcase—are held over two weekend days once a month. Pick-your-own-project classes for intermediate woodworkers are held Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings (but you must complete the beginner class to enroll; you don’t want to lose any digits before Christmas).

LambShoppe

Head to 18-year-old LambShoppe in Congress Park to get schooled on all things needlework. Beginners can choose a “learner’s permit” class to master the basics of knitting and crocheting, while seasoned needle nerds can attend a series of “Christmas Crunch” events in November and December to make holiday gifts including mittens, headbands, and ornaments.

Blazing Star Ranch

You’ve heard of farm to table, but what about farm to sweater? At Blazing Star Ranch, owner Karen Champion sources wool from her own herd of 52 award-winning alpacas raised in Elizabeth. Visitors can purchase fibers from specific animals, such as a rich chestnut brown from Margarita or a snowy white from Argos, inside her Englewood shop. The studio also hosts in-person classes (starting at $60) on yarn spinning, loom weaving, and more. Or, if you’re stuck on a knitting project, you can book one-on-one help by the hour ($45).

Craft With Friends

Upstairs Circus

The happy hour menu at LoDo’s Upstairs Circus includes more than just local brews, wines, and seasonal cocktails. Choose from a list of more than 25 DIY craft kits—from a leather pet collar, to a beaded wrap bracelet, to a dip-dyed piece of fiber wall art—to keep your hands busy while you sip. Tip: Craft projects cost $43, but you can score a 20 percent discount by stopping in Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. We promise not to tell your boss that you left the office early.

Adults & Crafts Kits

Perfect for roommates or families who want an activity that doesn’t revolve around political bickering, a craft kit from Adults & Crafts can be an easy and convenient way to make something for any skill level. Whether you choose a calming resin terrarium, a trendy espresso martini candle, or chic marbled vases, these projects result in a product you’ll want to show off in your home (not hide in a closet). Kits start at $27.

Modern Quilt Guild Chapters

If your friends’ eyes glaze over every time you start talking about your latest quilting project, it might be time to join a Colorado chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild (Denver Metro, Boulder, or Fort Collins). Get to know other local crafters at monthly meetups and strengthen your skills in community sewing challenges and classes. Membership to the Denver chapter is $60 per year.

Local Knitting Groups

Knit one, purl one with fellow enthusiasts over a pint of beer at Berkeley’s FlyteCo Brewing or Platt Park’s Public Offering Brewing Company. Or start your Sundays with a caffeinate and crochet session at Waldschänke Ciders & Coffee in Sunnyside.

Learn & Shop From Fellow Local Makers

Flax & Twine

There’s a certain type of pride that comes with being able to say, “Thanks, I made it,” after a friend compliments your home decor. Anne Weil started making home goods with natural fibers in 2010 and proceeded to build the handcraft empire Flax & Twine, a destination for tutorials and kits with all you need to make chic, modern home goods. Visit her website or City Park shop to gather supplies to make woven rope bowls, arm-knitted floor poufs, felted wool baskets, and more.

True Bias

If your closet still needs a post-pandemic makeover, stitch yourself a new wardrobe with modern skirt, dress, blouse, and jumpsuit patterns from this indie pattern house run by Denver-based designer Kelli Ward. Ward started garment sewing 10 years ago as a stay-at-home mom, then started designing and selling her own patterns. She also posts sew-along tutorials to help navigate the process of making each sartorial masterpiece.

Friend Assembly

Get your hands dirty at this modern pottery studio in Stanley Marketplace led by Sarah Schreiber, a ceramic art teacher of almost 15 years. From classes spanning beginner-level wheel throwing to open studio nights, there is fun to be had for any skill level. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to pass up purchasing one of Schreiber’s adorable planters and mugs, each adorned with a friendly face.