One of the ways I’ve gotten to know new people in my town is through craft day. I’d love to take the credit for it but, my talented friends Reeve and Angela are the brains behind it, I’m just the one who is too lazy to leave the house so I’ve been the host. So really? They’ve done all the hard work. And if you ask them, they probably don’t even think it’s hard.
Here’s why we started a craft day:
1. we love to do little crafts
2. we wanted to be together
3. we each had some crafty friends and thought it would be fun to introduce them all
It was Reeve’s idea to invite me and Angela to join in a Crafty Day Pinterest board. This was SO SMART because we could easily pin potential craft day ideas and then when it was time to decide which ideas we actually wanted to consider, we could all pick our top two or three ideas from the craft board and talk about what would work for a group. Sometimes we met for coffee and made a decision, sometimes we just emailed.
Here’s how craft day works:
There are three of us who plan it and we each have a job that we like:
Reeve sent out the emails (OK, so she went all out and made invitations because she’s awesome, but you don’t have to do fancy invites) email is fine–just have someone in charge of that part who is organized.
Angela usually taught the craft. She’s really good at explaining things so it worked out well.
I usually hosted and bought the supplies because I like to stay home but when I am out, I’m usually at craft store. Sometimes we would all go together to get supplies if we had time, that part was really fun too.
Last winter and fall we had craft day once a month (it works best to have it on the same day–like the 3rd Monday or something) and a few weeks before craft day the three of us would decide on the craft and Reeve sent out the invites. We’d get a rough count of how many would be there (usually 6-8) but an exact number didn’t matter (like when we did the doily bowls, we had some extra doilies just in case).
I’d buy whatever supplies we needed (usually it was pretty cheap) and fix some food because food fixin’ is one of my spiritual gifts and I like doing that. We’d keep a jar out for anyone who came who could to put $5 in for the supplies. We didn’t keep track or anything and it always worked out fine.
Angela would explain the craft and demonstrate and we’d all talk and laugh and eat and hot glue off our fingerprints.
It was a great excuse to get together and it’s so nice to have something to keep your hands busy while you are meeting new people. Crafts are a great ice breaker and such a low commitment–you could just have a one time craft day for your neighborhood if you want to meet some new people. Or maybe you and two friends just want to have a great excuse to get together, you don’t have to invite a bunch of people you don’t know.
I wrote about three of our craft days, check them out for more photos and ideas:
Craft Day :: Finger Knitting
Craft Day :: Pom Poms
Craft Day :: Doily Bowls
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Eileen says
My daughter and I did crafts for years and would open our home to anyone who wanted to learn crafts. We were blessed to meet a young lady online whose husband was in the hospital and he was coming home. They had no income and she was going to have to be home to take care of her husband. She saw the quilling we used to show online and asked if we could help her learn to make it. They lived in a tourist’s town in South America and we live in a small town in upper US. She had contacted a lot of people online who quilled and none of them were willing to help her.
We helped her. After a few short weeks she was making some quilling items that were much more intricate then we every made. She did not speak English and we did not speak Portuguese, we used a translator online to communicate with each other. She was able to make enough to squeak by until her husband was able to return to work. She continued because she had so much success it was bringing in an income for her to stay home with her children.
You never know what crafts could to for someone else, to God be the glory. She was struggling as a Christian and this one act of kindness caused her to see God’s love and accept the deeper walk before her Lord.
My eyes went bad and I was not able to continue making the quilled items, but God used that short time to teach others who could continue it.
Kayse Pratt says
That is AMAZING. I could not love a story more! What a blessing you are!!
Becky Daye says
Ah, GREAT ideas! Thank you!!
We do a craft day, that is a bring-your-own-project day. I love that. I need the accountability to get projects done!
Christina Berry says
I’m not an especially crafty person, but this is such a great idea! It seems like an awesome way to bring friends together to do something fun! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Ashley Urke | Domestic Fashionista says
This whole craft day has been on my mind since the last time you posted about it…which was months ago. I know this would be an easy, good way to be more intentional with relationships. I will try to get this going Nester. Lord knows I need to. I relate with everything you say about not leaving the house. It’s hard but I need to be disciplined and just do it. Thanks for challenging yourself and us.
Felicity says
This is funny. I start my craft night in 10 days! Super excited and scared, so thanks for encouraging me 🙂
Holly says
I actually had my first craft night a few weeks ago! I cant wait to have another one soon!
andrea says
love this. any suggestions for how to do this when you have little kids? all my friends have babies and toddlers!
Noreen says
I have been thinking about doing this with my youth group girls. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement =)
Tracey says
I am so going to need this when we move to Boulder next month!