Crafting is about being creative and making practical or beautiful things. Though it can be a solo project, it’s nice to have a group of people who share your passion so you can talk about your current projects and learn new techniques.
Depending on where you live, it can be hard to find a crafting group in your area. For instance, if you have a homestead in a rural area, the crafting community might be smaller than in a larger city with a big population.
To help you find some crafting friends this year, follow these tips and find your crafty tribe in no time!
The Benefits of a Crafting Group
Many people enjoy crafts like macrame, knitting, crochet, and quilting as a moment to have alone time and slow down the pace of their normal daily activities. But crafts are also a smart way to make local connections, make new friends, and socialize.
One significant benefit of having crafting friends is having more opportunities to socialize. Craft groups connect you with a range of people of different ages. If you have moved to a new area, it’s a fast way to meet people in your new community.
It’s a great way to socialize if you want to do something relaxing and make new friends. You can share a hot drink and chat while creating a new craft project.
Craft groups meet at various times of the day, so you can find a time that suits you. Or start your own group.
1. Keep Motivated
Crafting can take a long time to complete, depending on the project’s size and complexity. It’s easy to lose motivation and feel deflated when working on a large blanket or intricate garment.
Joining a group will help you stay accountable to your project goals and timelines.
It’s nice to have a group of people who can help you stay on track with your crafting and ask for advice if you’re struggling rather than letting yourself become demotivated.
If you feel overwhelmed with a large project, you can create a group project and contribute smaller pieces to a grander design. For example, make a community blanket with your quilting group and contribute to individual sections.
That way, you’ll have small goals to break the project up, and when you get together, your group can see what you’ve been working on over the past week.
2. Learning Opportunity
Even though we live in the modern world where it’s easy to find learning materials online for learning new hobbies, it’s still a nice feeling to sit with a coffee and get tips from more experienced crafters.
You can learn a new stitch in person with locals and ask questions at the moment, which allows you to learn quickly. Plus, you can correct your mistakes and learn the proper techniques to avoid a project derailing mistake.
3. Good for Your Mental Health
Meeting up with a group is an excellent way to boost your mood. You can interact with new people and add something you look forward to into your routine.
Crafting helps relieve stress and calm your nerves. Doing it with a group is even more beneficial since strong social support is critical to good mental health.
Tips for Finding a Crafting Group
Once you’ve decided to connect with a crafting group, the first step is to research online for existing meetups in your surrounding area. You’ll be able to find the best options with a quick online search.
Remember to put your radius in the distance from your home so you don’t have to travel three hours to your crafting group.
A broad internet search might not give you good local options. Check social media and search for local groups. Facebook is an excellent platform for discovering groups, as is Instagram and Nextdoor.
You can also ask your friends or colleagues if they know of crafting groups nearby because not all groups are posted online.
Ask In Local Community Centers and Churches
Traditionally, churches and community centers have been the hub for crafting workshops and events as they are open to various ages and abilities. Check out your local library, community center, or churches.
It might be possible to place a flyer in these centers to reach out to people who craft in the area. You might find like-minded individuals looking for a fun crafting group to join.
Check the Newspaper or Local Magazines
Read the newspaper and local magazines. If you want to connect with people who don’t use social media or attend church, local publications might have ads, or you can post your own ad to create a crafting group.
Local magazines also advertise local crafting shops that sometimes host evening workshops or day-long events for building your skills. Even though these events are more education-focused, it’s an excellent occasion to meet fellow crafters.
You can also learn new skills at workshops, providing you with new ideas for your future projects. And, if you bond with crafters at the classes, you can build a new community together and start a new group for coffee or wine and crafting meetups.
How to Start a Crafting Group
Once you find people interested in starting a crafting group, find a venue for hosting the meetup. Contact cafes, restaurants, or other businesses to see if they have free or cheap spaces for rent.
Your local community center, church, or library might also have free space.
Of course, you can always host people in your or others’ homes if people are willing to invite fellow crafters into their houses.
Book the space in advance and double-check the number of members so you can have the correct amount of seats for the event.
Set a Time and Schedule
Setting a time is crucial if you want to have a regular meetup. If the dates constantly change or are settled on at the last minute, attendees might decide it’s too much of a hassle.
As long as you stick to the routine, you can pick any day and frequency that suits all the members.
Plan What You Need for the Meetup
Think about the snacks and food you want to offer during the crafting group.
Choose the tone of the event before the first meetup. Some options for a theme for your crafting group include a cozy, calm atmosphere with cake and coffee. Or, you can have a fancy evening group with fine cheeses and wine.
Likewise, decide on the crafting group’s goals, such as beginners, intermediate, or expert crafters. That way, you can ensure that people know what to expect when they attend the event.
Host a Virtual Group
Another option is to start an online event if you can’t organize a local crafting group because of geography or health concerns.
This is perfect for people who want to connect with other crafters without traveling. You can meet people from all over the world and share your passion for crafting together!
You can start a crafting group from anywhere, either online or offline, as long as you have the passion and enthusiasm to keep it going!